[Note: Demi Lovato uses they/them/she/her pronouns.]
Disney Channel alum and pop-turned-rock star Demi Lovato performed at The Anthem on Monday night, with singer-songwriter Royal & the Serpent joining them as their opening act.
As someone who has been a Demi Lovato fan since they starred in Princess Protection Program with Selena Gomez, I was ecstatic to see them take on a different genre of music live but was sad to hear it would be their last tour ever. Nevertheless, the show was amazing and is one I’ll never forget.
Let’s Talk About The Tour!
The North American leg of the tour, titled “HOLY FVCK” after the name of their recent album, started in Sacramento, Calif., on Sept. 22nd and is set to end in Irving, Texas on Nov. 6th. However, Lovato has been sick and has lost her voice, which caused her to reschedule two shows, so the date of the final show is unclear.
The official tour setlist is composed of 17 songs, including old hits such as “Here We Go Again” and “Don’t Forget”, and new ones such as “SKIN OF MY TEETH” and “29”. Like most artists on tour, Lovato returns to the stage for an encore singing the songs “HAPPY ENDING” and “Cool for the Summer” before concluding the show.
Opening Act: Royal & the Serpent
Before I dive into the main attraction, let’s talk about the awesome opener for Lovato’s show, Royal & the Serpent, whose real name is Ryan Santiago.
Their setlist consisted of 10 songs, including three new songs and one of their more popular songs titled “Overwhelmed,” which became a trending sound on TikTok in 2020. During one of the songs, the singer took over for the drummer for 30 seconds, having a drum solo of their own. It was the highlight of their performance.
Later on in the night, Royal & the Serpent walked on stage for the last time to join Lovato for a powerful performance of their song together called “EAT ME.”
It’s Showtime!
Eager Lovatics were filled with anticipation as hints of the main attraction blessed the stage. A curtain with a cross symbol spray-painted on fell down, and the shadows of Lovato and her bandmates were seen as the stage lights circled the perimeter of the curtain, signaling that it was showtime.
Around 9 p.m., Lovato started her set with “HOLY FVCK” as the opening song. I thought this was a great song to open with, not only because it has such great energy, but also because it is the song she based her album and tour on. She seamlessly transitioned from song to song, and despite her voice being gone, she was able to excite the crowd just the same as in previous shows.
What surprised me the most was Lovato singing some of her older songs, all reprised as rock tunes to correspond with her new music genre journey. By doing this, Lovato has inferred that they still love performing their earlier songs, but the songs have to evolve with her.
Lovato set aside some time to talk to the crowd, with the first moment dedicated to introducing her band. She was excited to make these introductions as this is the first time Lovato has gone on tour with an all-female band, which she said had been a dream of hers for a long time. Their new band includes guitarist Nita Strauss, who used to play for Alice Cooper.
When the show was over, Lovato took the time to thank the crowd, which was emotional as this would probably be the last time her fans would see her live on stage. I have seen her two times on her other tours, but this tour felt more authentic to who Demi Lovato is.
Although she had to ask the crowd to help her sing some of the harder notes of her songs, she still demonstrated her insane vocals. If you are able to grab a ticket to one of her remaining shows before the tour ends, I would highly recommend it.