Live Review + Photos: Kesha at The Hollywood Palladium

Kesha’s musical legacy is impressive, not only was she the pop princess of the early 2000s, she also raised an entire generation on her music. If you need proof of this, look no further than the crowd that gathered for this stop of The Only Love Tour at the Hollywood Palladium on November 18. In anticipation of the night, everyone was buzzing with excitement, myself included. Even after queueing up for hours, the crowd was decked out in Kesha’s merch, with bright, colorful outfits and bold eye makeup to match. Concert-goers were reminiscing about the time when they first started listening to Kesha’s music, how they grew up with it and what that experience meant to them. 

As the lights began to dim, one could only see Kesha’s silhouette in the center of the stage before she emerged to sing “Only Love Can Save Us Now,” from her most recent studio album. This was followed by some of her most popular songs like “Tik Tok” and a mash-up of “Cannibal” and “Backstabber.” Also on the stage with Kesha, were two dancers that stayed for the entire show. While Kesha had an outfit change backstage, they performed an emotive dance to “Good Old Days.” Throughout the night, the trio drew off of each other’s energy, creating a theatrical spectacle with outfit changes and props to go along with the music. 

The crowd was also heavily engaged in every part of the show. From throwing clothes, underwear, bras and more onstage when Kesha sang “Take It Off” to the more intimate gestures of turning on flashlights for the ballads. About halfway through the setlist, Kesha paused and explained that this was the part of the show where she asked the fans what songs they wanted to hear. Before she could finish asking, the crowd erupted with screams and shouts of various songs that could barely be heard through the noise. Kesha performed “Peace & Quiet,” and then after interacting with a fan’s sign, she performed “Rainbow” on piano. 

As the night continued, Kesha was able to weave her more upbeat songs in with the ballads and perform a setlist that was both moving and uplifting. She often paused to profusely thank her fans, spoke briefly about her experience in the music industry and reminded everyone in the venue that she supported them no matter their race, sexuality or creed. The show was rounded out with a powerful encore performance of “Praying” from her 2017 album Rainbow, followed by “We R Who We R. ” If you didn’t gather the message behind this final song, Kesha made it clear. On stage were drag queens, pride flags and the crowd was showered with confetti and balloons. This tour really highlights the inclusive uplifting culture that both Kesha herself and her music foster by creating a space where both fans and the artist can feel comfortable expressing their true selves. 

Setlist 

1. Only Love Can Save Us Now
2. Tik Tok
3. Cannibal / Backstabber
4. Raising Hell
5. Take It Off
6. Good Old Days
7. Eat the Acid
8. Fine Line
9. Peace & Quiet
10. Rainbow
11. Hate Me Harder
12. Ram Dass Interlude
13. Timber
14. Your Love Is My Drug
15. Die Young
16. Blow
17. Only Love Reprise

Encore: 

1. Praying
2. We R Who We R

All photos by Brandy Hornback.