Here’s the thing: Betty Who belongs on a bigger stage. That, and when you’re watching her and her dancers move in sync as colorful lights flash behind them, you forget you don’t have floor tickets to an arena show (SWEAT Tour, I’m looking at you). It’s better, though, the intimacy of a smaller format show — there are no distractions, so you can be fully mesmerized by what’s happening on stage.
This was the experience for fans on Tuesday night at downtown Phoenix’s Crescent Ballroom. Betty herself said it was an extension of Pride Month, a celebration of living true to oneself.
The celebration had to kick off in style, so Betty and her dancers, Chris and Sebastian, came out hot with “Run!” and “WEEKEND,” setting the tone for an upbeat set. For the crowd’s part, we were happy to dance along with them and take it all in. Other fan favorites like “I CAN BE YOUR MAN” and “Sweat” also made the cut, as did a revved-up cover of “Running Up That Hill.”
But a highlight of the set was actually a quieter moment when Betty got honest about the grind of a tour. “Everyone’s faces look a little more haggard each day,” she joked, but there’s some truth to it. She was so grateful to everyone who showed up and rewarded us with an acoustic song.
By the end of the night, the fans were more than ready to sing along with “I Love You Always Forever.” It was sung like a promise, and the love goes both ways.
