A review of Ariana Grande
On her Eternal Sunshine Tour
The first thing I appreciated about Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine Tour—which I just saw tonight at The Kia Forum in Los Angeles, CA—was how, at exactly the stated start time of 8pm, a 10-minute countdown timer started.
I’ve never been to a concert that started so on time. And certainly not with an artist at this level. What can I say? I’m a sucker for promptness.
When she stepped out on stage and began singing, I was a bit disappointed in the vocal mix. All of her vocals throughout the concert were live, but I found them to be mixed a bit too low overall. She is singing. And she’s a rare vocal powerhouse of a talent. I wish the mix was significantly more vocal-forward, similar to what Gaga did with her Mayhem tour. The vocals are why we’re here. Let’s not be shy, now.
I can’t imagine what it’s like to step on stage and make it feel like magic each night. Make it feel like this is the only time these songs are ever going to be sung. Like, this is it. And that’s because, for most people… it is. This is—by far—the most expensive ticket I’ve ever purchased to a show. I don’t know if I’ll ever see her again. I certainly won’t see this tour again. And I think most people are in that same boat. So to be in the audience, it is your one time. But to be Ariana, it’s often something like your 20th time. Still, each song has to be just so. That all said, I found the first half of the show to be a bit low energy. I don’t think most people would notice. But I noticed and probably because I see a LOT of shows. I rarely record shows. I’m 100% dialed into the artist because I love to perform and I’m always looking for something fun to steal. She caught a second wind or found her stride or something around Dangerous Woman, and from there to the end of the show, it was pure magic.
The final moments of her show was one of my favorite concert endings, ever. She comes back out for the encore and sings her last song and thanks the audience and waves goodbye and… just as she’s about to walk out… a UFO appears in the middle of the arena. She walks out singing Supernatural and stands under it and gets fully abducted. It was brilliant.
No guests. Just her dancers and her band and her vocals. Mixed down, but still dangerous, just like the woman herself.
Standout songs: Dangerous Woman, Break Free, Hampstead, Supernatural.