KEY POINTS:
It's been 21 years since the fresh-faced soap star first stormed the charts but Kylie Minogue is only just getting round to visiting her trans-Tasman neighbour.
The Aussie pop starlet will perform her first New Zealand concert at Auckland's Vector Arena on Monday, December 8.
Concert promoter and
long-time friend of Minogue Michael Gudinski says the performance has been a long time coming and the singer is very excited about it.
Minogue has never performed in New Zealand before because her shows require such a large venue to stage them, says Gudinski.
"Until Vector Arena was built there was never a question that she could actually come and perform over there," explains Gudinski.
But he promises the show will more than make up for the lack of appearances, with Minogue drawing on material from throughout her career. "It will certainly be a power-packed show. It's great news for her fans."
Part of the $24 million Kylie X tour, the show has already travelled to 21 countries and been seen by more than 500,000 fans.
With costumes designed by Jean Paul Gaultier, the concert promises to be one of the biggest productions ever staged at Vector Arena. Divided into eight separately themed and costumed segments, the event is said to dwarf any of Minogue's previous shows.
Said The Guardian of the tour's opening night in Glasgow: "Five years ago, aged 35, Kylie announced her intention of retiring her hot pants and dressing 'appropriately' for her age. Happily, she's done nothing of the kind. Tonight's looks include cheerleader shorts, suspenders with leopard-print stockings and a riding outfit accessorised with patent thigh boots. Each outfit corresponds to a 15-minute song segment, each dressed up with what could be the most striking visuals ever designed for a pop gig. The sets are influenced by Japanese theatre, Helmut Newton's photography, Tokyo street life - a mix of music, fashion and art that is both stunning and beautiful.
"The music may err too heavily on the side of grinding electro numbers from X, and classics such as Spinning Around and Can't Get You Out of My Head are over too soon, but this is a fantastic spectacle from pop's greatest show pony."
Minogue, who turned 40 this year, shot to fame in 1987 with the back-to-back hits The Locomotion and I Should Be So Lucky, when she was still starring as Charlene in Neighbours.
Twenty-one years and 10 studio albums on, Minogue has become a pop icon and continues to top the charts and win awards, including this year's Brit Award for best international female artist.
Last month, she was awarded an OBE, presented by Prince Charles, for her services to the music industry.
Tickets to the show go on sale Tuesday, September 9, from all Ticketmaster outlets.
