Olivia Rodrigo ‘Unravels’ the United Center

Fans of all ages bustled into the United Center Oct. 11, the arena pulsing in energetic anticipation of pop-rock sensation Olivia Rodrigo taking the stage.

At 8 p.m. sharp, the lights on the crescent-shaped stage, adorned with pink and white flowers imitating a field of flowers, dimmed as screams of fans filled the void. 

Suddenly, a spotlight fell on center stage as the camera panned to Rodrigo hidden among the fake flowers, the prelude to “drop dead” echoing throughout the building. Rodrigo’s magnetic energy could be felt even in the furthest rows as she took the audience through some of the biggest hits on her latest album, June release “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love.”

Similar to the album, her tour performance takes listeners on a cinematic journey from budding new love to the last embers of a dying relationship, which fans speculated to be about her former partner, actor Louis Partridge. Rodrigo pulled the audience further into the narrative through her set design and on-stage video displays showing the passing of time, dividing the set into sections inspired by changing seasons. 

As spring bloomed, Rodrigo launched into songs from previous albums with an explosive quality, keeping the audience on their feet and singing along as she kicked through the flowers on the stage, occasionally throwing a few to reaching fans.

The set filled with the giddy excitement of new love ended as Rodrigo exited the stage and the main screen showed vintage film clips of summer nature scenes, taking the arena into a new stage of her relationship and tour. 

Despite the impressive production and dance infused show, Rodrigo’s frequent interaction with the camera for close ups on the big screen took away opportunities to connect directly with the audience. 

The distinct cry of a siren in the prelude of “my way” broke the brief intermission as Rodrigo reappeared stage right in a new outfit: a pair of hot pink shorts and a white graphic tank top. Taking on a more edgy undertone, the crowd joined in this season belting the lyrics to “serena joy” as the lyrics flashed on the screen. 

Later in the section, the lights dimmed again to Rodrigo covered in a rolling fog as a delicate, melancholic piano played the opening notes to “GUTS” lead single “vampire.” Fans were invited to be a part of the performance as LED wristbands handed out at the entrance started shining to the beat of the song.

To finish off the emotional roller coaster of summer, Rodrigo surprised fans by lighting a large sparkler during “purple” and drawing heart-shaped images in the air, later captured and projected onto the big screen before descending on a pit lift.

After a second intermission and costume change into a metallic black mini dress, Rodrigo appeared on a second circular stage covered in flowers at the edge of the pit singing “stupid song.” Throughout the track, she came off stage and traveled through the crowd, interacting with fans. Yet the stage felt too far away, making it difficult for some audience members to see clearly.

Unlike the two previous sections, Rodrigo remained primarily at center stage during the autumn-inspired set with all stage lights directed at her playing the guitar. Perfectly chosen for the chilly season, songs such as “maggots for brains” and “cigarette smoke” were goosebump-raising as the section ended on Rodrigo’s silhouette, the stage darkening synchronized to the synonymous ending lyrics of the latter song.

The winter section was filled with emotionally heavy ballads such as “honeybee,” “favorite crime” and fan favorite “drivers licence,” which showcased the full array of emotions that come with falling out of love. 

Unfortunately, Rodrigo performed these songs on a piano facing the right section of the arena, leaving the left section with only a view of her back for its entirety.

Similarly, during “the cure,” she primarily faced the front section while the light blue dress she wore melted off her body in a downpour revealing a red corseted bodysuit. Doing a 360-degree turn during the dress transformation would’ve allowed more fans throughout the arena to appreciate the moment. 

Despite these flaws, there were many moments when the technical aspects and concert staging immersed fans in an atmospheric journey through the seasons. 

The inclusion of short films while the crew changed the set design of the stage not only kept the audience entertained, but added a unique cinematic quality to the performance.  

As the concert came to an end, the stage returned to its original spring setting. The seasonal visuals for the show came full circle, creating a symbolic trajectory of Rodrigo’s journey through heartbreak to represent a sense of renewal and healing. 

The finale emphasized that moving forward and closing wounds means finding beauty in difficult experiences. Rodrigo finished her set with “expectations,” a fun, upbeat song about raising one’s standards played as a reminder to the audience their value comes from within.