Katy Perry pulled out all the stops for her electrifying concert Sunday night at the Schottenstein Center. The pop star vet, who has had hit after hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for nearly a decade now, has been on her fourth headlining tour.
Before the show started, the stage design made it evident that the crowd was going to be in for a visual spectacle like few other shows could pull off. The backdrop of the stage was an enormous eyeball that blinked and looked around the entire arena before the concert began, centered behind a long runway that snaked through half of the floor.
Backed by a full 1980’s-inspired band, leather pants and big blonde hair in tow, Perry soared in on a flying star to her album cut “Witness,” which brought the entire arena to its feet for the rest of her setlist.
Full of striking visuals, colorful set pieces and amazing dancers, there was never a dull moment. Perry commanded everyone’s attention as she ran through hits from all her albums including “Dark Horse,” “Teenage Dream” and “Hot N Cold” –– which received the biggest crowd reaction once she strapped on a guitar and an LED vest that flashed lyrics to the song.
Usually with arena tours, fans can sometimes feel like an artist is just going through the motions from city to city, but Perry added a personalized touch to the Columbus stop of her tour.
During a break between songs, Perry told the audience she wanted to “call her mom” back home because she missed her, but the audience didn’t expect her mom to ask her about “Engagement, Ohio.” Confused, her mom told her “it’s located in between Dayton (Daytin’) and Marion (Marryin’),” a nice nod at a classic joke that no one in the audience expected.
To finish off her flawless performance, Perry illuminated the Schott with her 2013 hit “Roar.” After the crowd refused to go home, She decided to perform an encore and cap the night off with “Firework” –– one of her biggest hits to date.
Long before the final applause, budding pop star Noah Cyrus opened the show. Miley Cyrus’ younger sister has been making a lot of noise with her music this year, and for an arena-sized crowd, she was a big ball of energy throughout her entire set.
The 17-year-old ran through songs like “I’m Stuck,” “Again,” and “Make Me (Cry)” with the confidence of a seasoned star. Even though her set was a little short, she did a great job of holding everyone’s attention throughout.
I didn’t have any expectations going into the show, and I left the Schott scrolling through my phone for new Katy Perry and Noah Cyrus music immediately.
