Olivia Rodrigo’s stop in Philadelphia on Friday, July 19 was the 58th show of the 75 stops on her GUTS tour, yet there were no signs of her slowing down while racing through her 23-song setlist.
Pink Pantheress, known for her hyper-pop music like “Pain” and collaboration with rapper Ice Spice on their hit, “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2,” kicked off the evening as Rodrigo’s opener. She is one of the four special guests that have been a part of Rodrigo’s tour, including Chapell Roan, Remi Wolf and The Breeders.
As the Wells Fargo Center bled purple with glitter and sparkles, and thousands of lace-up Doc Martens filled every seat in the 21,500-seat arena — teen girls jumped up and down impatiently, some tugging at their friends’ or parents’ arms. They were unable to contain their excitement, grinning from ear to ear.
In the dark arena, several spotlights shined onto Rodrigo as she emerged from the stage floor. Simultaneously, the audience erupted in shrill, piercing screams.
Her band consisted of guitarists Heather Baker and Arianna Powell, drummer Hayley Brownell and bass guitarist Moa Munoz. Throughout the night, Rodrigo showcased her own guitar skills and vocals as she laid atop the center of the stage as it rose, singing and not skipping a single beat.
Fans replicated Rodrigo’s outfits as they donned fishnet tights, sparkly skirts, purple accessories and makeup. Rodrigo, herself, had four unique outfits laid out for the night as she strutted down the runways of the stage: a sparkly silver two-piece set, a white ribbed tank with “It’s always SOUR in Philadelphia” written in purple letters paired with dark silver bottoms, a red bodysuit and a netted rhinestone dress over a black two-piece set.
Rodrigo’s Livies prepared themselves for the evening by making friendship bracelets. They also listened to her discography, including music from SOUR and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. She sang all of her hits including, “vampire” and “deja vu” and even returned to an encore to sing “good 4 u” and “get him back!”
Much like her freshman album, Rodrigo’s sophomore album included singing about pent-up rage, growing up, dealing with fame, breakups and exes and covering a lot of the bases of girlhood.
While some fans snagged tickets during Ticketmaster’s presales, others like Marcela Siahaan got tickets the day of the show.
“[I] immediately looked in my closet for something not only comfortable but cute,” said Siahaan.
Ensuring that her fans got the best experience, Rodrigo sat atop a purple moon while singing “logical,” which slowly made its way around the arena. While singing “enough for you,” she interacted with the audience in the back of the arena and especially, in the higher sections. Hundreds of hands raised to wave and she excitedly waved back.
Before the audience could realize she was transitioning into the next song, Rodrigo directed a cameraman toward a couple standing in the floor-seating section who then kissed, prompting squeals and cheers all around.
“They might… just be in love,” said Rodrigo as she dedicated her song “so american” to the couple.
Although the couple’s romance was the highlight of their night, much of the crowd brought their best friends along for the hour-and-a-half performance. Who better to help fix the strap on a dress that suddenly tore while jumping enthusiastically to “obsessed?”
Dona Howard, who had attended approximately 30 different concerts, said that Rodrigo’s was one of her favorites.
“I would relive that night a million times if I could,” said Howard.
Some fans added that Rodrigo requires a larger stage or additional concerts in some cities. In cities such as New York City and London, four shows were held to accommodate her large fanbase. As Maggie Stillman, a student at Drexel University, put it, “Her music, vibes, and energy just require bigger venues.”