Pussycat Dolls, Glasgow review: 'lots of lady boss poses'
The Pussycat Dolls and their dancers hoofed up a storm at the Hydro, writes Fiona Shepherd
Pussycat Dolls/Lil’ Kim, Hydro, Glasgow ★★★
There was an abundance of leopard print dappling the audience at this PCD Forever show, reuniting the core Pussycat Dolls trio Nicole Scherzinger, Kimberley Wyatt and Ashley Roberts, with the fans making budget recognition of this vocal/dance group’s slinky but skimpy glamour. If only special guest rapper/singer Lil’ Kim, arguably a bigger global deal in her time, had spent as much time on her set as her outfit for her belated Scottish debut. She didn't have long to make her mark but failed to do any sort of justice to her catalogue with minimal rapping and a bewildering amount of time given to a playlist medley of other artist's songs.
Far fewer corners were cut in the making of the Pussycat Dolls set, and the trio and their dancers hoofed up a storm to a blaring backing track and passable lightshow. The Dolls were catapulted on to the stage for their most energised song, When I Grow Up, with Scherzinger in particular bringing the hairography to this fun jam. Following an opening salvo of cut and paste hip-pop with lots of lady boss poses, they cast off their fussy outfits and got down to the basics of catchy pop R&B on I Don't Need a Man, Wait a Minute and I Hate This Part.
Each Doll helmed a solo interlude. Wyatt went for pagan warrior princess on the decks, Ashley Roberts hosted a house dance party and Scherzinger busted out her award-winning rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s As If We Never Said Goodbye. One audacious costume adaption later, she was ready to grind for the rest of her mini-set.
The full band finale kicked off with some audience participation on the steamy Buttons, pulled back with saccharine ballad Stickwitu, ramped up the camp Eurodisco of Hush Hush and dropped on-brand new single Club Song before the trio teased out the disco funk roots of their biggest hit Don't Cha.
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