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Charli XCX and Troye Sivan at Bridgestone Arena | The Spin


Charli XCX and Troye Sivan at Bridgestone Arena | The Spin







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At the Bridgestone Arena, October 2nd, 2024




In Tennessee, early October is fall vacation time, when everyone you know with school-age children flock to Dollywood or Panama City to enjoy the last warm days of the year. Wednesday evening at Bridgestone Arena was a little more “spring break” – or maybe spring breakers – as Nashville Brat Summer kept going for another night.

The packed stop with co-headliners Troye Sivan And Charli XCXMusic City's SWEAT tour created a buzz in Music City's friendly Enormodome neighborhood. English DJ and rapper Shy girl prepared the audience for a night of fast-paced fun. Backed by swirling images of colorful blobs and butterflies straight out of a baby sensory video, the producer and MC bounced around, breaking it down into anthems about being “the main character” and a (in all caps) “FREAK.” It was a short, sweet burst of cardio before the rest of the evening's relay race.

After a brief cool down, a team of dancers opened the main event as Sivan sang the aptly titled “Got Me Started.” Unfortunately, while Sivan joined the dance group to recreate the choreography from the music video, his tiny red underwear from the video wardrobe didn't make an appearance.







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Charli XCX and Troye Sivan at Bridgestone Arena, October 2nd, 2024




After two more songs – the staging of which included some suggestive microphone placements and Sivan dancing around in fringed khaki trousers reminiscent of a costume from The Lion King Broadway show – the lights dimmed again. The focus shifted to the front of the stage and a large green fabric cube with “Brat” written on each side. As the sheets fell away, a cloud of fog dissipated to reveal Charli brat (which has led to an expanded edition and an upcoming remix album). The singer wore a quintessential Nashville look with an embellished white tank top and a voluminous veil. Maybe the pop star, who is engaged to 1975's George Daniel, is considering Nashville for her own bachelorette party?







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Charli XCX and Troye Sivan at Bridgestone Arena, October 2nd, 2024




Instead of performing separate sets, the co-headliners combined their repertoire into one extended set. They switched hosting duties every few songs and doled out a few duets throughout the show. The stage itself featured asymmetrical screens and scaffolding to create a multi-story performance space. A raised catwalk in the middle of the pit offered both performers and their dancers the opportunity to blend into the crowd, separated only by a cage. (Greetings to stage production expert and friend from Nashville scene Jonathon Kingsbury for his work on this tour.) During Charli's cheeky Billie Eilish collaboration “Guess,” the screens showed that there was a crotch camera under the stage that answered the underwear questions posed in the song.







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Charli XCX at Bridgestone Arena, October 2nd, 2024




This was an evening with no slow songs – just non-stop dancing. The audience clearly felt, and the artists mentioned several times how much they could feel the audience's love and energy (and recognized Nashville's reputation as a city with crowds that love to party). During Charli's vulnerable “Sympathy Is a Knife” and Sivan's 2018 hit “My My My!”, the entire room seemed to sync up. The only real disappointment: Sivan didn't bring Kacey Musgraves (currently on tour elsewhere) with him to perform their duet “Easy.” It's not nice to tease, Troye!

There couldn't have been a more perfect sendoff for Brat Summer. It was a rare night without worries or concerns — about work, school, the election, or anything else. Just mood and a cathartic relaxation to lose yourself in. It seems Charli and Troye knew Nashville really needed a good party, and they delivered.


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