A Taste of The Short N’ Sweet Show
Updated: May 18
2024 has been nothing short of sweet for Sabrina Carpenter. She’s reached an all-time career high, breaking records with her three top 10 singles “Espresso,” “Please Please Please,” and “Taste.” She released her sixth album, Short n’ Sweet, which soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 200. Now, she’s embarked on her first arena world tour. Tickets sold out almost immediately, but I was lucky enough to snag some for her two New York shows: Madison Square Garden on September 29th and The Barclays Center on September 30th.
The arena looked like a fashion show with everyone following the unofficial dress code. The audience was painted in pastels of blue, yellow, pink, and red. It was easy to lose count of the number of kiss prints and heart-shaped details fans incorporated into their outfits to coincide with the album’s theme.
The opener, Amaarae, took the stage promptly at 7:30 pm, and delivered a high-energy thirteen-song set. Her Afropop music was a cool contrast to Sabrina’s blend of Pop, R&B, and Indie.
The concert was Sabrina’s very own spin on a 1970s variety show. Right before she stepped on stage, a cute animation titled, “The Short n’ Sweet Show” played. It featured a cartoon of Sabrina taking the elevator up to her penthouse. This then cut to the actual Sabrina taking a bubble bath and lounging when suddenly, the narrator reminded her that she had a show to put on.
The video continued to show her grabbing a towel and rushing out of the bathtub, while the curtain rose and unveiled the stage setup: a life-size dollhouse with a bedroom, bathroom, balcony, and living room with a fireplace. Sabrina ran to the front of the stage wearing a towel. She unwrapped it, revealing the first outfit of the night: a shimmery, lingerie bodysuit. Her band started to play, and she opened with her pop-rock-influenced song, “Taste.” Her creative and quirky entrance elicited an eruption of cheers from the crowd.
The concert was split into three acts, each accompanied by an outfit change. The show maintained this retro aesthetic throughout the night, complemented by her infomercial-styled interludes full of clever innuendos referencing her song titles. The second act introduced an old Hollywood vibe where she even put a '60s jazz twist on her disco-pop track, “Feather.”
Sabrina’s stage presence was captivating. She allowed her humor and charisma to shine through in between showcasing her powerhouse vocals that sounded even better live. Her experience in acting guided her excellent storytelling in performances of songs like “Tornado Warnings,” “Lie to Girls,” and “Coincidence.”
There was never a dull moment throughout the show, but the highlight of the night was arguably her flirty pop song, “Juno.” Before the song began, she chose a fan from the audience and “arrested” them for “being too hot.” She also gave them a pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs, as referenced in the song. Sabrina confidently strutted to the end of the catwalk, stepping onto the heart-shaped stage that elevated, granting her a greater view of the nearly twenty-thousand adoring fans in the packed arena.
For the final song, Sabrina emerged from under the stage with a steamy coffee mug in her hand, and the city name plastered across it. Her dancers were sprawled across the stage appearing to be sleeping as she started waking them up. “Do you guys need some espresso?” she asked jokingly, hinting at her global smash hit “Espresso.”
Although Sabrina has been on four tours of her own prior to this one, this is her first time headlining a tour on a level like this. She is constantly improving and solidifying herself as one of the best performers amongst the new generation of pop artists. This concert was a night to remember for all who attended, as it felt like more than just a concert but an experience.
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