Montreal fans finally got a taste of the princess popstar during her first show in Montreal.
Sabrina Carpenter brought the summer vibes back to Montreal for a night with her Short n’ Sweet tour. The pop princess performed in the city for the first time with a sold-out show at the Bell Centre on Oct. 11.
An animated version of the star, bearing a resemblance to Polly Pocket, first welcomed fans in an opening title sequence. Then, a pre-recorded Carpenter was caught in the middle of a bubble bath as the announcer told her “The tour is starting now.”
The curtain slowly rose, revealing a gorgeous, three-story, all-white Barbie-inspired penthouse, fully furnished, with rooms, stairs, a bed, and a fireplace, the whole resembling an old TV show set. Carpenter appeared on stage with a towel around her body. Underneath, she revealed her bedazzled butter yellow bodysuit.
Carpenter opened the show with the popular, upbeat songs “Taste” and “Good Graces.” She then changed the dial to her sadder songs “Tornado Warnings,” “Lie to Girls,” and “decode.” The first act ended with a hot and steamy performance of “Bed Chem” as the audience saw the shadows of the “horny” singer (a characteristic that has become part of her brand) and the cameraman undressing before the lights went out and the curtain dropped.
The entire performance resembled more a musical theatre show than a concert. It was divided into three acts separated by well-executed transitions with the use of “Short n’ Sweet TV” clips: the first interruption introduced the artist’s band in a segment called “Sabrina After Dark”, and the other was a set of advertisements referencing her song titles. There was also a clip of a 1977 interview with Montreal’s very own Leonard Cohen (referencing a line from her song “Dumb & Poetic”). There were even end credits rolling as she performed “Don’t Smile.”
The second part of the show began with a jazz rendition of “Feather” before the chorus reverted to its pop beat.
Disappointingly, Carpenter only sang the first half of “opposite,” however she sang it to the heart-shaped bathroom mirror with a certain vulnerability and pain that made for a perfect transition into the following song “because i liked a boy.” The audience angrily took over the song, screaming lines like “I’m a homewrecker, I’m a slut,” in unison at the top of their lungs, an energy that was present throughout the entire show.
The heart platform at the end of the catwalk then turned into a conversation pit, allowing Carpenter to interact with and display her appreciation and gratitude to the audience, all while staying true to her witty sense of humour. One fan gifted her a baby blue cowboy hat with the inscription “Montréal” on the back.
“Don’t cry. We’re here to party and have fun,” Carpenter said to the fan.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper slumber party without a little game. A “spin the bottle” segment that she does every show revealed the night’s surprise song: “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None The Richer. It was sung karaoke style with the lyrics displayed on screen for fans to sing along.
The standout performance of the night was “Juno.” After putting a member of the audience “under arrest” for being “too hot” and giving the fan the iconic pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs, part of Carpenter’s skirt fell off, and the disco party started. Everyone sang along and danced, embodying the essence of the concert.
Carpenter’s presence could be felt from every corner of the Bell Centre throughout the performance; she succeeded in making fans feel as if it was one giant sleepover. Her performance was celebrated with the last song of the night “Espresso” as confetti fell onto the audience. Just like in a TV show, there were post-credit scenes where she once again thanked the audience for showing up and wished them the best.
