Hello Rams! I am excited to introduce a new series to the Millikan Corydon titled “Concert Capsule” where you live the concert through the writing. For those who know me, I have grown a reputation to be at a concert almost every weekend and my passion for live music is infinite. My hope is to take you along a concert-driven lifestyle and give my honest opinion on the shows I have attended. The first addition to this series will be the GUTS World Tour by Olivia Rodrigo.
This show would be her sixth and final show in Los Angeles, taking place at the newly assembled Intuit Dome. Before this concert, I had never stepped foot inside the Intuit Dome, and the technological advancements did not fail to amaze me. The arena houses a huge halo screen that allows those in elevated seating to see the greater details of an artist’s performance.
While Rodrigo needs no introduction, the theme of her concert would fall into a grungy undertone. Doc Martens were almost everywhere you looked, in addition to an unavoidable black and purple color palette. Many fans recreated beloved music video attire that Rodrigo has worn, most notably the sash she wore for the song “obsessed.”
Rodrigo’s setlist contains hits from both of her record-breaking albums “SOUR” and “GUTS.” Opening the show with “bad idea right?” was the best idea to set the tone for the evening. Containing a heavy upbeat sound paired with a crowd interacting “mute challenge” (a concert phenomenon that was popularized at Beyonce’s Renaissance World Tour requiring the arena to silence immediately mid-song, then to erupt into an uproar once the artist commences) the room was already on fire before the end of the first song.
She continues her blaze and embodies around the stage for a couple of more songs, then proceeds to her piano to perform live renditions of “driver’s license” and “teenage dream.” Much of the lyricism in “teenage dream” portrays the insecurities that unfold from growing older, making it a beloved standout for me. Rodrigo projected her very own baby videos behind her, creating an emotionally vulnerable moment in the show.
After adventuring backstage for a quick costume change to hypnotize the space with a few more hits, Olivia braced for take off to conquer the moon. I mean that seriously, Rodrigo sat on a floating moon that would travel around the entire arena just for fans to have an up-close experience with her no matter where their seat was. This was without a doubt my favorite moment throughout the entire show not only because she played my prized heartbreak anthems “logical” and “enough for you” but she happened to float right above me.
The encore consisted of a killer closure to the concert with performances of “good 4 u” and “get him back!” To individualize each show, for the duration of the tour, Rodrigo would appear in a different tank top during the encore usually consisting of a snarky pun theming around her. “Liv, Laugh, Love” was the graphic of my night’s tank top, a play of words around her first name.
Confetti cannons exploded and Rodrigo exited the stage. On my way out I stuffed some confetti into my bag as a souvenir and exited the arena.
My guts? Spilled. Rodrigo’s lively presence and utmost stage production made this an unforgettable experience for me. Having the opportunity to sing these songs I hold dear to my heart is a fond memory of mine. For those reasons, I couldn’t recommend her concert more. Til next time, Guts World Tour!
Lauren O'Connell • Oct 30, 2024 at 8:33 pm
I am very excited for this new series of concert reviews for the Millikan Corydon. I enjoy live music and concerts as well so this edition is very appealing to me. While Olivia Rodrigo has been popular for many years now, I think this was a great first publication.
Ian Henriquez does a great job of describing the scenery and vibe of the concert as he includes descriptions of the fan’s grunge outfits and pops of purple and black. He also clearly explains the type of music genre she is and her song messages. Her style consists of slow heartbreaking songs which will send her fans breaking down in tears, with a mix of fast upbeat songs to sing your heart out to. Moreover, the overall performance was constantly changing to keep her audience engaged. She had multiple outfit changes to correspond with her songs like “good 4 u” and “get him back!” as well as her shirt which says, “Liv Laugh Love” which represents her first name. The personal touch and humor to her outfits made the concert even more memorable. Additionally, she was raised up on a moon and traveled around the entire arena to allow a clear vision for all her fans to see her. As Henriquez claims this was his favorite part of the show, she played her famous heartbreak anthems, “logical” and “enough for you”.
I appreciate the detailed and genuine review from Ian Henriquez and look forward to keeping up with “Concert Capsules”. However, I am curious to know what kind of genres you will be covering? Is it all specifically pop music?
Atheena Roncal • Oct 30, 2024 at 10:04 am
Dear Corydon Editor,
This article contains Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS” world tour, being the first concert of his series titled “Concert Capsule”. With a growing “passion for live music” as Henriquez describes himself, he most definitely does an outstanding job in describing that passion throughout the article.
Henriquez’s incredible talent for journalism made me feel like I physically was at the concert. His description of the newly built Intuit Dome, Rodrigo’s theme for the concert, the songs played in order, and Rodrigo’s remarkable performance on a floating moon sounds like an unforgettable night that I would love to experience. The photography as well were great visuals that matched perfectly with his description of the whole concert.
As someone who has been passionate about music at a young age, I think this new series was a great addition to the Corydon, considering that their audience may attract others who have a strong, sentimental connection with music. Music has done wonders for me and I have grown a strong relationship with certain genres that spark in lyricism and particular rhythm. It excites me to encounter people who share the same music taste as me, and cannot wait to see what the Concert Capsule’s future has in store!
Sincerely,
Atheena Roncal
Zoe Toussaint • Oct 29, 2024 at 1:52 pm
October 29, 2024
Dear Corydon Editor,
On October 22, 2024, there was a new series added to the Millikan Corydon named “Concert Capsule” written by Ian Henriquez. As a debut to the series, this article goes into depth about when Henriquez visited the Olivia Rodrigo GUTS World Tour concert in the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Henriquez made it very clear on how music is a big part of his life and how he is often at concerts for a variety of music artists, so I believe using Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS World Tour was a great choice of artist to use for his debut article to grab the attention of the audience because how widely known Rodrigo is.
Ian Henriquez did an excellent job expressing his experience at the GUTS World Tour. Henriquez went into a great depth into describing the arena as he first arrived and how amazed he was by the technical improvements as the Intuit Dome only opened this summer. He goes into detail as when you enter, there is a view of Doc Martens and a theme of purple and black throughout the audience’s attire and aesthetic. Henriquez describes the concert with a level of excitement that puts the reader through a feeling of jealousy, knowing we weren’t there to experience such an exciting concert. It is also impressive how Ian explained certain songs to a certain depth so even if the audience wasn’t familiar with Rodrigo’s music, you would still understand the feelings and meaning behind the songs. When you think it couldn’t get any better, Rodrigo flies over the crowd on a moon while singing, being able to be connected with her audience. Henriquez expresses how this is his favorite part of the concert as he, as well as the rest of the audience, got to have an up-close experience with Olivia.
Henriquez’s ability to express the meanings and emotions of his experience at the GUTS World Tour is nothing short of impressive. His remarkable work has made me more excited and wanting more until the next “Concert Capsule” article.
Sincerely,
Zoe Toussaint
Emma Iovino • Oct 29, 2024 at 1:27 pm
This article goes into detail about the visuals, outfits and songs. It starts off with the credibility of the author by stating how often they attend concerts and their positive view of the performance. The explanation of the theme and color palettes allows the audience to create a mental picture of the concert. This then moves onto the explanation of certain songs. For example, how “teenage dream” represents the difficulties in growing up. As well as the additional detail of how Olivia uses a piano in both “drivers license” and ‘teenage dream”. Later on in the article there is a picture of Olivia floating on a moon in the middle of the Dome. With this, the author provided an explanation of the songs used while on the moon. This detail allowed the audience to once again visualize the concert as if they were there.
Some additional details the author included in the article was the screen that was projected to the audience, the mute challenge, and an outfit change. As expressed in the article there was a large screen that was visible mainly for those facing the front of the screen in an elevated position. This screen during certain songs projected an image of Olivia as a child to illustrate the emotions behind the songs. Meanwhile, the mute challenge is used in a song where the audience respects the artist and goes silent during a portion of the song. Lastly, the closer of the concert which involved an extravagant outfit change. This outfit consisted of a white tank top with a silly phrase that related to Olivia. This is known to show up in every concert and the phrase is not always the same. With all the details provided by the author the readers can plant themselves in the concert and read along to the article with enjoyment.
River Fisher • Oct 29, 2024 at 10:09 am
Dear Corydon Editor,
This article takes an in-depth dive into the concert featuring Olivia Rodrigo at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. He talks about how Olivia’s concert had a dark undertone and the creative techniques she used to get the crowd hyped. He also talks about how she is an amazing artist with record-breaking albums and songs. Then he proceeds to talk about the way her concert went with live piano renditions of some of her most popular songs. Then to make it sound even better he talks about how she went on a moon and flew around the venue. How amazing would that be to see? That’s that new Intuit dome that is literally brand new with new technologies. He also talks about how Olivia Rodrigo’s concert was a must-watch and unforgettable experience, and I bet it was. The atmosphere was probably amazing and on fire. This article was an amazing insight for people who don’t have the time or money to afford these concerts while still being able to obtain an in-depth dive into how the concert was and if it was worth it. The only thing I wonder is how much it cost?
Sincerely,
River Fisher
Isabel Hernandez • Oct 29, 2024 at 9:51 am
This new series titled “Concert Capsule” added to the Millikan Corydon was a very fun addition. Ian Henriques, who is very attentive with current pop hits and loves music did a great job expressing the concert through the writing. The first addition to the series being Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS world tour was a wonderful idea because of how widely known she is.
Ian Henriques did a great job expressing his experience at the concert. While describing the arena I was able to get a visualization of what it all looked like. By describing events at the concert in great detail I got to imagine the sequence. In reading the article I got a slight feeling of jealousy but only for the reason that I was not there in person, this shows how well done of a job Ian did. Nonetheless, in reading the article I did not completely feel as if I were at the concert, more of like someone telling about what Olivia Rodrigo had done. I would recommend describing more of the other audience’s reactions and the atmosphere. In doing so, reading the article will be more of a live experience of the concert.
The honest opinion of the show was greatly appreciated. Rather than there only being articles about informing students of situations around the school I largely enjoyed reading Ian Hernriques experience at a concert. I look forward to many more stories in the series “Concert Capsule,” and can’t wait to see who they center one on next!
Salma Cortes • Oct 29, 2024 at 9:41 am
On October 22, 2024, Ian Hernandez wrote an article titled “Concert Capsule: Olivia Rodrigo”. In this article Hernandez recounts his experience at Olivia Rodrigo’s most recent monumental concert, the GUTS World Tour. His experience begins with introducing a new series for Corydon that will be ongoing throughout the year and highlights different concerts in the LA area. To begin with, Hernandez can instantly make you feel as if you are describing the immense amount of Doc Martens, the black and purple attire everywhere, and the advancement of the venue where she was performing.
For those who may not be familiar with Rodrigo’s music, Hernandez can accurately describe the song’s meaning and rhythm making it a fun piece for anyone to read. Additionally, the ability to describe how Rodrigo was able to connect with her audience’s heartstrings by having them reminisce makes you wish that you were also able to attend her concert. To continue the connection between Rodrigo and her audience doesn’t end there; rather, she traveled across her entire venue so that everyone can have a better view of her performance. She was capable of balancing the slow, heartbreaking songs with high-energy songs, having a different tank top for her songs “good 4 u” and “get him back!” making her audience feel special because the pun on each tank top is only used one night throughout the whole tour.
Hernandez’s ability to embrace you in the essence of Rodrigo’s GUTS tour is truly remarkable and makes me excited to see what else he comes up with for the next article of the “Concert Capsule” series.