Friday, October 2, 2009 4:46am ET by  
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Kylie kicks off first-ever American tour

Australian pop star Kylie Minogue kicked off her first-ever American tour on Wednesday with a driving disco beat, a bevy of well-muscled dancers, and a lot of leg, hoping to finally crack the lucrative U.S. market.

The pop diva, no stranger to spectacle, hit the stage at the 2,800-capacity Fox Theatre near San Francisco adorned in pink feathers as she was lowered from a metallic skull.

"Well, good evening -- finally!" exclaimed the 41-year-old Grammy-winning singer, who regularly plays big arenas internationally. "All this anticipation -- on my part!"

In a fast-paced, two-hour show, Minogue made her way through her big hits, including "Slow," "Spinning Around" and "Wow." But the biggest applause greeted "Can't Get You Out of My Head," her 2001 club hit.

The brief tour also takes Minogue to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, with one stop in Toronto. She will play a second show at the Fox on Thursday.

Minogue began her career as an actress on the Australian soap opera "Neighbours," but was catapulted to fame after her 1987 remake of the '60s tune "Locomotion" hit the top of the charts.

Some 10 studio albums have followed and a handful of movies, giving Minogue mega-star status pretty much everywhere except the United States -- a notion that seemed incomprehensible to one fan.

"Americans are stupid, obviously," said Dustin Thornhill, 28, of San Francisco, who was at the show with friend Nicky Bangles, 24. The pair planned to see Minogue again in Los Angeles, where she will play the considerably bigger Hollywood Bowl on Sunday.

"We're stalking her -- sort of," Thornhill said. 

Like many in the audience, the two said they were thrilled to finally have the opportunity to see Minogue perform.

"We're so excited. We've been waiting millions of years," Bangles said, adding that Minogue is an icon to gay men.

"She wears outfits that are amazing. What gay man wouldn't love it?" Bangles asked, adding, "Madonna who?"

To a constantly shifting set of images projected on a video backdrop -- including some of well-chiselled men in the shower and others working out with gym equipment -- Minogue sported the sassy fashion she is known for, sporting a host of leg-baring outfits that included silver tunics, black boots, a Nautical cap and a sparkly black leotard.

"Kylie's a diva!" gushed Todd Hedgpeth, 39, of San Francisco.

Minogue littlest American fan at the concert may have been Alexis Chiu, 9, who was looking at the T-shirts for sale with her mother, Donna. Why was she at Minogue's first U.S. tour?

"I've liked her since I was a baby," said the younger Chiu.

"She likes that "Na, na, na" song," explained her mother.

Watch Kylie perform 'Love At First Sight' during her Fever Tour in Manchester below: