Kesha Claims Dominance Over Sold Out Show at Darien Lake

Charlie Meister
Aug 8
4 min read

Kesha rolled into Western New York for the first time in seven years for a sold-out show at Darien Lake and this town was ready for her! As I pulled into Darien Lake, fans were beginning their walk to the amphitheater earlier than I had even anticipated, packing the lots before 5pm.

Girls (and a few guys) were all dressed with streaks of colored hair and glitter, reminiscent of some of Kesha's early looks. Already, hours before the show, I was stunned at the amount of teenagers present. I was caught off guard by how well Kesha seems to have connected with the youth today. Naturally, this played a bit role in the evening's sellout.

Full disclosure, I'm a metal/rock guy at heart, but I will absolutely indulge on a healthy dose of pop as a guilty pleasure. Part of that rotation has been Kesha since the very beginning. That said, I was looking forward to this show more than most of my friends probably thought.

*Rose Gray is opening up this tour. Check out her new album, 'Louder, Please'*

The show kicked off with a set from Rose Gray, a fairly new British pop singer-songwriter. Fans may have recognized her from her collaboration on Kesha's new single "ATTENTION!" I had absolutely no idea who she was, but her command of the stage, coupled with some exceptionally catchy tunes has caught my attention. I've listened to "Wet & Wild" more than I care to admit in the days since this show. Rose Gray is a great example of why I never miss an opening act. You just never know where the next big star will come from, and I wouldn't be against this one.

Next up were the Scissor Sisters. I've heard of this act over the years, but I can't say I was any more familiar with them, though the cover of their 2004 eponymous album is extremely familiar. This group hit the stage with quite the visual assault. At first, I wasn't sure if the girls were there to dance, sing or both (it's both).

*Scissor Sisters upped the action with an energetic set*

This was a fun set. Admittedly, I would have enjoyed it even more if I was a bit more familiar. They were a perfect warm-up act for Kesha, with a great blend of pop, rock and electronic music.

Without question, the headliner was who the fans paid to see at this show and the crowd was absolutely ready for Kesha! After a drawn-out battle with Dr. Luke, her former producer, Kesha has been ready to continue to stake her claim of independence and this entire album/tour cycle is a victory lap.

The set on this tour is huge. Yes, several songs are shortened versions, but fans are being treated to a massive dose of everything they want from Kesha. Aside from the omission of one of my personal favorites, "Dancing With Tears In My Eyes," this show brought it all!

*Kesha held the sold-out crowd in her hand at Darien Lake*

The entire show is broken into five different acts, each consisting of a handful of songs. The transition from one act to the next typically ushers in a different look on stage, a different costume or some combination thereof. Despite the lengthy setlist, it goes fast!

After a brief warning on the screen for fans to refrain from throwing their clothes on the stage, the show kicked off with "Tik Tok," as Kesha appeared, holding a mannequin head of herself (presumably). Much of the rest of Act I was very much an aura-building set, as Kesha traversed the stage solo, with dancers eventually joining her about mid-way through.

Towards the end of the set, she entered the crowd, first by greeting fans in the front row, then by heading several sections into the audience, along with a huge entourage, allowing her to stay well lit (and safe) as she completed a huge loop of the seated area before returning to the stage for Act II.

*Kesha greeted fans as she traversed the crowed after the first act of her show*

Upon returning to the stage, the show picked up even more momentum heading into Act II, where new songs "BOY CRAZY." and "DELUSIONAL." appeared in the set, along with some other favorites like "Cannibal" and "Take It Off."

The remainder of the show consisted of a solid mix of new songs and hits, ensuring that every fan got what they came for. The crowd stayed fully engaged right to the end of the show.

If this show is any indication of how the rest of this tour is going, we'll be seeing a lot more of Kesha and I'd imagine it'll be a lot sooner than last time!

Setlist:

Act I: One of One