Since the release of her sophomore album GUTS, singer Olivia Rodrigo has had her fans anticipating her announcement of an official tour. On September 8th, 2023, the artist officially posted that she would embark on a world tour for her latest musical work via her Instagram. Fans soon after went through the chaos of Ticketmaster to try and see Rodrigo live in concert. Of course, with the rise in fame for Rodrigo and her music, this meant that ticket prices increased dramatically compared to the SOUR Tour.
I was fortunate enough to get selected for the Ticketmaster fans presale and was determined to not leave the queue empty handed. To better experience one of my favorite artist’s in concert, I opted for the full experience of being in the pit for her show. On February 28th, 2024, I got to watch one of the most incredible songwriters perform live at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
One of the most anticipated aspects of the tour was the setlist, as many fans of Rodrigo hoped she would perform songs from both GUTS and SOUR, or potentially include her single “Can’t Catch Me Now” from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. People were also optimistic about the artist potentially incorporating songs from her former television show High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.
The setlist for the GUTS World Tour is as follows:
“bad idea right?”
“ballad of a homeschooled girl”
“vampire”
“traitor”
“driver’s license”
“teenage dream”
“pretty isn’t pretty”
“love is embarrassing”
“making the bed”
“logical”
“enough for you”
“lacy”
“jealousy, jealousy”
“happier”
“favorite crime”
“deja vu”
“the grudge”
“brutal”
“obsessed”
“all-american b*tch”
“good 4 u”
“get him back!”
Hearing these songs performed live was a surreal experience and it is definitely something that is unforgettable. With social media platforms having the option to livestream videos, fans who were not able to get tickets were able to experience the show from their personal devices in the comfort of their own home. This also allowed concert goers to talk about their personal experiences and even do hauls of merchandise when waiting to get inside the venue. For those attending future shows, this allowed for answers to many questions about what to expect for their specific tour date.
The merchandise for the GUTS tour is very interesting as the artist and her team show off the clothing and accessories through her official website. Items are being modeled in a way that still presents a cute outfit that aligns with her personal style and that of her fanbase, with a majority being young adults to teenagers.
Clothing sold to fans at the tour venue included tank tops, crop tops, t-shirts, a purple crew neck, and a hoodie. For accessories, items ranged from a butterfly tote bag, a charm bracelet with state specific charms, a beanie, a hat, posters, and even personalized band-aids which perfectly fit the “vampire” aesthetic of this new era.
To further promote the international tour, the artist’s team has made partnerships with trending brands such as Target, Crumbl Cookie, and even had rumors about a potential GUTS inspired Stanley cup. Once tour dates came closer, fans began expressing their thoughts on these marketing tactics, with a majority of positive feedback.
At the concert, Rodrigo proved many speculators wrong about how her tour was potentially not worth the price of tickets. With a combination of the dancers’ choreography, costume changes, lighting, sound, cinematography, and the use of scenic elements and props, the level of production on this tour was worth the higher cost of attending the concert. One of the most jaw dropping moments of the show was when Rodrigo was flown out across the stage on a giant crescent moon while performing “logical” and “enough for you.”
The outfits that Rodrigo wore when performing were very on brand for her signature style because they resembled outfits she had previously performed in. It even made the experience feel more intimate for those in attendance, as it felt like she would wear these pieces when going out at night with her friends. For the Austin shows specifically, she wore a sparkly silver two-piece skirt set, a black two piece set with fishnet tights, a hot pink jumpsuit with sparkly star tights, (for the first time during the tour), and a “Brat” baby tee with sparkly shorts. For shoes, the artist has performed all shows thus far in Doc Martens, further presenting her personal style and comfort level with her audience.
For a first-time experience in the pit, it came as a shock to fully see the artist so up close. The pictures and videos from the night in Austin came out incredible and are something many fans, including myself, will look back on for years to come. An aspect of the night that was especially memorable was when the singer walked all the way across the barricade of the pit to greet fans once the show had finally ended. I was lucky enough to catch a closer glimpse of the artist as she quickly passed through the front section. Like many fans in my proximity, I was overwhelmed with emotions when seeing her walk directly in front of me.
As the GUTS World Tour travels from city to city, I can confidently say that the three-time Grammy award winner will continue to gain more confidence and grow as a performer. In a night full of screams, laughs, and tears, Rodrigo will continue to hold a massive impact for her audience.
