Charli XCX sets a new standard for concerts 

Oct. 21 was an exciting time for many pop fans in New York City. British pop singer Charli XCX came to Terminal 5 as part of her “Charli” tour to promote her new album of the same name. The show was the first out of two sold out shows at Terminal 5 to close her North American tour.  

As fans were entering the venue, classical piano music played over the speakers, which was interesting given how Charli XCX’s music is the furthest thing from classical. It was a great way to ease people into the energy the show had in store. 

The opening act was a rapper named Brooke Candy, whose performance was mediocre. While her light show and dancers were entertaining, her rapping felt like it belonged in a nightclub rather than in a concert venue. The bass was also blaring during Candy’s performance, which made it nearly impossible to hear anything. The sound quality at Terminal 5 left a lot to be desired. 

After Candy’s time was up, the audience waited patiently for Charli XCX to come on stage. As much as I enjoyed the crowds enthusiasm, it was frustrating that she was 20 minutes late getting on stage. Once she did come out, however, frustration levels quickly dropped. 

Her opening song, “Next Level Charli” was the perfect song to start the show. The crowd chanted the lyrics while moving with the kinetic beat. Charli XCX’s stage set up was simple and effective as lighting was projected for each of her songs. The laser light show was also fantastic. It felt futuristic without being overwhelming.  

Charli XCX had great control over the crowd. Despite the frenetic nature of her songs, no mosh pits broke out and the crowd was peaceful. It may have felt like an oven inside the venue, but her personality was able to cool down any complaints of the temperature. 

The biggest surprise was when Troye Sivan appeared on stage with Charli XCX to perform the songs “2099” and “1999.” Having a star like Sivan on stage felt special, since most artists do not bring their feature artists on stage.  

My favorite song Charli XCX performed however was the “Icona Pop” track “I Love It.” This was one of the first songs that got me into her music and her performance was incredible. The crowd’s energy helped make an iconic song legendary. 

There are few artists who can bring consistent energy for an entire show. Charli XCX not only accomplished this task seamlessly, she seemed to enjoy doing it. The love she has towards her fans is something I wish more artists demonstrated.  

Thumbnail image courtesy of Twitter / @charli_xcx

Ian Ward is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at ian.ward@uconn.edu