When Brat Summer came to a close, it opened a door for a new Charli XCX-related phenomenon: Sweat Tour. Charli XCX, along with Troye Sivan, kicked off their joint tour in September with promises of a club night experience that exudes “brat.”
Last week, I traveled to Dallas, Texas to finally see the albums I’ve had on repeat performed live. Troye Sivan’s “Something to Give Each Other” and Charli XCX’s “brat” soundtracked my summer – so when they announced this tour, I knew I had to get tickets.
After making my way to the concert, I was so excited to see my favorite artists as well as an incredible show that took the world by storm. For months, my “For You” page on TikTok has been full of videos from or about the tour.
The tour was divided into different sections: Sivan would sing two to three songs and Charli XCX would do the same, alternating turns. Sivan began with “Got Me Started,” a catchy tune that makes you want to sing and dance along. Unfortunately, this was not the case for the crowd.
As a long-time Troye Sivan fan, I was shocked by the disrespect he received from the fans at the concert. Most attendees didn’t seem to know any of his songs, nor did they seem enthused by his powerful vocals and choreography. Fans would even go get food or drinks during his performances. It was apparent that the majority of people attending were there for Charli XCX.
This lack of enthusiasm from fans really threw a wrench in my Sweat Tour experience. I felt weird for knowing all of Sivan’s songs and was afraid of being too loud around people who just didn’t care as much as I did.
Once Charli XCX took to the stage, there was an extreme shift in energy as the spirit of “brat” entered their bodies. Suddenly after hearing the first couple words to “365,” people put on their dancing shoes and screamed the lyrics.
After Charli XCX finished her first “act,” Sivan returned to the stage, and this time the audience seemed more interested in his music. One standout from his performance were his dancers. They nearly stole the show, moving to the choreographed rhythm of Sivan’s song “One of Your Girls,” twisting and turning with so much attitude and focus. You could tell every part of their minds and bodies was giving it its all, while still looking effortless.
Towards the middle of the show, Sivan and XCX joined together on stage to perform their song “1999.” They were both elevated on a platform with dangling ropes of light as they belted the words to screaming fans who sang along. They each had different tactics while being so high up in the air; with Sivan gripping on for dear life and Charli XCX flinging her hands in the air.
For the grand finale, Sivan and XCX met again to sing their song “Talk, Talk” from XCX’s new “brat” remix album“brat and it’s completely different but also still brat.”The two singers strutted down a large catwalk to the sound of the bratty beat, blasting from the speakers.
The Sweat Tour was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I am glad I didn’t miss. Even with its lackluster fans, it was worth all the hype.
