Olivia Rodrigo attracted fans clothed in purple and lit up The Factory’s stage in Chesterfield for the 12th show in her “Sour” tour. I don’t know how, but I managed to snag four tickets before her entire tour sold out in ten minutes. The venues she is playing at are small, which led to the disappointment of many fans when they couldn’t get tickets. The Factory only holds 3,000 people, so I think luck was on my side when I got tickets. Maybe she just wanted to go through her small-artist, indie phase, but there isn’t anything small about her career. When she plays at arenas in the future, I have no doubt she’ll completely sell out again.

Gracie Abrams, a 20-year-old singer-songwriter, opened for Rodrigo, singing “I miss you, I’m sorry,” “Wishful Thinking,” and “Feels Like” (which is one of my favorites). I personally think many of Abram’s songs sound the same, with a similar, almost depressing tone, but her performance was incredible. Her voice was just as flowy and soft as it sounds on Spotify. She made it clear how much she loves Rodrigo and did a great job of hyping up “Sour.”

Although I heard rumors that Rodrigo wouldn’t sing every song on “Sour,” she did at The Factory. I’m glad she began with “brutal,” one of her more angsty and upbeat songs, because starting with “traitor” or “drivers license” might’ve been too depressing. I love how she shocked the audience by combining “enough for you” and “1 step forward, 3 steps back” into a beautiful medley. She sang a cover of “Complicated” by Avril Lavinge and her voice went beautifully with the lyrics. Finally, she ended with “good 4 u,” which filled every inch of the venue with angst. The vibrations from the instruments and speakers traveled throughout my whole body during this song, making it one of my favorite moments from the show. Butterflies made of tissue paper cascaded through the air at the end of the song, which made the night even more perfect.

My friends and I arrived at the venue at 6:30 p.m., 30 minutes before the doors opened. We ended up getting a spot in the middle of the floor, but being five feet tall it was really difficult to see (who knew Olivia had that many fans who play basketball?). For anyone going to “Sour” and has general admission tickets, I recommend getting in line very early to get a spot near the front of the stage (especially if you’re short). While it was difficult to see, the crowd echoed every lyric, which made me feel euphoric. Being around so many other Livies made the concert all the more special. The “Sour” tour exceeded my expectations, and I can’t wait to see her live in-person again.

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