On September 23, New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde brought her devoted fanbase and intense emotions that she’s cultivated across her 12-year career to the Schottenstein Center.
Following the release of Lorde’s latest studio album Virgin in June, she commenced her fourth world tour, The Ultrasound Tour. Ultrasound began in Austin, Texas, on September 17 (with nearly all shows in North America sold out) and concludes in Sweden on December 9th.
The concert began with two openers: Chanel Beads and The Japanese House. Both are indie artists known for their mesmerizing production styles: the Chanel Beads with their textured sound-mixing and The Japanese House with their vibrant rainbow light show. The two sets made the 18,000+ seating venue feel small and intimate, serving as a pensive opening act that successfully set the tone for the remainder of the show.
Around 9PM, Lorde opened with “Hammer,” and you could feel her explosive presence within the crowd instantly. She did not rely on any extravagant setup to entertain the crowd—it is, in fact, that very mindset that has provided her with the success she has today. Lorde’s minimal set design consisted only of a large screen centering the stage and displaying visuals, a stage lift, ambient lighting, and a few background dancers. Her authentic, exuberant energy was more than enough to get a stadium cheering loudly and singing along immediately.
Straight after “Hammer” came “Royals”, a genius arrangement. Lorde’s vast fan base of 20-somethings—raised on “Pure Heroine” as children and “Melodrama” as teens—amassed great hype for hearing her biggest hit live, and once the first beat landed, the collective moment of catharsis was achieved.
I also want to point out how perfectly crafted the setlist sequence was. Lorde slowly shed layers for the crowd, both literally and figuratively. During the show, she took off her clothes for songs like “GRWM” and “Man of the Year,” doubly enforcing its messages of self-expression and gender identity. Her admirable vulnerability illustrated her growth as an artist. “Green Light” and “David”’s extravagant light show brought the music to life, and the crowd’s energy amplified every word. During “Big Star”, the gradient lights spotlighted Lorde, emphasizing this communal intimacy only felt when part of this crowd. All night, she embodied the intensely feverish energy unmistakably witnessed throughout her discography in her performance and profound lyricism, making for a thematically remarkable show.
On her fourth world tour, Lorde expands her artistic boundaries at an incredible rate incomparable to other pop artists now. She knows how to garner attention for moments of special intimacy, especially as she performed “Ribs” on the B stage for the encore, where the crowd fully encircled her. Once the lights go on and “All My Friends” by LCD Soundsystem plays, the show is perfectly rounded out, leaving fans in the stadium to feel the same exhilaration from the concert.
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