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Review: Adele opens first Australian tour with flawless Perth performance

Heather McNeill

★★★★★

Adele-mania has hit Australia. 

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Adele stuns Perth

The British songstress kicks off her Australian tour to 65,000 adoring fans at Domain Stadium in Perth. Vision: Sunrise, Network Seven.

The British singer-songwriter kicked off her national tour on Tuesday night belting out her biggest hits to 65,000 adoring fans at Domain Stadium in Perth - the largest crowd to attend a concert in West Australian history.

It was the first time the 28-year-old had performed in Australia and the first time she had hosted a gig at a stadium, with the two-hour show centred around a spectacular custom-built 360 degree stage.

As the stunning visual of Adele's closed eyes on a huge wrap-around screen beamed across a hushed stadium, the circular stage slowly lifted to reveal the pop sensation who opened the show - fittingly - with her number one hit single, Hello.

She was noticeably humbled by the massive crowd, admitting in her first of many witty and warm chats with fans that she was a bit nervous.

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"Oh my God, there are so many of you," she exclaimed after performing Hometown Glory and One and Only.

"Forgive my sweaty face, I'm very hot and nervous. 

"I finally made it, it's taken me 10 years."

As Adele engaged with the crowd in between songs, the potty-mouthed Londoner soon showed she had picked up on a few Aussie traits since arriving in Perth last week.

"There's a cockroach on stage, on the stage, but I'm not going to freak out because you're all used to it, there's a f---ing cockroach on stage," she said, retreating to her cup of tea only to cry out, "there's a f---ing fly in my tea," before laughing and conceding, "I'll have some water."

After showing off her flawless vocals during soulful performances of I'll be Waiting, Rumour Has It and Water Under the Bridge, the Oscar-winning singer then took a playful jab at the media who had been tracking the notoriously private singer's every move since she landed on Australian soil.

"We've been rehearsing here... my son was watching in the crowd - there wasn't much of a crowd, there was like five people - very secretive despite all the f---ing helicopters flying around, I mean, I know I've never been but maybe there was no big news yesterday?" she joked.

"They annoyed me, they revealed my dress and everything - I wanted it to be a surprise for you."

With her down-to-earth nature and witty banter, it was easy to see why so many people, young and old, felt a connection to Adele. 

Her more emotional side was laid bare during a performance of Sweetest Devotion, a song from her Grammy-award winning album, 25, which she wrote about her son, Angelo, 4, and a moving rendition of Take It All where she was accompanied only by a piano, rather than her nine-piece band. 

Confetti canons, spectacular lighting and often powerful visuals displayed on the wrap-around screen immersed fans as Adele sung songs from three of her albums, 19, 21 and 25.

The crowd was on its feet as it sung along to Rolling in the Deep and Send My Love.

The Perth show was her first performance since taking out a haul of five trophies at the Grammy Awards two weeks ago, including Album of the Year for 25 and Song of the Year for Hello.

As the 20-song set list came to an end, the pop phenomenon choked up as she thanked fans.

"I hope that you all love music and it narrates your life and soundtracks it and it helps you because that's what music does for me," she said. 

 "I just want to you know I really appreciate you coming out to my concert... I know it's my first one here - who knows if I'll tour again - but  I'm in here now and I love it and you look f---ing beautiful.

"I will never, ever, ever forget this, thank you so much. 

"I hope it was worth the wait." 

An emotional Adele left her best until last, singing arguably her biggest single, Someone Like You, along with thousands in the crowd before tearing up again as she left the stage to a standing ovation. 

The songstress will next play in Brisbane followed by Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and New Zealand. 

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