By Graeme Wiggins

Photo: Lindsey Blane

August 28, 2019
The Commodore Ballroom

Carly Rae Jepsen fans have a tendency for hyperbole. If she posts an Instagram picture of her in a pool, inevitably there will multiple replies that say something like “Queen of Swimming” — you get the idea. But her first show of two at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver may have granted that hyperbole a degree of truth as she took the stage and reigned like the queen, delivering a thrilling, upbeat dose of pop perfection.

Jepsen delivered each song with a wicked grin and non-stop joie de vivre. The songs focused mostly on songs from Emotion onwards, crowd favourites interspersed evenly throughout the set, with “Call Me Maybe” and “Run Away With Me” placed surprisingly early.

In describing her new album in interviews Jepsen says she wanted an album you could dance to while cleaning the house, and her set, sticking to high tempo numbers and avoiding ballads for the most part, proved they work equally well in a concert setting.

The end of her set was particularly strong with the segue from “Boy Problems” to “Party For One” ending the main set with a bang. By the time the encore ended with “Cut to The Feeling,” it was clear from the raucous, sweaty crowd, that her crown isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Photo: Lindsey Blane