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Concert review: Olivia Rodrigo illuminates Kia Forum with colorfully emotive hometown performance

Wearing a glittery red bodysuit and holding a angular purple electric guitar, Olivia Rodrigo performs onstage for the kick off of the “GUTS world tour” at Acrisure Arena on Feb. 23, 2024 in Palm Springs, California. Rodrigo performed the third of four shows at Inglewood’s Kia Forum on Aug. 16 prior to taking the tour to the newly opened Intuit Dome for two more dates next week. (Courtesy of Christopher Polk, Maya Sarin, Hillary Siskind and Live Nation Entertainment)

“GUTS world tour”

Olivia Rodrigo

Kia Forum

August 16

By Victoria Munck

Aug. 17, 2024 3:16 p.m.

This post was updated Aug. 18 at 9:05 p.m.

Olivia Rodrigo’s got class, integrity and arena-commanding energy.

The Grammy-winning pop sensation lit up Inglewood’s Kia Forum on Friday night for the third of four sold-out shows at the iconic Los Angeles venue. Rodrigo’s hometown run, which will conclude after two performances at the newly inaugurated Intuit Dome next week, closes out the second North American leg of her dynamic “GUTS world tour.” Since kicking off in February, the concert run has supported her 2023 sophomore record of the same name, thematically aligning with its boisterous pop-rock maturity. With resounding confidence and cohesively bold visuals to match, Rodrigo’s standout show masterfully reflected her keen understanding of both her fanbase and her own artistry.

After an alluring opening set from alt-rock band The Breeders, only a snippet of guitar from Rodrigo’s “bad idea right?” was needed to get Livies in the audience on their feet. Appearing under a spotlight to enthusiastic screams, the singer-songwriter instantly doubled the crowd’s energy, jumping in rhythm with the punchy drum beat. Flirtily toying with her sparkly silver two-piece, Rodrigo nailed the song’s playful message of sneaking around with an ex through light-hearted line delivery. With a quick transition into the equally upbeat “ballad of a homeschooled girl,” she kept the audience engaged by enlisting their help in screaming the self-deprecating lyrics, “Everythin’ I do is tragic / Every guy I like is gay.”

[Related: Concert Review: Niall Horan puts on a dynamic, charming show at the Kia Forum]

Exchanging her intro’s youthful levity for heavier themes, Rodrigo then performed two fan-favorite tales of heartache: “vampire” and “traitor.” Backed by soft, haunting graphics on a wide screen behind her, the musician beautifully conveyed the ballads’ emotional weight with elongated notes and intentional enunciation. Yet, in an incongruous choice, an ensemble of dancers joined Rodrigo onstage for the second half of “traitor,” harshly shaking in a manner that distracted from her unexaggerated, authentic presentation.

Fortunately, a gentler sense of intimacy arrived when Rodrigo sat at her piano for the following portion of the show. With the artist’s 2021 rise to fame characterized by her visionary lyricism, the toned-down ambience of this set provided the perfect space for her poetic songwriting to take the forefront. When childhood home videos of the now 21-year-old flashed during the tearjerker “teenage dream,” audiences could effortlessly reflect on her poignant description of transitioning to young adulthood.

Three-time Grammy winner Olivia Rodrigo sits atop a purple moon set piece during her performance at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California on the opening night of the "GUTS world tour" on Feb. 23, 2024. During her Aug. 16 concert at Inglewood&squot;s Kia Forum, Rodrigo performed the ballads "logical" and "enough for you" as the moon moved around the arena to reach some of the far corners of the audience. (Courtesy of Christopher Polk, Maya Sarin, Hillary Siskind and Live Nation Entertainment)
Three-time Grammy winner Olivia Rodrigo sits atop a purple moon set piece during her performance at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California, on the opening night of the “GUTS world tour” on Feb. 23, 2024. During her Aug. 16 concert at Inglewood’s Kia Forum, Rodrigo performed the ballads “logical” and “enough for you” as the moon moved around the arena to reach some of the far corners of the audience. (Courtesy of Christopher Polk, Maya Sarin, Hillary Siskind and Live Nation Entertainment)

Two sensational songs later, the Forum suddenly transformed into a breathtaking night sky as shining stars dropped from the ceiling, and Rodrigo rose above the audience atop a glowing crescent moon. As she orbited the arena for “logical” and “enough for you,” the singer maintained a dulcet vocal performance that perfectly suited the starlit aesthetic. The lustrous staging not only established an ethereal look but also provided a brilliant way for Rodrigo to interact with fans in considerably farther seats – an opportunity rarely granted to artists in such large venues.

After descending from the moon, Rodrigo continued to build a gratifying fan experience by taking several minutes to compliment outfits, spotlight Livies on the big screen and thank the crowd for coming. Setting up her lively track “so american,” the musician spoke to the audience about how special it felt to return to her hometown after the tour’s two-and-a-half-month European leg.

“It’s so good to be home and eat a … In-N-Out burger,” Rodrigo said. “It’s moments like these in my hometown with all my homegirls that just remind me, no matter how far I travel, at the end of the day, I really am just so American.”

[Related: Concert review: girl in red excites in passionate, vibrant performance at Greek Theatre]

Following her joy-filled performance of the “GUTS (spilled)” love song, Rodrigo delighted longtime fans by devoting a slice of her setlist to her debut album, “SOUR.” For the slower numbers “happier” and “favorite crime,” the singer sat crisscrossed on stage with only her guitarist, replicating the minimal production on the studio versions of these songs to achieve raw vulnerability not always seen from A-list performers. Conversely, “deja vu” was backed by hard-hitting instrumentation and theatrical choreography that complemented the song’s themes of anger and accusation. Despite “SOUR” being three years old, the reverberant screams of each chorus proved the record still holds substantial meaning to listeners today.

Shortly after, Rodrigo departed the stage for her fourth costume change of the night, leaving her bassist and guitarists to generate hype with electrifying melodies that smoothly transitioned into the pop-punk tune “brutal.” When Rodrigo returned in a tight, glittering red romper, her confidence surpassed anything seen earlier that evening as she got the arena to jump along to the song’s fiery guitar riffs. She then carried this bold spirit into her best performance of the night for the edgy, sensual “obsessed.” Making creative use of a camera placed inside the stage floor, Rodrigo captivatingly sprawled across the ground while detailing her infatuation with a partner’s ex-girlfriend in a simultaneously airy and commanding tone.

Olivia Rodrigo kneels on stage and leans against a guitarist while singing at the first show of the "GUTS world tour" at Acrisure Arena on Feb. 23, 2024 in Palm Springs, California. After an opening set by The Breeders, Rodrigo&squot;s setlist during the Aug. 16 stop of the tour at Inglewood&squot;s Kia Forum featured energetic performances of songs from both her chart-topping albums "SOUR" and "GUTS," including her number one singles "drivers license," "good 4 u" and "vampire." (Courtesy of Christopher Polk, Maya Sarin, Hillary Siskind and Live Nation Entertainment)
Olivia Rodrigo kneels on stage and leans against a guitarist while singing at the first show of the “GUTS world tour” at Acrisure Arena on Feb. 23, 2024 in Palm Springs, California. After an opening set by The Breeders, Rodrigo’s setlist during the Aug. 16 stop of the tour at Inglewood’s Kia Forum featured energetic performances of songs from both her chart-topping albums “SOUR” and “GUTS,” including her number one singles “drivers license,” “good 4 u” and “vampire.” (Courtesy of Christopher Polk, Maya Sarin, Hillary Siskind and Live Nation Entertainment)

Refusing to dial back the energy established by these rock hits, Rodrigo and her rapturous band made frictionless transitions into the increasingly catchy releases “all-american bitch,” “good 4 u,” and “get him back!” for the show’s final stretch. The popstar’s Hollywood roots shined especially bright throughout the closing performances as she played up the slightly manic character portrayed in each song, amplifying it further with a megaphone for the last number. When multicolored confetti spilled over the arena for the final chorus, fans erupted into cheers as Rodrigo and the dancers stomped with an unrelenting spark.

Yet admirably, as the song concluded, the musician didn’t just fade to black or sprint behind a curtain – she instead came offstage to greet fans in the pit, taking selfies and giving high fives to eager supporters on the barricade. Concluding on this high note of personal interaction allowed Rodrigo’s gratitude to echo throughout the arena, cementing her as more than just a pop princess. With her humanity at the core of her artistry, she rounded out a concert that felt as genuine as it was entertaining.

Shaping up to be the voice of her generation through her emotive lyrics and thrilling stage presence, Rodrigo proved she’s all guts, all glory.

Email Munck at [email protected] or tweet @vmunckDB.

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Victoria Munck | Arts editor
Munck is the 2024-2025 Arts editor. She was previously an assistant Arts editor on the theater | film | television beat. Munck is a third-year communication student from Granada Hills, California.
Munck is the 2024-2025 Arts editor. She was previously an assistant Arts editor on the theater | film | television beat. Munck is a third-year communication student from Granada Hills, California.
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