Sabrina Carpenter
June 18th @ 02 Academy
Birmingham, England UK
Claire H. Insomnia Photographer
Live Review
Currently touring her widely anticipated fifth studio album, emails i can’t send, Sabrina Carpenter made a brief stop in the UK before hitting Europe. As the tour landed in Birmingham, devoted fans; sporting glitter and cowboy hats, braved the scorching heat and queued hours prior to Carpenter taking to the stage.
Kicking off proceedings was a short but so sweet offering from Annika Bennett, a singer-songwriter whose art tackles every aspect of human emotion. Her set was filled to the brim with heartfelt lyrics, soothing notes and the venue which was beautifully lit up by a sea of mobile phone lights. It’s safe to say, Annika Bennett and Sabrina Carpenter are a match made in heaven, with Bennett undeniably departing the stage with a handful of new fans.
Filling the thirty-minute change over prior to the evenings headline act, an appropriately crafted pre-show playlist blasted through the PA system which certainly warmed up everyone’s vocal cords. Not before the famous last song prior to Sabrina’s set came on, which sent the venue into hysteria as the US singer’s appearance was imminent. This song of course being ‘All Too Well (10 Minute Version)’ by Taylor Swift. Word for word, fans sang along loud and proud - many, overjoyed with emotion. As the song concluded, the lights dimmed and Sabrina’s backing band filed onto the stage.
Opening with ‘emails i can’t send’, Carpenter was situated on top of a balcony - as part of her impressive stage design, accompanied with a piano surrounded by fairy lights. The roar from the audience was almost deafening, even more so when Sabrina climbed down some stairs and performed the next song, ‘Read your Mind’ on a catwalk - surrounded by a giant heart-shaped mirror, of course completely lit up. The varied stage levels meant that Sabrina was constantly on the move throughout her set and as a result, put on a show-stopping performance. Free from the shackles of her Disney Channel past, Sabrina Carpenter has been reborn. An evening filled with soft-rock infused bops is good for the soul, with the US star beaming from start to finish. With a firmer grasp of who she is as an artist more than ever, Sabrina has a glistening career ahead.
Setlist:
emails i can’t send
Read your Mind
Feather
Vicious
Already Over
Bad for Business
skinny dipping
things i wish you said
Tornado Warnings
opposite
bet u wanna
…Baby One More Time (Britney Spears Cover)
how many things
Fast Times
Paris
Honeymoon Fades
Sue Me
decode
Nonsense
because I liked a boy
