This is a bad idea, right? I’m questioning myself as my finger hovers over the bright blue purchase button on Ticketmaster. I keep going back and forth about whether or not I really need to see someone my age in concert. But I can’t help it. My finger gains a mind of its own. Full send. My bank account takes a brutal (miniscule) hit.
Back in October of last year, three of my friends and I bought tickets to see Olivia Rodrigo “before it was too late.” I’ve been a fan of her since her Disney Channel days when she blew up on High School Musical the Musical: The Series. (I’d admit to watching Bizaardvark, too, but I have some self-respect…) Then she dropped Sour, which frankly rocked my world. I loved her simple angst that somehow perfectly explained my feelings. I cried listening to the acoustic version of “enough for you,” and my little sister and I jammed to “good 4 you” on car rides.
We weren’t able to attend the Sour tour, so when Rodrigo announced she’d be touring for her second album, GUTS, I knew I had to get tickets, despite the talk that the concert venues would be filled with 13-year-olds. “All-American b*tch” was in my top 5 songs of 2023, so even though I was freshly 21, I owed it to myself and my friend to let loose and have a good time at the concert.
Overall, the concert was fantastic. The American Airlines Center was well organized, and several merch booths offered a decent variety of clothing and accessory options. My friends and I opted to skip the opener in favor of grabbing dinner, and we made it with plenty of time to walk around and get to our seats. Fun side note: be on the lookout for local celebs at your venue. We ran into Brooklyn and Bailey, two YouTubers that I know were all up in your childhood. Honestly, that sighting made my night before Olivia even hit the stage!
The vibes were immaculate. The singing and screaming were on point. The feminine rage was rolling. We had an absolute blast, regardless of being some of the oldest girls there. I don’t think it negatively impacted our experience at all, so let the haters hate. It did, however, make me worry a bit for these teenagers. Who hurt y’all?!
I won’t break down the setlist because I think it’s best to go in blind. Be surprised! Rodrigo plays all but two of her released songs and even throws in some unreleased music to top things off. You’ll get to hear all your favorites and then some.
Grab your best purple fit and get on vocal rest because the GUTS tour is a 10/10 night that you’ll be fully participating in from start to finish! Live your teenage dream, ignore the fact that most of your fellow concertgoers don’t even have their driver’s license yet, and you’ll leave happier than you were when you arrived.