Lizzo | Photo by Monica Brutto | The Wright State Guardian
Lizzo took the stage in Cleveland at the Rocket Mortgage fieldhouse on Friday, May 12. The ‘Special’ tour certainly has been an extraordinary event spanning North America, Europe, Oceania and Asia.
The openers
Lizzo had two openers, DJ Sophia Eris and Latto, for her show in Cleveland. DJ Sophia shared with the crowd that she has been a long-time supporter of Lizzo and has played with Lizzo for over 10 years.
Unlike other concerts, Lizzo did not put the openers on the tickets, and she has included other artists on the Special tour in different cities, so the openers were a surprise to some. DJ Sophia played everything from 1980s music to Beyonce to even a personal rap song.
Lizzo’s other opener, Latto, had a DJ with her on stage as well. The two played some of Latto’s hits, including the song “My Body,” in which the native Ohioan displayed signs saying “My body, my choice.”
Overall, the openers were good performers and effectively got the crowd excited.
Energy
The most important thing for a successful concert is the energy of the stadium.
Lizzo’s engagement and stage presence left no room for anything but energy. The Atlantic Records singer did everything promised in a Lizzo concert: amazing singing, flute playing, talking to the crowd and exceptional dancing.
While Lizzo did not play many mash-ups of her songs like some artists do, she did play snippets or parts of songs. Some fans seemed disappointed in this, as Lizzo did not perform some fan favorites, including “Jerome" and “Tempo,” all the way through; however, she did play the majority of her popular songs, including “Truth Hurts,” “Juice,” “Cuz I Love You” and “About Damn Time.”
During some set changes and outfit changes, there were a few lulls in music, but Lizzo did videos for some of the transition periods. In true Lizzo fashion, these videos were inspiring and amusing.
Message
Lizzo is no stranger to having meaningful messages in her music and being very outspoken about body positivity and spreading kindness. Her concert was simply an extension of that.
Throughout the night, Lizzo took the time to remind her fans to be kind to themselves and others. As Lizzo is also a big supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community, she featured a pride flag during her song “Everybody is Gay” to emphasize that everyone is loved and accepted at her shows.
She also featured videos during transitions that were mental health checks, including a meditation exercise. While this may seem out of place, it makes perfect sense because Lizzo is open and honest about her mental health.
Overall experience
Many people attending the concert were worried about parking and crowds because there was also a Cleveland Guardians game occuring at the same time as the concert. However, the crowds were not too bad, considering the stadium was filled. Parking was attainable in specific areas.
Many fans were respectful of each other. One could often overhear fans giving compliments about outfits and makeup. Fans were dressed to the nines, making the experience way more fun.
Lizzo played exceptionally well despite having to cancel a show the previous week due to illness, which she announced in a heartfelt video on Instagram. Her engagement with the crowd made the show feel special, which she did on purpose. Despite having some sound issues with the openers, attendees could easily hear Lizzo. Everything from her flute playing to her angelic vocals were crystal clear.
Overall, Lizzo puts on a fantastic show for anyone looking for a night full of positivity and dancing.
