Olivia Rodrigo ‘Sour’ Tour Experience
Where to even begin… I can’t believe I was even lucky enough to get a ticket to see Olivia Rodrigo on the sold out long anticipated SOUR Tour!! It was easily one of the most surreal nights ever! It all started when I decided to buy myself a single ticket to a city I had never been to see yet another concert by myself. Like the rest of the world I have had SOUR on repeat since the day it dropped, and with every listen I watched it climb the charts, until the day it reached 7 Grammy nominations. Having the chance to actually attend the tour just a week after Olivia Rodrigo received 3 of her 7 nominations was insane.
I hopped on a flight to Denver not knowing what to expect, with the thought in my head, there was absolutely no way I would ever be front row for one of the biggest stars in the world right now. However, that is exactly where I found myself on Night 1 of her two total shows in Denver. Along my 4 day journey exploring the sites of Colorado, I met some really nice fans who were also seeing Olivia the same night I was and were planning on camping out the night prior to the show. Due to being alone and unfamiliar with the city, there was no way I would be camping out on the streets. They asked me if I wanted them to save a spot for me, and of course I could not pass up the offer. With my spot secured I planned for the day ahead of me and the anticipation was crazy and exciting all at the same time.
The tour date I attended had up and coming star, Gracie Abrams opening the show, if you haven’t listened to Gracie’s music I highly recommend doing so!! (Reference my review of Rockland) I arrived at the venue to see lines of hundreds of fans who were dedicated enough to camp outside the venue, I met up with the friends I met earlier in the weekend. We ended up being pretty close to the front of the line where we waited for a few hours for the doors of the venue to open. Once those doors were open, game over, it was a free for all. Everyone running to the stage as it was all general admission. With just a stroke of luck I suddenly found myself standing at the barricade of the stage. The photos you see in the gallery above were all taken with my phone! Shortly after entering Gracie Abrams graced the stage singing her biggest hits from her EP “This is What it Feels Like” while also interacting with fans in the crowd, her set was a blast.
It then came for the main act, the one we had all been waiting for Olivia Rodrigo!! The common theme of Rodrigo’s songs is teen angst, however, that isn’t reflected in her audience who ranged from young children to grown adults. Opening the night with her head banger ‘Brutal’ strobe lights flashed across the stage reflecting off the background of brightly colored streamers. Setting the tone for the night: to be able to let go, be unashamed, and unapologetic about feelings about a first heartbreak whether you have had one or not. She lassos you into expressing your inner teenage self. From start to finish her energy was electric, she had the room jumping up and down and even had tears flowing with her award winning hit ‘Drivers License.’ With only having a single debut album out prior to her 3 Grammy wins, she was able to not only sell out a world tour but put on a great show. Her full set only totaling 14 songs including 2 cover songs from generations in which she didn’t even live through (Complicated by Avril Lavigne & Seether by Veruca Salt) and her first ever chart topper “All I Want” from ‘High School Musical: The Musical The Series’ on Disney+.
As inexperienced she may seem at the young age of 19 on her first tour, Olivia Rodrigo is a natural performer and that is a fact that anyone who experiences her show cannot deny. Her emotionally charged songs allow a fan of any age range to enjoy themselves in any capacity they feel related to. As SOUR Tour is only the beginning for young pop-punk princess Olivia Rodrigo, I for one cannot wait to see what she comes out with next, and I can’t wait to continue seeing her on tours to come!!!
