Night 2 of Kelly Clarkson’s Chemistry Vegas residency: 13 magical moments
Kelly Clarkson's Vegas residency is here! Some quick thoughts on night 1.
Hey fellow Clarkstan! 👋 Welcome to NOTHING BUT CLARKSON — a newsletter all about Emmy and Grammy winner (and rad human) Kelly Clarkson. This edition is all about the second night of Kelly Clarkson’s Vegas summer residency. It was even better than the first night (recap here if you missed it). Read on for more!
After an unforgettable opening night for her Vegas residency, you’d think Kelly Clarkson and her band and crew wouldn’t be able to top themselves. But Night 2 was substantially better in many, many ways.
For one, Kelly’s vocals were better on Night 2. She didn’t have the same issues with humidity or allergies from Night 1. Outside of the vocals (which are always amazing, anyway), the set list, the attitude, and the banter made this night truly unforgettable.
I decided last minute to get a ticket in the pits, and it was a great decision because this was one of the best concerts I’ve EVER been to.
Here are 10 of my favorite moments from the night.
“I hate love”
The new Chemistry track for the night was “I hate love.” The song has a lot of humour, which is very different from many of Kelly’s depressing tracks. It was fun to hear live, especially the super infectious chorus.
There’s no trouble here
For one of the KC Classics, we got a true classic: “The Trouble with Love is” from the Thankful album and the Love, Actually soundtrack. It was a treat hearing a more mature Kelly Clarkson tackle this song with more soul and more life experiences.
The outfits! The hair! The everything!
Mama looked amazing on Night 2. For her first outfit, she was wearing a black dress with a big, bold, gold-ish belt. It’s very reminiscent of Stevie Nicks. Outfit 2 was a concert t-shirt, a flow-y beige skirt, a cropped black blazer, and (of course) a belt. The hair was a mashup of Kelly Clarkson’s Piece by Piece and Meaning of Life eras. Overall her entire look was giving “wealthy rockstar chick who just survived divorce and is ready for the next chapter.” In short, Kelly’s Harry Potter team nailed it.
A rule on cursing
There was a lot of f-bombs during the show, partly because of the night’s Kelloke. (More on that later.) Acknowledging that there might be minors in the audience, Kelly shared her rule on cursing: “You have to pay your bills first before you can say ‘fuck.’” Wise words from MOTHER!
The sold-out crowd
According to Live Nation Las Vegas, Kelly Clarkson sold out both of her opening weekend shows. And on Night 2, that sold-out crowd really showed up for Kelly. We sang along, we hollered, we laughed, etc. So fun!
Jaco!
Ok, this one might be a highlight just for me. 😇 I was on the right side of the pit, and that’s where Jaco was for most of the show. From his amazing solo during “Invincible” to rocking “Behind These Hazel” eyes, Jaco was in his element. And he looked really good too. 🤤
A Meryl among us
Towards the end of "Because of You,” Kelly broke character and laughed her ass off because apparently someone from the pit was doing the most. Kelly joked that that fan (whoever they were) were channeling Meryl during the song. The timing was hilarious!
The new lyrics
Kelly is known for flubbing lyrics all the time (see: “All I wanted was horses”), but the struggle was particularly real during “Red Flag Collector.” Which is funny because she wrote that song! The lyrics mistakes were so abundant that one could argue that we heard a different song altogether.
A My December track! Finally!
One of my only minor complaints from Night 1 was the lack of representation from My December. On Night 2, that was addressed somewhat by the inclusion of the fan-favorite “Can I have a Kiss.” Before singing the beloved song, Kelly said she wanted to perform it that night because a fan requested it for that specific date. The performance was fantastic! A bit more production than the original + Kelly’s more mature vocals.
Medicine! With horns!
“Medicine,” a standout track from Kelly’s 2017 album Meaning of Life, was one of the unexpected KC classics of the night. Admittedly, I wasn’t a fan of Kelly’s performance of this song on The Voice in 2017. On Night 2 of her Las Vegas residency, however, Kelly and her band totally nailed it. The production was fuller—and just like the 2017 performance, they added horns, which brought the performance up to the next level. An absolute highlight.
F*ck you and your dad
The gaggiest moment of the night, easily, came when Kelly Clarkson performed a cover of Gayle’s “abcdefu.” The song is already scatting to begin with, but Kelly changed some of the lyrics to fit her situation. The line “fuck you and the view from the valley I bought you,” in particular, is very specific. Mama was angry and she did not hold back!
Overall thoughts on Night 2 of Kelly Clarkson’s Chemistry Vegas summer residency
Night 2 was even better than Night 1, and having a song from My December on the set list was a nice surprise. The angry songs were incredible live, and it was almost a religious experience hearing and seeing them performed by Kelly Clarkson live. 10/10
Best Performances: “abcdefu,” “Can I have a kiss,” “Miss Independent,” and “Since U Been Gone”
Kellyoke: “abcdefu” by Gayle (it was incredible
Outfit 1: Toot
Outfit 2: Shoot
Chemistry: an intimate night with Kelly Clarkson
Set list - July 28, 2023
Behind These Hazel Eyes
My Life Would Suck Without You
The Trouble With Love Is
I Hate Love
Kellyoke: acdefu (by Gayle)
Lighthouse
Catch My Breath
Because of You
Me
Breakaway
Love So Soft
Walk Away
Whole Lotta Woman
Medicine
Can I Have a Kiss
Mine
Heartbeat Song
Invincible
Encore:
Miss Independent
Stronger
Since U Been Gone
ONE LAST THING…
Go stream Chemistry using this link from Atlantic Records!