Photo by Jorina Lee

Whether you know her from her roles in Daisy Jones & The Six, Love, Rosie, her Eras Tour opening slot, or even simply as the fiancée of our favourite Gen Z (Robert Pattinson I’m looking at you), it’s clear that Suki Waterhouse knows how to put on a show. Since the release of her debut album I Can’t Let Go in 2022, Waterhouse has found her place in the modern alt-pop world. Her third and latest album Loveland brings listeners into a dreamy and cinematic world which audiences got to fully immerse themselves in with this tour.

Photo by Jorina Lee

I came in not fully knowing what to expect, but from the moment I stepped in the venue, it was like being transported into a romantic fever dream. The Vancouver Orpheum’s historic architecture already does a lot of the work, but Suki’s set design took things up a notch with dreamy lighting and lush details. There was a cute piano sitting stage right, and rose bushes surrounding the centrepiece, which were all adorned with arrows sticking out, one of which she handed directly to a fan in the front row. The centrepiece itself being a heart-shaped disco ball. veins and all, pierced through with arrows and throwing light all across the stage. It felt intimate, cinematic, and completely tailored to the space.

Photo by Jorina Lee

The show kicked off with Charlotte Lawrence taking the stage, performing hits including a cover of “Zombies” by The Cranberries that had the entire audience on their feet and dancing. 

When it came time for Suki, she walked out oozing vintage starlet charisma, blending old-school aesthetic with a modern indie-pop vibe that felt effortless (and for a lack of better words, super cinematic). Between the killer fits and a quick outfit change tucked behind a curtain on stage, her presence was magnetic. By “When I’m Drunk (I Want You Boy),” she ducked behind the curtain and slid into her second major look, a dramatic pink robe straight out of a classic Hollywood noir fantasy, stepping back out with a glass of red wine in her hand.

Photo by Jorina Lee

One thing that was made clear with her performance? Pop girls are back and better than ever. The entire night, a quick look across the audience and it was clear everyone’s eyes were glued to the stage, with there only being minimal phones held up to record (I even got so entranced I forgot to film). Whether she was at the keys or stepping out from behind the mic to walk right down stage left into the middle of the audience, her connection with the crowd was instant. She moved between grand, soaring moments and stripped-back acoustic intimacy without ever losing the room’s energy. At one point, she asked the crowd a question she said she asks every stop of her tour: “What’s the weirdest thing about your city?” and in true Vancouver fashion, it was made clear that if there is one thing this city will do, it is stand in a line that wraps around the block, and for her show, this was no exception.

Photo by Jorina Lee

Just when the set felt like it hit its peak, Suki brought out Ella Bright for a special guest moment. The pair teamed up for a duet of “Girl That I Am” from the hit show Off Campus that had the entire room losing its mind (and taking out their phones).

Photo by Jorina Lee

Ultimately, the show was a perfect reflection of the album. Aside from her outfits and stunning visuals, the show put together the nostalgic themes of love and intimacy built through everyday life from the album and turned it into a physical manifestation. And to quote Loveland’s title track, “I’d do it all over again.”

Read more about Suki Waterhouse here.

Looking for a show to attend? Head to AdmitONE to buy tickets!