by Norm De Veyra
Australian-American pop star Betty Who kicked off the weekend in joyous fashion with an epic dance party at the Warfield. The WHO Crew showed up in full force in San Francisco to celebrate the second to last show of the Big! tour.
Backlit by a trio of large screens, a short video montage announced Betty Who’s return to the music scene. A quick cut to black and she emerged centerstage to the opening bars of ‘Weekend’, the high energy bop off her latest album. Quickly accompanied by a duo of dancers, Betty, in a standout bold red pantsuit, danced across the stage showcasing some serious choreography. That high level of energy would remain for the entirety of the show. The only breaks being midway through the set as she performed a handful of ballads and acoustic numbers, but the back third saw the return of the uptempo jams.
A rock tinged rework of ‘High Society’, off of Who’s first album, surprised and delighted and perfectly segued into the opening beats of ‘Somebody Loves You’, perhaps her most well known track. The crowd erupted and joined in to sing along to the viral anthem.
After four studio albums and years of touring, Who has emerged as a confident and skilled performer with a knack for a catchy chorus and love for the bold and emphatic pop anthems that without fail get people up and moving. Her show, as seen in San Francisco last night, was a showcase of that talent and cements Who as a standout popstar.
Shea Couleé opened up the evening. Known from Rupaul’s drag Race, Couleé’s short set of smoldering electro-R&B offered an exciting glimpse to what the performer has to offer musically in the future.
Betty Who closed out the Big! Tour the next night in Los Angeles.
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