Addicted to Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson's Addicted Tour came through Orange County. And being the crazy, psychotic, devoted Kelly Clarkson fan I am, I was there. This time it was at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (formerly "Irvine Meadows"), which has been one of the largest venues where Kelly has performed a solo gig. And for 16 songs and more than 70 minutes, Kelly rocked the sold-out crowd with a mix of hits, new songs and covers.


A fan sings one of Kelly's songs at the Kellyoke stage. (08/01/06)

The show began with "Kellyoke" a stage in the parking area where fans performed karaoke versions of Kelly songs. It was hilarious! There was an opening band (an L.A.-based band Rooney that has appeared on the tv show "The OC"). And after a few minutes of set-up time, the lights went out and the crowd went wild. Next thing you know they were cranking out AC/DC's "All Night Long." And everyone was singing along with every word.

When the song finished, we saw Kelly's silhouette behind a curtain. The crowd went even crazier. When the curtain rose, there stood Kelly, sporting short, brown hair with a very angular cut. She looked great. She opened with "Addicted" and followed it with "Behind These Hazel Eyes." For her third song, she sang a ballad called "Maybe" from her next album, which she said comes out early next year.


Kelly Clarkson rocks the Irvine Meadows Verizon Amphitheatre. (08/01/06)

Kelly worked her way into "Gone," "Because of You," and then into a cover of Ray LaMontagne's "Shelter" that she originally sang at a Hurricane Katrina benefit concert. Afterward she performed "Thankful" before jumping into a cover of Marc Broussard's "Home." Then she rocked the house down with "Miss Independent," "Go," — the song featured on Ford's "Bold Moves" ad campaign — and a new song called "Yeah."


Kelly's new haircut was awesome. (08/01/06)

She then launched into a string of hits, including a completely re-arranged "Beautiful Disaster," "Hear Me" and "Walk Away." After a brief break for what I assumed would be a costume change, Kelly showed up in the very middle of the amphitheatre audience with a guitarist where she sang "Breakaway." She then launched into her iconic song, "Since U Been Gone," making her way through the crowd back to the stage. The song climaxed with a hailstorm of confetti, which flew out of some confetti-launching cannons.


Kelly sings "Because of You." (08/01/06)

What an incredible show it was.