Bows. Kisses. Hearts. Repeat. There's no other way to describe every other visitor of the Wells Fargo Center on the evening of Oct. 8, when child–actress–turned–superstar Sabrina Carpenter returned home to Philly. As the stadium gradually filled with Carpenter's fans sporting pre–ordered merchandised t–shirts or sparkling corsets, singer Amaarae prepared the audience for the evening show. Performing with just one dancer and a small group of musicians, she played 13 songs that leaned more toward TikTok–core than the light, girly pop of the event’s headliner. Still, hearing Travis Scott's “FE!N” at Carpenter’s concert was a pleasant surprise.
It took a while for those long–awaited initials, “SC,” to appear. The shift from alté to short and sweet pop was swift: “I’m Coming Out” by Diana Ross, along with a Disney–style cartoon featuring Carpenter with cats and birds carrying the singer’s shopping bags, announcing her imminent arrival. There was a loud sigh when Carpenter’s signature bathtub video appeared on screen. Two minutes later, the 5–foot–tall teenage dream stepped onto the stage—this time, in a red bodysuit.
The concert opened with “Taste”. Addressing the new girl of the lyrical hero, the singer didn’t wield a machete as in the gruesome music video featuring Jenna Ortega—instead, she was getting ready and primping at a makeup vanity. The performance continued with “Good Graces,” accompanied by energetic dancing inside a two–level Barbie–style penthouse. After the two opening songs, Carpenter highlighted the significance of this concert as part of the most grandiose tour of her career. Settling by the fireplace, she reminded the audience that she was performing in her home state, 37 miles away from her hometown of Quakertown. She compared her first professional performance a few years ago here in Philadelphia with tonight’s event.
Then, the mood shifted from performative and ambitious to more somber and touching, emphasized by deep blue lighting. Carpenter performed “Tornado Warnings,” “decode” from her previous album Emails I Can’t Send, and “Lie To Girls.” However, sticking to the tour’s overall playful and upbeat atmosphere, Carpenter soon added some spice to the concert by performing “Bed Chem.” The setting on a round white bed with heart–shaped pillows, complemented by cheeky dancing, cheered up the audience. The first act ended with a steamy scene behind the curtains of the singer’s penthouse bed.
Jazz set the tone for the second part of the concert. Carpenter appeared in a custom black jumpsuit with opera gloves to match the outfit’s mood, opening the act with a slightly modified version of her 2022 hit “Feather.” The nighttime city setting clearly delighted the audience, who sang in unison: “Your signals are mixed / You act like a bitch / You fit every stereotype / ‘Send a pic.’” The singer paid homage to her past albums a few more times, performing “Read your Mind,” “Fast Times,” and “opposite.” A heartfelt performance of “Sharpest Tool,” sitting on a toilet and sipping fake cola, captivated the audience, maintaining the tour’s overall theme—playfulness on the edge of high and low genres. This atmosphere continued with the next songs, including the long–time favorite of the broken–hearted, “because i liked a boy”. Then, it was game time.
Carpenter's game of spin the bottle at the Wells Fargo Center didn’t choose people to kiss, but rather, it selected which exclusive track she would sing for her hometown. During a brief interlude between songs, the performer shared her feelings about the triumphant return to her home state and reflected on her journey. But soon enough, as expected, the nostalgic memories gave way to a coy performance of “Busy Woman,” a track not included in the final version of the new album. Dancing in the center of a (heart–shaped, of course) platform surrounded by backup dancers and singers, Carpenter created a cozy and light mood. This intimate 15–minute portion of the concert, almost one–on–one with each of the audience members, helped ease the disappointment of the absence of the iconic “Nonsense" outros.
The homey atmosphere that dominated the second act reverted to a showcase–like vibe in the third. Ads from fictional sponsors reminded the audience that they were not guests in Carpenter’s penthouse. Instead, we’re seated for her evening show. Cinematically emerging from the light against a dark background, the singer performed one of the most emotional songs from her album, “Dumb & Poetic.”
With phone flashlights reflecting off of the thousands of sequins on her red and white dress, Carpenter made the 20,000–seat stadium feel the experience of relationships with immature and self–aware partners. Then, the singer’s favorite trick came into play again: she lightened the serious and lyrical mood by giving away a pair of pink plush handcuffs, which went to a lucky fan named Gregory. Performed in a perfectly robot–like way, the final quartet of songs—“Juno,” “Please Please Please,” “Don’t Smile,” and “Espresso”—left Gregory and the entire audience affected by the songs of this short and sweet blonde in a Phillies jersey.
As my friend said while trying to call an Uber outside of the packed venue, "It's no surprise that a person like Carpenter can embody everyone—ranging from high school girls to 40–year–old investment bankers."
