The lights dimmed, and the crowd roared. Nationwide Arena shook as the pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo made her way to the stage for her first ever performance in Columbus March 22.
Rodrigo’s setlist featured many songs from her debut album “SOUR” and her entire sophomore album “GUTS.”
The dancers and her band of amazing women musicians never lost energy and created a fun atmosphere for the crowd throughout the energetic evening.
Every song she performed exceeded my expectations. The performances of “vampire” and “love is embarrassing” were the most impressive because they showcased Rodrigo’s incredible range and extraordinary ability to add original elements to her songs while performing live, including longer vocal runs and some additional lyrics.
This allowed Rodrigo to captivate the audience and keep their rapt attention throughout the two-hour performance.
Midway through the concert, Rodrigo addressed the crowd and asked if anyone was a fan of “The Hunger Games.”
The screaming and cheering reached a new level when she announced that she would be singing her song “Can’t Catch Me Now” from the latest film installment in the franchise.
This addition was exciting and noteworthy because Rodrigo has not included this song on her setlist at every concert.
Rodrigo released her deluxe version of the “GUTS” album the day of the concert. It introduced five new songs, including “obsessed,” which she performed live for the crowd.
It was disappointing that Rodrigo did not perform any of her other new songs live for the first time on the day of their release, but there is no doubt they will appear on future setlists as her tour continues.
Throughout the concert, the smooth transitions between songs allowed Rodrigo to showcase the dancers and band members individually on the stage whenever she needed to leave for a quick change.
There was no particular sequence or order as she segued from more sad, soft songs like “the grudge” to full-bore guitar-rock anthems like the song “brutal.”
This created a feeling of excitement and anticipation throughout the audience as they awaited what would surprise them next.
For the most part, the songs remained true to their original versions with only some extended intros and solos to allow time for changes or dramatic effect, ensuring the audience was interested and entertained for the whole concert.
That was certainly my reaction as an audience member who found that Rodrigo was worth the wait and more.
Her musical performance met every expectation as the crowd of mostly women danced and sang in the festive atmosphere at Nationwide Arena.
