Brat summer is certainly not over yet.
Charli XCX and Troye Sivan transformed a sold-out United Center into a 23,500-person club on Monday night during the ninth installment of their Sweat tour. With flashing lights, mesmerizing video projections and powerful vocals, the pair created an intoxicating atmosphere, reminiscent of a dance floor.
When English singer-songwriter Charli XCX released her sixth studio album “Brat” in early June, the hyperpop project sent lime green waves across pop culture. With its cover’s simple sans serif font and once unfashionable bright green background, the “Brat” brand has sneaked its way into clothing stores, memes and presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ campaign (Harris adopted the “Brat” stylization on social media after Charli XCX tweeted “kamala IS brat”). The word “brat” even took on a new meaning: something fashionable, chic and cool.
Although Charli XCX’s summer was more commercially successful, Sivan’s music certainly held its own. Promoting his October 2023 album “Something to Give Each Other,” Sivan’s suggestive dance moves and honey-like vocals made everyone in the crowd swoon. His viral “Got Me Started” dance (which was parodied by SNL earlier this year) kicked off the concert with familiar moves.
The Sweat tour as a whole, though, was certainly a celebration of all things brat, pop, clubbing and embracing one’s sexuality.
The singers alternated performing in sets of about three songs at a time. After Sivan’s first set, Charli XCX made her entrance known using a neon green curtain box that spanned from the floor to the ceiling, with “brat” written on all four sides. As the curtain fell, the pop icon appeared from artificial fog, singing the album’s concluding song “365.” She continued pumping up the crowd with singles “360” (the sister song to “365”) and “Von dutch.”
Where Charli XCX brought angst and energy, Sivan mellowed the concert with softer tunes like “Rager teenager!” and “Dance to This.” Sitting and lying on a metallic silver bed, he serenaded fans under deep blue lights.
The pair’s performance styles complemented each other well, too. Charli XCX commanded the stage with vogue struts and wild dance moves. Sivan adopted a smooth, cool guy aesthetic, incorporating numerous dance numbers with his posse. Together, the headliners embodied sex, freedom and fun.
Most notable of the set were Charli XCX’s performance of “Apple” and Sivan’s take of “One of Your Girls.” Although Charli XCX sang her popular song in one stationary spot, her crowd work and clear vocals were excellent throughout. The song highlighted one special fan, who enthusiastically performed the viral TikTok dance to the song “Apple” on screen. A video of Sivan in drag prefaced his performance of “One of Your Girls,” recalling the song’s music video. As he sang, Sivan executed a sultry chair dance that wooed the entirety of the arena.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the Sweat tour was its stage. Three layers of high scaffolding served as a backdrop for the stage’s main section, creating vertical dimension while the singers performed. Scaffolding was also used under the stage’s walkway, which led to a platform closer to the arena’s center. Charli XCX and Sivan utilized this area for multiple sections of the show, strutting through the space while performing. Singers have certainly used backstage areas as part of their set, but under-stage is a new innovation.
Although only the first few rows of general admission could see Charli XCX and Sivan, artful camerawork paired with the two’s alluring stage presence brought the area to life on big screens.
But nothing compared to the crowd’s energy. Nearly every attendee danced through the night until 10:30 p.m., jumping up and down to synth beats. One in every few fans wore an article of neon green clothing, donning lyrics like “I’m so Julia” and “365 party girl.”
If one thing is true, it’s that Charli XCX and Sivan know how to have a good time. Oh, and brat fall has just begun.
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