{"id":1098,"date":"2018-11-15T14:53:58","date_gmt":"2018-11-15T22:53:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/kksm\/?p=1098"},"modified":"2019-05-14T15:24:53","modified_gmt":"2019-05-14T22:24:53","slug":"concert-review-paula-abdul-straight-up-paula","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/kksm\/concert-review-paula-abdul-straight-up-paula\/","title":{"rendered":"Concert Review: Paula Abdul: Straight Up Paula"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"c58693db-566f-480d-b384-0f7370c51b4e-PA_Studio_10_Australia_1\"Paula Abdul\u00a0finally hits the road to celebrate her 30th anniversary album and other career hits onstage this Fall. If you missed\u00a0Paula Abdul\u2019scomeback tour with\u00a0New Kids on The Block\u00a0back in Summer 2017, then you are in for a real treat. I was actually fortunate enough to see her back then and, just like everyone else, wanted to see more! Back in July,\u00a0Paula\u00a0announced that her 26 city tour is to be at theater-type stages instead of the traditional concert venues. She also included, not one but, two tour dates in San Diego\u2014one on November 9th at\u00a0Pechanga Resort & Casino\u00a0and another on November 13th at\u00a0Jacobs Music Center\u2019s Copley Symphony Hall. These venues were perfect for her style of performance on stage.<\/p>\n

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Paula\u00a0opened the show with \u201cThe Way That You Love Me,\u201d from her debut album,\u00a0Forever Your Girl.\u00a0<\/em>The show included many of my favorite memorable songs including\u00a0\u201cOpposites Attract,\u201d \u201cCold Hearted\u201d\u00a0<\/em>\u201cCrazy\u00a0 Cool\u201d\u00a0<\/em>and \u201cStraight Up,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>and, of course, the animated\u00a0MC Skat Kat\u00a0did make his return during \u201cOpposites Attract\u201d on the stage via screen. No doubt, I see a hologram in his future. In this solo tour, her set was a lot different compared to the ones she had before. Aside from her dazzling choreography and countless costume changes, the interactive videos and multi-media presentations during her performance make you really appreciate her shows and her as a performer even more. She surely knows on how to put on quite a visual production. In this day and digital age, you will ponder why are other artists not doing the same thing too. Clearly,\u00a0Ms. Paula\u00a0is always ahead of her time.<\/p>\n

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Overall, the\u00a0Straight Up Paula<\/em>\u00a0tour was crazy cool! The show also included an opportunity to hang out with her through meet and greets and onstage. On a side note, be sure to have your 80s dance moves down and ready by now. With all the 80s craze lately, you\u2019ll never know when you may need to bust out \u201cThe Running Man, The Cabbage Patch or The Snake Dance\u201d these days.<\/p>\n

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Ok, we all know about the\u00a0\u2018Laker Girl\u2019 monologue\u00a0by heart by now\u2026 right? Well, this time the show also included many fun video montages including about her start with the Laker Girls and favorite moments during her American Idol days. I also found the video about her talking about the setbacks she had after her plane crash incident that led her to comeback story to where she is today to be very moving and inspirational as well. She left an indelible experience with her testimony.<\/p>\n

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Judging from the production timeline standpoint, it is easy to assume that it must have been short and doable production process to put together. Who knows the amount of time she put on this fabulous leg tour. Go with me on this\u2026 All the more reasons why I cannot wait for her next tour. You can always count for her shows to be different, both technically and creatively. You certainly will not expect to see the same show twice.<\/p>\n

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Also to share, don\u2019t expect this to be an all sit down kind of show. You will be on your feet quite a few times. I say this because I thought the demographic was going to be different than what you see at a traditional concert venue. Unfortunately, you will still experience those loud screams and alcohol as if you were at sport event (even in that tight and intimate setting) as well.<\/p>\n

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Another thing that\u00a0Paula\u00a0has for herself is that she can easily enhance a live-action or Broadway show. She has stories to tell and it would be so great to see them in 3D, too. Admit it. How badly do you want to see her \u2018MC Skat Cat\u2019 come to life as well?<\/p>\n

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Tickets for\u00a0STRAIGHT UP PAULA!\u00a0and the Exclusive Meet and Greet & VIP packages are available at\u00a0www.PaulaAbdul.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n