Olivia Rodrigo is closing out the first North American leg of her “GUTS World Tour” with a four-night stand at Madison Square Garden. Consequence was there to catch the first show on Friday, April 5th, and you can check out a full gallery of exclusive photos below.
While CoSigned pop riser Chappell Roan provided support on the majority of her earlier “GUTS” stops, Rodrigo put together something unique for her New York City stops. She tapped The Breeders as her openers, introducing her young audience to the sort of ’90s alt-rock that influenced her GUTS-y twist on pop. The band didn’t put on any airs about coming on before one of the world’s biggest pop stars, delivering a straight-forward, solid set that included a performance of “Cannonball,” which features one of the most iconic basslines of all time delivered by Josephine Wiggs.
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Rodrigo’s fans were perfectly respectful of The Breeders’ set, even if it may have been more their chaperones’ speed. But as the purple GUTS candles on the big screen melted down to signal the start of Rodrigo’s set, you could feel the energy in the venue rise. Her arrival rising from center stage was met with deafening cheers, and each song came with a sold-out crowd of backing vocals.
As is the case with massive touring productions like this, there was little variation in the set from previous concerts, although that didn’t stop Rodrigo (and her backup dancers and band) from delivering a completely excellent performance. Even amidst the banter, there was an extra sense of awe as Rodrigo truly seemed to be relishing in playing her first gig at the legendary MSG (home of one of her favorite artists, Billy Joel). Some of the more special moments included Rodrigo noticing her High School Musical: The Series mom, actor Michelle Noh, in the crowd; Noh later shared a backstage video of introducing her TV daughter to her IRL daughters. There also was a sweet sing-along of “Happy Birthday” dedicated to Rodrigo’s bassist, Moa Munoz.
Of course, the biggest moment was a guest appearance by Noah Kahan, something Rodrigo said she’d been looking forward to “since the beginning of the tour.” Kahan came out to duet on “Stick Season,” a track Rodrigo covered during her BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge appearance last year which will also appear on a Record Store Day split 7-inch alongside Kahan’s take on “lacy.” The crowd seemed to be expecting this surprise (I personally had my hopes on Joel, but no complaints!), and were ready to belt out the lyrics as if the song were always part of Rodrigo’s set.
Check out a complete photo gallery of both Olivia Rodrigo and The Breeders’ performances below. After her final MSG show on April 9th, Rodrigo will take a few weeks off before heading the the UK and Europe through May and June (get tickets to those dates here). She’ll be back in the States in July, beginning with a show in Philadelphia and wrapping up in Los Angeles with another four-night run at Kia Forum. Find tickets to all her upcoming North American concerts here.
If you’re planning a trip to see Olivia Rodrigo on tour, you can save 15% off travel and accommodations through Booking.com.
Photo Gallery – Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS World Tour” at New York City’s Madison Square Garden (click to expand and scroll through):