Concert Review: Olivia Rodrigo with Holly Humberstone at The Coca-Cola Roxy

The Disney actress turned pop star has had a stellar few years. In 2019 she starred in the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, a role she later used to propel her musical talents with her debut album, SOUR, in 2021. In April of this year she set out on the "SOUR" tour, where she has since sold out every show.

Holly Humberstone got the night started early to a very quickly packed house. The English singer/songwriter has already had quite the year, first opening for girl in red's sold out tour and now for Olivia Rodrigo's. With a handful of singles including "London Is Lonely" and "Sleep Tight" already released, it looks like Holly is planning to capitalize on this recent rise. Don't be mistaken though, this rise hasn't just been from her touring success. Holly's deeply personal and often moody take on pop music, blending in guitars and heavy synths, has captured fans' ears both live and recorded. 

Olivia Rodrigo is a natural star. Her stage presence and performative ability are up there with artists selling out arena and stadium tours. Her style shifts and changes, pulling from early 2000s pop punk, pop anthems of the 2010s, and even sounds of more modern pop tunes. Her musical ability has garnered a lot of praise. Obviously she's got plenty of vocal ability, you don't become a Disney star nor a pop star without it, but her skills on piano and guitar can't be overlooked.

From the cathartic build and ending of "drivers license" to the call and response of "deja vu," Olivia was dynamic throughout the night. She even had a whole outfit change while the band built up into "happier." Not once did she have to tell the crowd to get excited— they were hype the entire night. At times, it was hard to even hear Olivia over the crowd singing along with her. Fans had been lined up for hours to try and get the best spot possible. This is the start of super stardom. 

With just one studio release under her belt, you expect a shorter setlist. However, Olivia padded it out with a couple of covers including Avril Lavigne's "Complicated" and No Doubt's "Just a Girl." Rodrigo also performed a melody of her songs "enough for you" and "1 step forward, 3 steps back" acoustic while the set behind her changed. 

         1. brutal

         2. jealousy, jealousy

         3. drivers license

         4. Complicated (Avril Lavigne cover)

         5. hope ur ok

         6. enough for you -> 1 step forward, 3 steps back (solo)

         7. happier

         8. All I Want

         9. Just a Girl (No Doubt cover)

         10. favorite crime

         11. traitor

         12. deja vu

         13. good 4 u

Olivia's debut tour was just as big of a success as you'd expect. Sold out shows dot across the United States and Europe, an impressive feat for any artist. I seriously doubt that Olivia will play in rooms this small ever again.

         5/10 Nashville, TN — Grand Ole Opry House* (SOLD OUT)

         5/12 Houston, TX — 713 Music Hall* (SOLD OUT)

         5/13 Austin, TX — Moody Amphitheater* (SOLD OUT)

         5/14 Irving, TX — Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory* (SOLD OUT)

         5/17 Phoenix, AZ — Arizona Federal Theatre* (SOLD OUT)

         5/18 San Diego, CA — The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park* (SOLD OUT)

         5/20 Las Vegas, NV — Chelsea Ballroom at The Cosmopolitan* (SOLD OUT)

         5/21 Santa Barbara, CA — Santa Barbara Bowl* (SOLD OUT)

         5/24 Los Angelos, CA — Greek Theatre* (SOLD OUT)

         5/25 Los Angelos, CA — Greek Theatre* (SOLD OUT)

         5/27 San Francisco, CA — Bill Graham Civic Auditorium* (SOLD OUT)

         6/11 Hamburg, DE — Stadtpark^ (SOLD OUT)

         6/13 Berlin, DE — Verti Music Hall^ (SOLD OUT)

         6/15 Zurich, CH — Halle 622^ (SOLD OUT)

         6/16 Milan, IT — Fabrique* (SOLD OUT)

         6/18 Cologne, DE — Palladium* (SOLD OUT)

         6/19 Brussels, BE — Forest National^ (SOLD OUT)

         6/21 Paris, FR — Zénith^ (SOLD OUT)

         6/22 Amsterdam, NL — AFAS Live^ (SOLD OUT)

         6/29 Cork, IR — Live At The Marquee^ (SOLD OUT)

         6/30 Dublin, IR — Fairview Park^ (SOLD OUT)

         7/02 Glasgow, UK — O2 Academy^ (SOLD OUT)

         7/03 Manchester, UK — O2 Apollo^ (SOLD OUT)

         7/04 Birmingham, UK — O2 Academy^ (SOLD OUT)

         7/06 London, UK — Eventim Apollo^ (SOLD OUT)

         7/07 London, UK — Eventim Apollo^ (SOLD OUT)

         * with Holly Humberstone

         ^ with Baby Queen

Reflecting on this show, it is clear to me that I witnessed one of the next big pop stars. Following in the footsteps of Billie Eilish, Katy Perry, and Taylor Swift before her, I do not see a world where Olivia Rodrigo isn't selling out arenas. This is a show that fans are going to remember: seeing Olivia Rodrigo in a room that only holds 3,600 people. Olivia Rodrigo is just plain talented.

Lastly, for any rock-elitists out there naysaying, there was no lip syncing, it's just good music.