Dua Lipa (and Lobster) Wow the Forum: If there was any doubt beforehand, this Future Nostalgia tour has put it to bed. Dua Lipa is a premier league, top of the line, bona fide pop STAR! A fashion icon and champion for LGBTQ+, with magnificent pipes and a gift for showmanship — this should be the tour that puts her right up there with Taylor Swift and Gaga. If she was journeying before, then she has arrived.

We attended the second of two back-to-back sold out shows at the Forum, and it was simply spectacular. Top to bottom pop brilliance, from the set design to the setlist. And the two opening acts were superb too.

Lolo Zouaï was born in Paris and raised in San Francisco and, as a result, she sings in a combination of French and English. Like, literally, she switched languages within the same song. It made for some fascinating musical moments, particularly on excellent recent single “Galipette.” Zouaï has been releasing music since 2016, and her debut album dropped in 2019, but it feels like this is her time to climb.

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Dua Lipa (Rich Fury / Forum Photos)

Caroline Polachek was previously a member of Colorado indie duo Chairlift, and that alt-rock edge certainly makes its way into her etherial pop sound. There are elements of Tori Amos in there, the classical dance vibes of Kate Bush, maybe a touch of Lorde. It all makes for a compelling spectacle, with recent single “Billions” and a beautiful cover of the Corrs’ “Breathless” impressive highlights.

Both of those artists will benefit from performing in front of a big arena crowd, even if the attendees weren’t all in their seats while they were performing. However, the moments leading up to Dua Lipa taking the stage were palpable. The screams when the lights dropped were deafening, and when the main lady appeared in neon green to perform a stunning “Physical” from the Future Nostalgia album, the atmosphere was manic. Every single lyric sung from every single corner of this massive room. It’s a great song too — reminiscent of Debbie Gibson’s “Electric Youth” in all the good ways.

The set is split into four loose parts, plus an encore. The first also featured wonderful renditions of “Cool,” “Love Again,” “New Rules,” and concluded with a gorgeous “Be the One” from the first album.

A costume change into silver sparkles later, and we were into the second act. Initially, Lipa was sprawled on the floor with an inflatable lobster behind her as she crooned through brutal-but-pretty breakup song “We’re Good” (the lobster makes sense if you’ve seen the video). A raunchy “Good in Bed” followed, and she ended that part with “Boys Will Be Boys” (with its repeated and important refrain of “boys will be boys but girls will be women”).

Act three saw Dua Lipa and all of her dancers make their way to the end of the stage-ramp and lights fall to just above them, creating a club vibe for pulsating renditions of “One Kiss” and “Electricity” — the artist encouraging the crowd on the floor to jump (and they did). When a fan offered her a rainbow flag, she proudly waved it as she ran to the back of the stage for the next tune. “Cold Heart” — the sort of mash-up/duet with Elton John that incorporates “Rocket Man” and “Sacrifice” — provided an oddly moving moment, with a recorded John on the screen behind her. It’s a generational leap to this pop audience, yet somehow it all works.

The final act saw Lipa on a platform high above the crowd for, appropriately enough, “Levitating,” then she was back down for the encores — “Future Nostalgia” and “Don’t Start Now.”

Sadly, L.A. didn’t get a guest appearance by Megan Thee Stallion for new collab “Sweetest Pie” as some other cities did, but we can’t complain. This was a top quality pop show, visually blessed with lasers, balloons, dancers on roller skates, and some fantastic costumes. And a lobster.

 

Dua Lipa (and Lobster) Wow the Forum

 

 

 

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