A Review: Katy Perry at the O2 Arena

We took our youngest, Ed (14), to see Katy Perry last night, his first ever gig, and he absolutely loved it. Seeing his excitement made the whole evening worthwhile.

Katy Perry is undeniably a talented singer and performer, but the relentless, thumping dance-style bass drum soon became monotonous. It all started to sound a little boring after a while. It was very loud too, even compared to a lot of the metal gigs I’ve attended.

Visually, the show was impressive. The sci-fi theme was fun and creative, though during the first half it felt like Katy spent more time off stage than on. Things picked up in the second half, especially when she invited three kids from the audience onto the stage.

Unfortunately, the sound quality at the O2 was its usual letdown. The mix lacked definition, and the guitars were often lost beneath the booming bass and drums.

All in all, I’m glad we went and Ed had a brilliant time. But for me, it felt like there was more show than music, and I wouldn’t be in a hurry to see Katy Perry again.

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Paul Grenyer

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