It wasn’t a rainy night that would stop fans of Dua Lipa from congregating at the SAP Center in San Jose last night. Concertgoers of all ages showed up for the dance fest that included an impressive opening set by Lolo Zouaï (who we learned is from the Bay Area by way of Paris, France), which served as the perfect appetizer for the main course. Caroline Polachek was also set to perform but suffered an ankle injury while getting off the tour bus on a previous tour stop. A loss that was felt by many but cushioned by a local DJ who stepped in to keep the party flowing.
Dua Lipa, the woman of the hour, was stunning. Dressed in a glow-in-the-dark green sequence suit she kicked things off with her hit “Physical.” Behind her, a backdrop of 80s-inspired visuals that introduced the many dancers who’d join us for the festivities.
With a stage set that looked part dance club, part fashion show catwalk, she played “New Rules” from her self-entitled debut LP, before leading us into the dance hit “Love Again.” What followed was a bevy of hits from her self-titled debut as well as her second Future Nostalgia, an impressive feat considering how quickly the young Albanian artist has risen in the past few years.
All throughout the show, a group of tightly-choreographed dancers accompanied the statuesque brunette, at times dressed like the Blue Man Group, while others twirling around with umbrellas a-la Gene Kelley. During one of her breaks, muscular waiters performing acrobatics on rollerskates entertained the bubbling crowd. One lucky fan was picked from the crowd and serenaded by the queen herself. A rainbow shirt and singing along to all the songs was all it took.
All in all, it made for an incredible party, and on a Sunday night no less. Not an empty seat in the house and besides who was sitting? Everyone I saw was standing, singing, and dancing the night away.
Photos courtesy of Louis Raphael Photography
