Kesha's 'Rainbow' tour is the empowering testament to love we need right now

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Kesha performs at a sold-out Eagles Ballroom at the Rave Thursday.

The #MeToo phenomenon has been eye-opening and heartbreaking, seeing so many women (and men) speaking out about the sexual harassment and assault they’ve had to deal with in their lives.

All of those raw feelings — the vulnerability, the anger, and most of all the strength and defiance — were cathartically encapsulated Thursday at pop star Kesha’s 100-minute, sold-out show at the Rave’s Eagles Ballroom.

You might recall that, before #MeToo went viral, there was #FreeKesha. In 2014, Kesha accused her producer, Dr. Luke, of abuse in a lawsuit seeking to free herself from her contract with his Kemosabe Records label. Fans and superstars like Adele and Lady Gaga showed their support for Kesha, and Taylor Swift gave her $250,000 for legal fees. (The legal battle is ongoing, with Dr. Luke, no longer CEO of Kemosabe, countersuing Kesha for defamation and breach of contract. No criminal charges have been filed, and Dr. Luke denies the claims.)

Much of her August album "Rainbow," released through Kemosabe and RCA, seems to speak to Kesha's struggles and endurance, and live Thursday, these emotionally charged songs were even more potent.

Kesha sang of a "boogeyman under her bed," shouldering her with blame and making her feel weak, on "Learn to Let Go."

But Thursday she also stomped around the stage — her male backing singers accompanying her with unabashedly square dance moves — as she joyfully cast aside her anguish.

"I got too many people left to prove wrong … And I'm so sick of crying," she sang somberly on the folk-flavored "Bastards," before she figuratively wiped away the tears, determined not to "let 'em win," the swelling music from the band, and a climactic crowd-singalong, offering support.

But no "Rainbow" song was as stunning Thursday as the breathtaking piano ballad "Praying." If the #MeToo movement embraces an anthem, this has to be it.

" 'Cause you brought the flames and you put me through hell," Kesha sang. "And we both know all the truth I can tell." Kesha's performance was striking, her voice cracking and soaring, vulnerability and strength fusing as one.

But for me, it was the passionate, unified voices of the mostly female crowd, belting out lines like "The best is yet to come" and "They won't even know your name," that gave me goosebumps.

Moments like these eclipsed the escapist fun from Kesha concerts of yesteryear. But this show was still a blast.

On a brief tour last year that stopped at the Rave, Kesha had a lot of fun leaning heavily on country and rock, and the pop star, with a seven-piece backing band, did so again Thursday. She was Grand Ole Opry-ready for "Hunt You Down," the "Rainbow" country ballad picking up the tempo and transforming briefly into her hit Pitbull collaboration "Timber."

She also curated a guitar battle between two bandmates at the end of "Take It Off," her face briefly resembling the devilish glee of Regan from "The Exorcist."

And Kesha channeled some of Elvis Presley's swagger, and a touch of Janis Joplin's primal squeals, for a hard-rocking "Blow," culminating with Kesha firing an illuminated rainbow-colored confetti cannon into the crowd.

Along the way, Kesha swore off jerks at least a half-dozen times, and professed her gratitude to her fans at least three dozen times. She offered some advice for anyone who's been bullied and demoralized: "Happiness is the best revenge."

"I went through a very trying, difficult couple of years," Kesha said Thursday. "If you ever find yourself in a bad place, don't give up. You never know what lies ahead."

In Kesha's case, it was remarkable music on "Rainbow," and on Thursday, a phenomenal show. And as she sang on "Praying," the best may be yet to come.

THE TAKEAWAYS

For the encore, a fan let Kesha borrow a rainbow flag, which she wrapped around her shoulders. There were some wardrobe malfunction issues, with the flag frequently blowing back into Kesha's face because of the fan at the foot of the stage, but she continued to wear it with pride until the show's end.
After taking a swig of a beer, Kesha sought a fan who could be her "baby bird," spitting the beer in his direction that he could capture in his mouth. Gross, yes, but at least she made sure he was 21, and she gave him the largely full bottle.
Best fan accessory: You always are going to see people coated in glitter at a Kesha concert, but I’ve never seen so many guys with glitter beards before.
Most infectious sign of post-concert euphoria: Two girls making snow angels in pink confetti on the undoubtedly beer-soaked ballroom floor.
Kesha's uplifting speech: "We will not stand for discrimination of any kind. It’s up to us. I’m talking about the color of your skin, I’m talking about what country you’re from, I’m talking about your sexual preference, I’m talking about your gender identity. There’s no room for that (expletive) here tonight or ever. I want you to know that no matter what God you believe in or what God you don’t believe in you’re always welcome here at my show. This is a safe place for you to be yourself. ... It's my life’s mission to spread as much love, equality, glitter and (expletive) rock 'n roll until the day I’m six feet under."

THE SET LIST

1. "Woman"
2. "Boogie Feet"
3. "Learn to Let Go"
4. "Hymn"
5. "Let 'em Talk"
6. "Take It Off"
7. "We R Who We R"
8. "Spaceship"
9. "Hunt You Down" (with a snippet of "Timber" in the middle)
10. "Godzilla"
11. "Your Love is My Drug"
12. "Blow"
13. "Praying"
Encore
14. "Rainbow"
15. "Tik Tok"
16. "Bastards"

More On Music

Find out about the week's must-see shows, concert tickets and more in the newsletter "Piet Levy's Music Picks." Subscribe at jsonline.com/newsletters.

Piet talks about concerts, local music and more on "TAP'd In" with Jordan Lee, 8 a.m. Thursdays on WYMS-FM (88.9).