Pop singer Madison Beer had audience members screaming with excitement during her concert Friday at the Riviera Theatre.
Openers Ellise and Charlotte Lawrence kicked off Beer’s “The Spinnin Tour” with high energy. While the lyricism of Ellise’s songs was somewhat repetitive, the singer made up for it with a lively stage presence, running back and forth as she performed. Lawrence’s set allowed her to show off impressive vocals as she switched smoothly between registers. Although both singers experienced technical difficulties, their presence kept listeners engaged.
Shrieks loud enough to make your ears ring filled the auditorium as the five-minute countdown clock for Beer’s set was projected onto the back wall of the stage.
The screaming rarely ceased throughout the night. It was obvious that the audience was full of die-hard fans: many knew the words to every song on Beer’s setlist.
Beer’s performance included a song for everyone; listeners could cry to somber songs like “Ryder,” scream about failed relationships to “Selfish” or feel empowered through more provocative songs like “Make You Mine.” Whatever emotion audience members wanted to feel through Beer’s music, she delivered an opportunity to do so.
The order of songs in Beer’s set was cleverly crafted. Just when some audience members on the balcony seemed to grow restless with the slow songs, Beer pulled out some of her biggest pop hits to revive the crowd and get them on their feet again.
Beer knows how to carry herself on stage, playing to the last row of the balcony. Even without backup dancers, she elicited howls from the crowd as she danced on her own. Whether walking down the staircase lined with LED lights or lying down onstage, Beer kept all eyes on her.
Beer engaged fans with ease, throwing flowers into the crowd and complimenting the dresses of a group of audience members in between songs.
Most notable about Beer’s performance were her impressive vocal runs. She executed them flawlessly and with ease, switching between registers with no apparent break. They left me wishing for more songs with less production to further highlight the beauty of this difficult technique.
The use of projections created a visually appealing concert experience. During some songs, like “Make You Mine,” clips of Beer’s music videos played behind the stage, while other tunes featured gorgeous graphics of a house overgrown with vegetation and clocks floating across the screen. Live footage of concert-goers and Beer singing directly into a camera was also displayed on the screen.
While singing her most popular songs, “Good in Goodbye” and “Home to Another One,” she appeared to truly be enjoying herself on stage, which was a joy to watch.
Beer closed her performance in a Chicago Cubs jersey monogrammed with her name on the back as she sang the passionate “King of Everything.” White confetti exploded into the air at the song’s end — a powerful end to a powerful and dynamic performance.
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