Do you listen to girl in red? A concert review.

Do you listen to girl in red? A Gen Z self proclaimed code word for those who identify with the women who love women (WLW) community was in full swing as the “we fell in love in october” singer, better known as girl in red, took to the Mission Ballroom stage in Denver, Colorado on September 15 on her “make it go quiet” tour. 

From pride flags painted on faces to audience members holding up their phones displaying messages such as “We can fall in love in October” a reference to the singer’s viral Tik Tok song that tells the tale of a Queer autumn love affair, one could compare the sold out 3,950 capacity venue to a LGBTQ+ pride event. This, of course, was even before the singer came on stage. 

Fans stood packed like sardines in the venue, but they didn’t care. 

“People have been waiting in line since 8 A.M.” said Mission Ballroom employee Zoe Labansat.

At the slightest hint of her arrival onto the large stage, fans erupted into chaotic cheers, only to be met with a stage technician laying out ropes of XLR cables, which is a cable that connects instruments and microphones to the side-stage audio interface where its volume can be managed at a suitable level for the audience’s enjoyment. 

After some time, cheers erupted once again as the venue lights dimmed. Fans eagerly awaiting girl in red were met with Australian pop singer Blake Rose as he emerged from the darkness of the side stage entrance to perform his 30 minute opening slot for the tour. 

The audience displayed mixed emotions about the singer; his talented vocal and guitar skills did not match up to the rich hand-crafted originality of the opener. Some fans showed him a warm welcome to the mile-high city, while others stood still chattering about how they wanted girl in red to come on stage instead; it seemed as an odd fitting choice for a straight white male wearing a simple black button down and a white undershirt to be an opener for a Queer woman who speaks for a generation about the deep longing and heartbreak of WLW relationships.

The shared longing the audience felt for the Norwegian singer to arrive came to a fiery point as Rose exited the stage. The 30 minutes in between the prior singer’s set and the opener had fans anxiously awaiting; girl in red having not been on her own headlining tour since 2019. 

As the venue lights dimmed once again, the energy in the venue was reminiscent of pop icon Justin Bieber’s first arena tour; screams hitting a decibel that would be enough to leave one’s ears ringing. One may argue that the amount of LGBTQ+ singers that reach the exponential growth that girl in red has seen with her career is unheard of. 

Though, the singer entered the stage slowly which left fans with a deep sense of confusion. Girl in red drew her wireless microphone to her mouth to announce that she had been dealing with lung issues and could not jump around with the normal intensity of her prior shows. Her disposition led many to believe that she was going to announce that she was going to cancel the show. 

Despite this, she went on to mention that “She couldn’t cancel Tulsa, Oklahoma twice”, as she had already postponed half of her tour earlier this year due to a similar illness; the Denver show was a part of the rescheduled set of shows. 

Fans showed respect by eliciting a caring “awe” for the singer, only to scream in support.  

The show then began, only to be stopped within the first few songs as a fan had passed out in the crowd. With utmost respect and care for her audience, girl in red stopped the show to make sure the fan could get proper care and support. Following this, the show went on without a hitch; the floor of the venue bouncing beneath the audience’s feet with every jump.

“The crowd’s energy is electric. Not quite mosh pit electric, but still I’m glad I came,” concert goer Julian Mason states. 

Between girl in red’s band providing stellar support to her stunning vocals, and the large LED screen that displayed incredible visuals, the audience was enraptured with a chaotic energy that can only be compared to a joint cathartic release to the heartfelt tales of love and loss. 

“I love how she interacts with the crowd and doesn’t act like she’s going through the motions. The crowd’s energy tonight is something I haven’t seen in a while,” said an anonymous bartender about the performance. 

Fans can catch girl in red on her “make it go quiet tour” as it runs until April of 2023, spanning all the way to Europe.