Tove Lo at Lupo's

Last night, the ever so beautiful and talented Tove Lo graced fans with her presence at Lupo’s. The doors opened a little late, but if you managed to survive the monster line and bitter cold in order to make it inside the packed venue, you were treated to an awesome night. Erik Hassle opened to the screams of the fans who had luckily already made it inside. He provided a warm, soulful welcome to audience members as they triumphantly entered the building and secured their positions. His fans also freaked out when he took off his jacket, though they were probably disappointed when he was wearing an equally unrevealing black Adidas shirt. After Erik left the stage, fans waited patiently for the arrival of the main act, occasionally chanting, “Tove Lo!” as if to summon her. Then, at 10:27 pm, the lights dimmed and the room erupted with the screams of the fans. Back-lit letters that spelled “TOVE” were illuminated at the back of the stage. Then, the audience was almost blinded by the stage lights as they suddenly turned on and a barefoot Tove Lo took the stage, wearing a black jumpsuit. She began with “Not On Drugs,” which incited waves of cheering. Tove Lo in concert is a can’t-miss event. She commands the stage and performs with an aggressive passion and energy. She dances and jumps around the stage, waving her hands to capture the audience’s attention and indicate that the point she is making is important and urgent. She powers through her set with only a few breaks to address the audience. “You look beautiful!” she says before she begins to sing “Moments.” During “Like Em Young,” she shows that she clearly has the energy of the young person she is singing about. Despite all the jumping and dancing and sumo squats, her voice held with a full, rich quality throughout the night. After “This Time Around,” she walked off the stage while the band continued to play. The music quieted down slowly and the lights dimmed, and then, she returned after a quick change. She had put on shoes, and the black jumpsuit had been replaced by an edgier black leather jacket, bodysuit, and tights. The mood shifted as the second half of the performance began. Where the first half was fun and energetic, the second half was sexy and sensual. She continuously tantalized the audience and drew attention to her body. During her performance of “Talking Body,” she removed the leather jacket and at the song’s climax, pulled down her bodysuit’s straps to flash the audience. To be honest, a friend had told me beforehand that this was coming, but I still freaked out with the rest of the audience. When the song ended, she told the crowd that there were members of her family that she had never met in the audience, and she had just flashed them. As if to make up for it, she transitioned to a keyboard and slowed things down for the next song: “Paradise.” You can really appreciate her voice during these moments of the concert. Aside from all of the energy and showmanship, it is clear that she has a wonderful voice. The rest just complements it. She ended with “Timebomb,” at which point she bowed and exited the stage and the band followed. But of course, the audience presumed to chant her name, and the band returned and began playing “Run on Love.” Tove Lo ran back to center stage for her encore. Two audience members began jumping while interlocked which looked like the most difficult thing two mildly intoxicated people could do. At the end of “Run on Love,” she dropped onto the ground as the lights cut out. She remained lying on the ground, as the band started playing “Habits (Stay High).” The audience screamed. Tove Lo then slowly got up and began singing. This was the song that everyone in the audience had been waiting for – they began the loudest sing-along and cheering yet. They waved their hands and clapped when prompted by Tove Lo. At the end of the song, she blew a kiss and ran off the stage. Audience members were still singing the lyrics of “Habits (Stay High)” as they made their way to the exits and filed out into the night.   To see more Tove Lo tour dates, click here! To see upcoming events at Lupo’s, visit their website!