MADISON BEER // O2 ACADEMY, GLASGOW
MADISON BEER FINISHES HER
' LIFE STORY’ UK TOUR AT GLASGOW’S O2 ACADEMY
★★★★★ (5/5)
MADISON BEER // O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW - 20TH APRIL 2022
PHOTOCREDIT: CALUM BUCHAN
Madison Beer’s eclectic performance at Glasgow’s O2 Academy played to the strengths of her long-gestated debut album ‘Life Support’, delivering an arena-worthy show that was not by any means bereft of intimacy with her audience.
Despite her age, Beer has been on the scene for some time, pervasive within the changing tides of social media; most recently finding a substantial audience in the entertainment industry’s current proving ground: Tik Tok. This genesis reflects the demographic of the audience but not necessarily any singularity or lack of substance in her live show. Comparisons to Lana Del Rey and Ariana Grande will trip off the tongue easily, but Beer’s engaging songwriting and willingness to explore the genre spectrum within the context of her Gen-z arena pop prevents homage from becoming pastiche.
Beer’s stage set-up is surprisingly humble. The centrepiece is a large screen which is used effectively with the frequent tonal shift in the set, allowing for a compelling audio-visual experience. She holds the stage expertly on her own using the confidence of her vocal power and stage-charisma, only joined on occasion by two backing dancers who are on hand to heighten some of the more choreographed numbers. The pop-star arena show is often one that deprives the audience of an intimate connection, but the relatively understated performance and stage production of Beer’s show stifles the feeling that the star is too far away from the adoring fans in the front row, or even those at the back.
On balance, everything truly hinges on the strength of the songs. The Grande and Del Rey influence is distinct, but even this duality creates an interesting connection between the vintage and the ultra-modern. There are moments of Queen-esque guitars and some baroque balladry reminiscent of the Beatles. There is even a Radiohead-like sheen over some of the more ambient numbers. Of course, this is all anchored firmly in youth-oriented pop, but it’s done intelligently and with a degree of authenticity that any elitists may be caught off guard by.
REVIEW // STRUAN NELSON
PHOTOS // CALUM BUCHAN
SETLIST
O2 ACADEMY, GLASGOW
BABY
GOOD IN GOODBYE
STAY NUMB AND CARRY ON
EMOTIONAL BRUISES
RECKLESS
HOMESICK
STAINED GLASS
DEFAULT
EFFORTLESSLY
SELFISH
INTERLUDE
BLUE
SOUR TIMES
DEAR SOCIETY
BOYSHIT
FOLLOW THE WHITE RABBIT
EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON