On Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, I traveled to Chicago to see classical-jazz-pop artist Laufey perform live at the United Center. Below is my detailed experience and review of the concert, along with tips to help any future Laufey concert goers.
I started the morning early at 8:10 a.m., when my train departed from Gateway Station in St. Louis. As I boarded the Amtrak, I felt like a member of “The Polar Express.” The conductor and attendants were incredibly nice and welcoming. Six hours later, after lesson planning and napping on the train, I arrived at Union Station in Chicago. I was greeted by my cousin and sister, who arrived by train a few hours earlier. We immediately headed to the United Center in search of the Laufey merchandise truck, which arrived hours before the show started.
Around 2:30 p.m., my sister and I joined the Laufey merchandise line. We were awed by concertgoers’ detailed outfits, from their crowns to their gorgeous gowns. I had never gone to a venue to get merchandise before the concert, but it was an experience that I would repeat again. In line, I seriously contemplated what merchandise to get. I debated between a keychain of Mei Mei the Bunny, a sweatshirt and a T-shirt. I had plenty of time to debate my options because the line lasted about 40 minutes. In the end, I chose the sweatshirt with bumpy lettering and the tour dates on the back.
After taking some pictures with Laufey’s decorated merchandise truck, my sister and I were picked up by our cousin, just as it started to rain. Overall, this choice greatly improved our concert experience because we were not concerned about getting there early or waiting in long merchandise lines when the concert actually started. Additionally, we did not have to carry our merchandise around all night. We headed to her apartment while playing Laufey’s latest album, “A Matter of Time.”
Next came the blur of outfits, makeup and hair to prepare for the concert. My outfit included a hair bow, which is a popular style for Laufey concert goers. My sister and I had meticulously picked out our outfits the day before. We both had some sort of black silk to complement each other’s outfits.
After a delicious dinner of street corn tacos, my sister, two cousins and I hopped on the Metro to get to the concert. Our train was full of Laufey fans, otherwise known as Lauvers, so we all walked to the United Center together. We arrived around 7:30 p.m., just as the opener, Suki Waterhouse, took the stage.
I immediately asked about the whereabouts of Mei Mei the Bunny, Laufey’s tour mascot, who roams around and poses for photos with fans. Unfortunately, Mei Mei was not out much this evening and had already come and gone. This was a sad moment for my concert experience, and I believe that getting to the venue earlier would have greatly improved my chances of seeing Mei Mei.
After Suki Waterhouse’s powerful performance, we wandered through the stadium for photo opportunities or Mei Mei sightings. While Mei Mei was not spotted, we were able to take photos with various Laufey backgrounds. Everyone was very gracious and respectful in line for photos. The merchandise lines were very long, so we were appreciative of our earlier success.
Laufey came onto the stage a little before 9 p.m. The music changed from pop music to Laufey’s music to signal that the show was about to start. Laufey came out in a stunning long dress and immediately jumped into singing “Clockwork.” This was an energizing and fun way to open the show.
The show contained five acts with multiple costume changes and four dancers who electrified the stage. Laufey was constantly in motion, twirling across the stage and playing multiple instruments throughout the performance. The set and visuals were beautiful and well-thought-out.
Some of my favorite performances were “Too Little, Too Late,” “Castle in Hollywood” and “Snow White.” Although I could say something positive about every song, I was already partial to these songs before the show. The live performances were captivating, and the visuals, as well as hearing Laufey explain her intent behind the songs, helped me connect with her music more.
The main show dramatically ended with “Sabotage,” when Laufey ran backstage. For an encore, Laufey ran onto the clock-shaped extension of her stage and played one surprise song. On this tour, Laufey played a different surprise song each night. For my show, she played “Bewitched” and dedicated it to a 10-year-old fan named Katherine from California. This was an exciting moment of the night and a high note to end on.
The last song of the show was “Letter To My 13 Year Old Self,” a song that turned me into a Laufey fan. My sister introduced Laufey’s music to me, and I am so grateful that she did. This song’s performance was simple, with just Laufey playing the guitar and singing. The lyrics of the song are from the perspective of Laufey singing to her younger self and wanting to encourage her to keep going. She sings “keep on going with your silly dream,” which is a favorite quote of mine and my sister. The song also touches on Laufey’s insecurities growing up half-Chinese in Iceland. As a half-Chinese woman, it is special to see someone I share an identity with talking about their challenges and successes.
The concert ended at about 10:45 p.m. We walked home and I immediately crashed onto my pillow. The concert was beautiful, mystical and vulnerable.
My only disappointment with the concert, aside from not seeing the mascot Mei Mei in person, was that the song “A Cautionary Tale” from her newest album was not featured. I love the lyric, “I’ve always been smart, my chameleon heart,” and I would have loved to hear it live.
Overall, I rate this concert experience a 10 out of 10. The venue was easy to get to, the fans were so nice and the performance was spectacular. I would easily spend 11 hours on the train in the span of 36 hours just to see Laufey again.