Katy Perry defies critics with hit-filled Birmingham arena spectacle
There's no denying Katy Perry knows how to deliver the goods when it comes to a pop show.
When it comes to putting on a proper show, Katy Perry’s Lifetimes tour is an unforgettable spectacle. Everything from the world-building video-game-style production (an expensive-looking screen-filled dystopia) to the costumes (a cross between Avengers and TRON for Artificial alone) is designed for maximum impact. Yes, it’s extremely OTT, but there’s no denying how much thought, creative energy and exertion has gone into designing an experience that will be talked about for years to come.
With this being Perry’s first tour in seven years, she makes up for lost time by packing in as many hits from across her six-album discography as humanly possible as the tour hits Birmingham's Utilita Arena on Saturday night (11.10.25).
Perhaps expectedly, it’s the succession of throwbacks to her breakthrough years that prove to be the night’s highlights. As California Gurls, Teenage Dream, Hot N Cold, Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) and I Kissed A Girl come one after the other, the impeccable run turns the clock back to the 2000s, with each nostalgic banger sending the 10,000-strong audience into a frenzy.
Between songs, Perry is charming and self-deprecating, especially when she recognises that some of her catalogue hasn’t necessarily aged well; she berates herself for writing “terrible song” Peacock, but laughs that she still “cashed the cheque”. There’s plenty of fan interaction, too, including a choose-your-own-adventure segment where the audience can vote via QR code for the song they want her to perform following a Wheel of Fortune-type spin.
In a performance that’s so perfectly poised, the human elements where anything really could happen offer unexpected diversions: Perry FaceTime’s the father of a fan in a shark costume who is waiting outside in the car park; another soon-to-re-viral teen banters with Perry and asks if she’ll allow him to do his favourite dance in the spotlight. Adorable, heart-warming moments like these feel entirely unique to the evening.
The 40-year-old singer makes the physically demanding show look effortless and has the agility of an athlete - singing upside down in a cage and later doing 12 suspended somersaults in the sky.
Nobody leaves feeling shortchanged, either: those in the Infinity and Eternity pits are of course within touching distance from their idol, but Perry also gets close to those in the seats farthest away as she soars her way around the arena on a giant butterfly during Roar.
More than anything, though, it’s incredibly fun. From the array of dedicated costumes (many paying homage to looks from Perry’s music videos over the years) to the countless mums and dads sharing the moment with their children, there’s a real sense of community inside the arena from start to finish. An explosion of paper butterflies during a cathartic Firework brings the evening to a joyous close, sending everyone home happy and in agreement that Katy’s place in the pop hall of fame is undeniable.
Away from the glitz and glam of the Lifetimes tour, Perry has been through a tough time of it lately - what with her split from actor Orlando Bloom, the father of her five-year-old daughter Daisy, and the backlash over her trip to space - but you wouldn't tell from the sheer joy that radiates off her when she's onstage.
Rating: 4/5
