Chappell Roan stunned the Philadelphia audience with a marvelous performance at the Fillmore last Saturday night. Her fun and flirtatious energy was perfectly balanced with deep connection with her fans which struck an emotional chord in the audience. The Fillmore was filled with vibrancy, positivity, and a heavy dose of glitter, representing the core of Chappell’s brand as an artist.
Looking out to the audience, I saw a sea of pink cowboy hats. Her committed fans were there for a good time, and Chappell’s bold pop hooks and vulnerable honesty demanded excitement throughout the entire night. Chappell’s personable charisma combined with the accepting environment that she creates made the audience feel like they were a part of something special.
Chappell Roan has turned her shows into an opportunity to celebrate drag and the LGBTQ+ community, and it could not have been a more brilliant addition to her concert. For The Midwest Princess Tour, Chappell features local drag queens as her openers, and it is the perfect way to warm up the crowd for the night of dancing ahead. In an interview with People Magazine she said, “It's just a great way to engage the local queer community in that city.”
Her opening act in Philly started with a spectacular performance from Majestee, and the crowd was electrified by the infectious energy, watching her whip around the stage to Katy Perry’s “California Gurls.” Next up was Astala Vista, who commanded the stage with impressive flexibility and rousing crowd activity. Lastly, the crowd’s anticipation was high to see Pi, the MC for the evening, take to the stage with her recorder to present a flawless and hilarious performance to preface the introduction of Chappell.
After a short intermission, you could sense the adrenaline in the crowd as Chappell charged the stage to perform her new hit song “Femininomenon.” The audience erupted in excitement, and the venue turned into a dance hall when she followed with fan favorite “Red Wine Supernova.” As the set progressed, Chappell’s infectious energy prevailed, continuing with several other high energy songs like “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl.”
Chappell’s friendly and supportive dialogue with her fans is one of her greatest aspects as an artist, and throughout the show she made efforts to get the crowd involved. During the backend of the set, Chappell had the whole venue participating in the “HOT TO GO!” dance, and the crowd exploded in an energetic dance party. Her fans are such an important part of her show, and Chappell never ceases to know and appreciate that.
Along with her string of lively songs, Chappell's set also took several dynamic turns. She brought the crowd together with heartfelt and slower songs like “Coffee” and “Casual,” which showcased her vulnerable songwriting.
As much as her anthematic songs serve as an inspiration to her fans, Chappell did not miss out on an opportunity to express her own appreciation for her supporters. Over the past year, Chappell has expanded her audience and proved her potential as a singer/songwriter. Chappell was overwhelmed by the genial environment and magnitude of love that was created in the Fillmore on Saturday night, and her gratitude for her fans' enthusiasm and support brought her emotions to the forefront. She shared a beautifully intimate moment with her fans where she thanked the audience for their generosity.
Our current pop music scene presents incredible musicality, and paired with an exhibition of sex positivity and exceptional showmanship, it is a great time to be a pop music fan. Chappell Roan is the cherry on top to this era of pop artists, fitting in alongside pop stars like Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, Renée Rapp, and Caroline Polacheck, who are dominating the pop scene at the moment.
Chappell Roan is a force to be reckoned with, and in just a year she has jumped from performing at 1000 cap venues to selling out 2500+ tickets to each show on her headlining tour. Chappell is certainly on her way up, and along with getting voted one of Rolling Stone’s 2023 Brightest Pop Stars to Watch, Chappell recently announced that she will be joining Olivia Rodrigo on her 2024 tour. Her unforgettable stage presence and creative potential is proved in Chappell’s rapid growth in popularity, and we just can't wait to see where she goes next.
Make sure to follow Chappell Roan on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter and check out her website to stay up to date with her upcoming projects.
Buy tickets to her Midwest Princess tour at this link!