Katy Perry kicked off her Las Vegas residency last night (December 29), and the performance proved to be anything but conventional.
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Running until March 19, 2022, Perry’s show at Las Vegas’ Resorts World Theatre is split into six Toy Story-inspired acts. Speaking about the production to GMA, Perry said: “A lot of my shows have been figuratively larger than life. But I play a doll in this show, so this thing is three times the size of me.”
“When you’re on tour, you’re in a different building every night so you have to accumulate to the size of the building. With this incredible 5,000 seater theatre, you know exactly what is what. You’re on the same stage every single time you play so there’s a lot of consistency which allows you to do even more magic,” she added.
Kicking off with a pre-recorded video with Perry playing a “Katy Doll”, the show started with 2010’s ‘E.T.’ as the singer was lowered onto the stage by a giant hand. She then played 2017’s ‘Chained To The Rhythm’.
During the show, Perry rolled out a 16-foot-tall toilet for her performances of ‘California Gurls’, ‘Hot N Cold’ and ‘Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)’. Singing both in and out of the toilet, at one point Perry was also joined by a dancing turd.
Elsewhere, she performed in a garden (while riding a giant snail) and in front of a garbage can (while donning a soda-can-inspired dress). Perry stopped mid-set to lactate beer and chug a pint next to a discarded COVID face mask.
The stage later transformed into a traditional Vegas-inspired show, coming ahead of the greatest hits part of the set, which also featured a cover of ‘The Greatest Love Of All’, a song made famous by both soul-singer George Benson and Whitney Houston.
As part of the show, Perry gave her new dancefloor-ready track ‘When I’m Gone’ its live debut as part of a mashup with 2013’s ‘Walking On Air’.
Speaking about her new collaboration with Alesso, Perry told GMA: “It gives it a fresh, fun new feeling. The show must go on in a way, people use music to do all kinds of things – to be happy, to get their grief out, to dance. We all need a soundtrack to our lives and I hope I can be a part of that.”
Check out footage of Perry performing the track below:
You can see further footage from the first night of the pop star’s residency in Las Vegas below:
I CSNT BRATHEKJDDKEKDK pic.twitter.com/58vO6ecJzX
— julia! (@helloIettuce) December 30, 2021
Take me to Katy Perry’s Vegas residency immediately pic.twitter.com/CUTI3VJ49u
— Liv Marks (@OliviaLilyMarks) December 30, 2021
Is that a poop in a toilet looking at katy perry twerk??😭pic.twitter.com/EOC8DhFPig
— bearry🥂 (@bearrynice_) December 30, 2021
Katy Perry performing “Not The End Of The World” at PLAY: The Las Vegas Residency 🍄 pic.twitter.com/PV1YxOdklV
— Katy Perry Activity (@KatyActivity) December 30, 2021
Hearing “Lost” live after 12 years after the last time was a rollercoaster of emotions @katyperry pic.twitter.com/U8MVCYl5R3
— Ediiii ʸᵘʰ (@ItsEdiBitch) December 30, 2021
Katy Perry singing “Waking Up In Vegas” at #PLAY🍄 pic.twitter.com/wL0Suvcx1v
— Katy Perry: PLAY (@PerryPlayLand) December 30, 2021
Katy Perry performing “When I’m Gone” and “Walking On Air” at PLAY: The Las Vegas Residency. pic.twitter.com/fKaK9lAiJf
— Katy Perry Activity (@KatyActivity) December 30, 2021
As confirmed ahead of the show, Perry played:
‘E.T.’
‘Chained to the Rhythm’
‘Dark Horse’
‘Not the End of the World’
‘California Gurls’
‘Hot N Cold / Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)’
‘Waking Up in Vegas’
‘Bon appétit’
‘Daisies’
‘I Kissed a Girl’
‘Lost / Part of Me / Wide Awake’
‘Never Really Over’
‘Swish Swish’
‘When I’m Gone / Walking on Air’
‘Teenage Dream’
‘Smile’
‘Roar’
‘The Greatest Love of All’
‘Firework’
For more information on her Vegas residency, visit the Resorts World website here.