On a recent Tuesday in Dublin, the acclaimed Chappell Roan performed to a captivated audience at the 3Olympia Theatre. This was a surprisingly intimate affair considering Roan had previously drawn a crowd equivalent to a Glastonbury headline act at the Gov Ball festival in New York. Her performance of ‘Hot to Go’, one of her well-known songs, had sent concert-goers into a synchronised dancing frenzy.
Packing this international star who is used to commanding audiences of over 100,000 into the smaller but iconic 3Olympia Theatre, seemed almost absurd. Nonetheless, it massively amplified the wild yet respectful atmosphere encapsulating this event, as one concert-goer aptly put it.
It is the first anniversary of Roan’s album launch, ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess’. Over the last year, this album slowly but surely ingrained its lyrics, melodies, and emotions into the listeners’ hearts. According to a taxi driver taking passengers to the concert, getting close to Roan is a rare opportunity. As he switched his Spotify playlist to one of her hits, ‘Good Luck, Babe!’, he warned that they were lucky to catch her in such an intimate setting.
Roan, a young woman from Missouri, has become symbolized as a cultural icon representing today’s ebb towards nostalgia; as if we are longing for the glamorous pop stars of the 90s, during what can be termed as a lesbian renaissance.
The anticipation was not just focused on Roan but also on who her support act would be. Alike to a drag queen version of the Hunger Games, competitors from distant lands such as RuPaulia and Pantistan eagerly awaited their potential selection. The chosen performers for the evening were the vivacious trio, Haus of Wig. Having been locally recognised for creating vibrant social events at the Sugar Club, their performance added to the fervour of the already bustling venue, enjoying an applause typical of a headliner.
Within the confines of the smoking area, fans devoid of tickets linger around the perimeter, participating indirectly, playing loud music, and pleading with others to purchase merchandise on their behalf. “Enjoy yourself, won’t you? Do enjoy,” one young individual implores across the barriers, hoping for the experience not to be squandered by those within.
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Now, regarding the concert. It is fantastic. Roan graces the stage with the energy and momentum of a seasoned performer, and the initial trio of songs flies by rapidly. No matter the genre of the tracks – party anthems, sentimental ballads, the occasional brush with metamodernism, the sincere sentiments underpinning them, and their innate catchiness, she forms a profound and heartfelt connection with her fans.
The melodic hues and tints draw inspiration from the 80s music scene, then effortlessly blend them into the current nostalgia-infused zeitgeist. Her single ‘Hot to Go’, like at the Gov Ball, inspires an all-encompassing dance spectacle which permeates all levels of the Olympia. She extends her gratitude to the queer community for their continual support, acknowledging that such a supportive environment was what she longed for during her adolescent years.
Several of her tracks are undeniably outstanding in particular, ‘Casual’ and ‘Good, Luck Babe!’, which Roan delivers with vitality and magnanimity. Together with her vibrant pink and black attire matching the band, they pour their heart and soul into the performance.
In her encore, she wears a fringed, pink and corseted leotard outfit, now adorned with a pink cowboy hat, and she initiates ‘California’. The audience reciprocate by belting out the lyrics to her signature track ‘Pink Pony Club’, attracting an enormous pink pony balloon that floats above the crowd.
After bidding a prolonged farewell, blowing kisses and waving at the audience, she finally exits the stage. Chappell Roan’s sincerity is genuine, and her supporters endorse her wholeheartedly.