Brat summer is taking a victory lap on the Sweat Tour with Charli XCX and Troye Sivan. Their B2B format made a sold out stop at Footprint Center in Phoenix on Sunday as the green-hued crowd indeed worked up a sweat from the pit to the rafters.
The Aussie popstar and the British club queen “Got Me Started” with Sivan’s opening salvo. Flanked by a bevy of muscular dancers, Sivan’s seamless choreography moved into “What’s the Time Where You Are?” and the bouncy “My, My, My”. The stage immediately shifted to Charli XCX’s strobe-heavy setup and the crowd all turned into “365” party girls.
The two powerhouses’ unique touring setup ensured that not a moment passed without the bass pounding, the lights flashing and one of these two amazing artists giving all of their energy to Phoenix. The crowd certainly did their part, screaming along to “Von Dutch” from Charli and “Dance to This” from Sivan.
Every part of the stage was used- from the platforms on the sides so every angle was covered to even the walkway under the stage where Charli and Sivan both made appearances on the big screen during each other’s time onstage. The two are clearly fast friends and the shared spotlight suits them as performers.
The duo has so many hits between them that crafting this flawless evening of transitioning from one to the other took on a theme of its own. The segue from “Girl, So Confusing” to Sivan’s risque rendition of “One of Your Girls” (king-sized bed and all) was perfect and the party seemed to still be just getting started. Both artists underwent several outfit changes, before Sivan emerged in just a cropped harness while Charli cycled through an increasingly eclectic rotation of swirling, patterned dresses- perfect for her non stop dancing.
As is tradition, a group of ecstatic fans were chosen for the “Apple” choreography and Phoenix’s selected diehards performed the viral dance to perfection alongside the rest of the pit following along. Sivan returned for his allotted time, adding in a solo performance of “You” before the duo joined forces on “1999”.
The end of the long set had fans breaking their necks dancing to Icona Pop’s “I Love It” with Charli on vocals- a true throwback to an bygone era of pop radio. Sivan sealed the night with a kiss- literally- and closed his solo time onstage with “Honey” and “Rush” before the two once again took the stage to shut it down on “Talk Talk”.
These two iconic pop besties really changed the game for tours this year, ensuring that every fan got what they came for while also successfully sharing the spotlight and doing away with dull stage changeovers to keep the party flowing. Arizona certainly expended all of their energy and neon-clad fans shuffled out of the venue, leaving behind feathers, earrings and little pieces of their hearts on that stage with Troye Sivan and Charli XCX.
Photo credit: Henry Redcliffe
