TORONTO - Yes, yes we know: Katy Perry kissed a girl and she liked it.

But what else, other than her uber-hit I Kissed A Girl (And I liked it), has the cute-as-a-button pop star got on tap that will prevent her from become a future novelty act?

Judging from her first major headlining show at Kool Haus on Monday night, the 24-year-old California native is still a work-in-progress as a performer and a songwriter even if she's quite a smart and funny storyteller.

She favours bright, kitschy, vintage outfits - in this case black hot pants with a large penguin on the front bib and black fishnet stockings - while her four-piece band was all dressed in white suits, and cartoon-like backdrops in the forms of oversized strawberries, a banana (echoes of her recent Grammy performance) and the oversized head of her beloved cat, Kitty Purry, dominated her stage.

"Welcome to the Hello Katy tour," said Perry, in a reference to Hello Kitty.

It all screamed, "Aren't I fun and poppy?"

The answer is yes but there's got to be more there to hold your attention over the course of a hour-and-20 minute set like real performing chops and strong material.

Perry is a strange blend of wide-eyed innocence and va-va-va-voom sex appeal - kind of Vargas girl crossed with an indie pop star.

Her audience, meanwhile, was predominantly female from pre-teens, tweens, teens and twentysomethings - the latter of the pushy, self-entitled and stuck-up variety. (Not their best representation let's just say as I had to confront a few of the ruder ones.)

Perry's upbeat pop numbers worked best with the riled-up crowd, like set opener Fingerprints followed by Hot' N Cold, UR So Gay (whose great opening line to her ex is "I hope you hang yourself on your H&M scarf."), Waking Up In Vegas and the show-ending I Kissed A Girl, complete with an inflated large cherry chapstick.

However, Perry numbed a lot of crowd during slower numbers like Self-Inflicted, Lost, and I Think I'm Ready, and the Queen cover Don't Stop Me Now just seemed lost on them entirely.

On the plus side, the chatty Perry (who previously dated Gym Class Heroes Travis McCoy and has more recently been linked to Benji Madden and Josh Groban) proved to be a natural at on-stage banter.

And her dorky side definitely came out as she danced away during Hot' N Cold - "I'm so uncoordinated!" she said in the middle of the song - or when she criticized her own clothes.

"I don't know why I wore this stupid outfit," said Perry, who later changed into a sexy pink and black leopard print body stocking with matching pink sequined cat mask.

She also mentioned her punishing tour schedule since the January launch of the Hello Katy jaunt.

"I've been on the road almost every night - that's why I sometimes sound like s--t."

Her voice actually sounded pretty good.

Perry just needs some new material and some more time on the road to perfect her live show.

WHAT KATY PLAYED ON MON NIGHT:

Fingerprints

One of the Boys

Hot 'N Cold

Self Inflicted

UR So Gay

Lost

Thinking of You

Mannequin

Waking up in Vegas

I Think I'm Ready

If You Can Afford Me

ENCORE:

Don't Stop Me Now

I Kissed a Girl