MUSIC PREMIERES
There’s usually plenty of theatrics to St. Vincent gigs. The ‘Masseduction’ tour explored power, control and lust via PVC suits, a never-ending supply of guitars while the run of shows to celebrate the sugary; ‘70’s-inspired ‘Daddy’s Home’ were driven by a warm spontaneity as St Vincent and her extensive band worked through past trauma amidst (somewhat unfair) social media backlash.
She wanted something more direct and confrontational for seventh album ‘All Born Screaming’ though. “I’m gonna fuck ‘em up,” Annie Clark promised NME earlier this year. True to her word, tonight’s gig at London’s Royal Albert Hall is vicious, destructive, and pure electric.
Throughout the pulverising 90-minute set, Clark wields her guitar like a weapon and attacks the microphone with a restless urgency. Big, cathartic breakdowns teeter on the edge of chaos, but Clark and her four-piece band never let things fall apart completely. It’s gorgeous to watch, but it demands participation as well. With music this charged, there’s simply no standing on the sidelines.
In the years since St. Vincent last played London, co-writes with Taylor Swift (‘Cruel Summer’) and Olivia Rodrigo (‘Obsessed’) have taken over the airwaves, but instead of chasing an arena-sized glamour, ‘All Born Screaming’ is a visceral exploration of death, flecked with hope. That’s very much the mood of tonight’s gig as well.
From the crushing purge of opener ‘Reckless’ through the unsettling horror-infused ‘Big Time Nothing’ to the snotty ‘Flea’, St Vincent indulges in bleakness. It gives the glitching dystopia of ‘Los Ageless’, the soaring anxiety of ‘Fear The Future’ and the pleading ‘Marrow’ an added sense of despair, but there’s more to this show than rage in the dying light.
“Show of hands, who has a Prince Albert,” Clark asks with a smirk, immediately after praising the beauty of the grandiose venue while there’s a playful, choreographed turn from her and her guitarists during ‘Flea’.
“This song is for all the people who have loved immensely, stared at the moon, and taken that leap,” Clark says before a gorgeous ‘Sweetest Fruit’, a stripped back ‘Candy Darling’ is lush and delicate while even the unruly attack of ‘Broken Man’ is sprinkled with tenderness. As St. Vincent describes it, it’s “deep epic beauty and chaotic violence, all at the same time”.
After she dives into the crowd once more and embraces them for the soaring romance of ‘New York’, the night ends with ‘All Born Screaming’. On record, the twisting, furious track feels lethal but performed in front of a crowd, the song encourages a shared experience through collective pain and fear.
“We’re all here for one reason, and that reason is love,” Clark explains. “As far as I can tell, there’s no other fucking reason to do anything,” she adds, offering a vital protest against a world that feels increasingly dark.
‘Reckless’
‘Fear the Future’
‘Los Ageless’
‘Big Time Nothing’
‘Marrow’
‘Dilettante’
‘Pay Your Way in Pain’
‘Digital Witness’
‘Sweetest Fruit’
‘Flea’
‘Cheerleader’
‘Broken Man’
‘Krokodil’
‘Surgeon’
‘Hell Is Near’
‘Candy Darling’
‘New York’
‘Sugarboy’
‘All Born Screaming’
MUSIC PREMIERES
“I’m looking for an answer in between the lines/ Lying to yourself if you think we’re fine,” Sabrina Carpenter sings while seated gracefully on a toilet.
It is the opening night of her “Short n’ Sweet” tour at what she proudly described as “five fucking sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden.” The toilet appears within the bathroom section of her expansive stage design, which resembles a cross between a 1970s television set and a Barbie-inspired dream house from the same decade.
More importantly, Carpenter performs a heartfelt ballad, one of her signature songs blending humor and honesty in her storytelling about relationships. The track, “Sharpest Tool,” reflects on being in love with someone lacking awareness, serving as a thematic successor to her recent hit “Please Please Please.”
The toilet itself is an elegant prop with a heart-shaped lid, while the “bathroom” area is surrounded by sheer screens that display close-up video projections of her performance. Few major female pop artists today would likely deliver a serious song in such a setting. It highlights Carpenter’s willingness to approach familiar ideas with originality and confidence.
With her classic American glamour, Carpenter maintains a striking image while writing songs that address relationships and intimacy with unfiltered honesty. Those themes are presented within polished, radio-ready pop production that still holds musical depth. The pre-show playlist included ABBA’s 1979 track “If It Wasn’t for the Nights” and Diana Ross’ 1980 hit “I’m Coming Out,” acknowledging both her stylistic influences and her strong LGBTQ following.
Her audience consists largely of young girls who may not yet relate directly to the personal experiences behind her lyrics but view her as a relatable, older-sister figure. Many of their parents, especially mothers accompanying them, also appeared to be fans. One of the night’s more unexpected moments came when Carpenter led thousands of middle-school-aged fans in singing the explicit lyric “I’m so fucking horny!” during “Juno.”
The show, mostly following the same structure as her previous tour, featured the full production scale of a modern arena concert. The visual theme of vintage television carried through as Carpenter performed across multiple areas of the set, including a balcony, staircase, walk-in closet, and in front of a vanity and fireplace, supported by 11 dancers and a live four-piece band.
She changed outfits four times throughout the concert, each one sparkling and styled to highlight her signature stage presence. The setlist focused mainly on her latest albums, “Short n’ Sweet” and “Man’s Best Friend,” while including several tracks from her 2022 record “Emails I Can’t Send,” which marked her transition into a mature artistic phase. The show opened with “Taste,” included highlights such as “Manchild,” “Feather,” and “Bed Chem,” and concluded with “Espresso” during a colorful confetti finale.
Between songs, the screens played comedic 1970s-inspired mock commercials, including a parody tool advertisement using the line “The Sharpest Tool, trusted by carpenters everywhere.” The presentation also featured a fabricated “Technical Difficulties” interruption and an excerpt from a Leonard Cohen interview in which he compared writing poetry to “shining the shoes of one’s soul.” The concept was imaginative and visually engaging, though much of the nostalgia predates her audience’s generation. Still, it reflected Carpenter’s ability to merge vintage aesthetics with contemporary performance.
The most memorable parts of the concert came from her natural connection with the crowd. Familiar interactive moments filled the show, including audience singalongs, call-and-response sections, and a “surprise song” feature in which Carpenter spun a bottle to select a number, leading to a live debut of “Go-Go Juice” from her new album. She also spoke candidly with the audience, remarking that she had “been one of you” during her years living in New York, before adding, “Actually, I’ve tried to be one of you.”
Her awareness of the audience’s enthusiasm was evident throughout. She acknowledged fans directly, often gesturing toward specific sections and offering warm appreciation. Near the end, she took time to praise their creativity, saying, “I want to take a second to commend all of the amazing outfits I see.” She expressed gratitude for the crowd’s effort and enthusiasm, recognizing the fans who mirrored her signature style with platform heels, glitter, and lipstick marks on their shoulders.
From artists such as Cher, Donna Summer, and Deborah Harry to Madonna, Beyoncé, and others, many women in pop music have explored the boundaries of expression and sexuality in their art. Sabrina Carpenter continues that tradition with confidence, balancing playfulness and self-awareness while maintaining authenticity and respect for her audience.
