Review: Dua Lipa at Capital One Arena

As the concert goers spilled from the Capital One Arena stands into the streets on the warm Wednesday evening of Dua Lipa’s return to DC, everyone rushing by was breathless, wide eyed and flushed. Pockets of fans belted encores of their favorite songs as they praised the magic of this pop diva’s performance. The crowd marveled over the lineup of a fearless trio of strong women owning every inch of the arena, starting with R&B songstress Lolo Zouaï, followed by art pop’s shining star Caroline Polachek and finally finishing with a disco-inspired showcase of Dua Lipa’s rise to pop stardom.

Fans had been longing for this concert since the 2020 release of Future Nostalgia, and the concert did not disappoint. Dua and her team built the world her ever-growing global cohort of fans have been dreaming of seeing since the record’s release early in the pandemic, bringing a slate of sweeping visuals and costumes that perfectly blended neon, 1980’s Miami flair with a glittery, modern take on disco. It was clear that each moment had been given extensive consideration, but even through the precision, she still had the chance to let her hair down and show her personality beyond her sparkly bodysuits and cheeky choreography. Throughout each song, Dua’s joy as she fluttered down the stage’s catwalk was infectious - the crowd couldn’t help but smile from behind their masks and sing every lyric right back to her. There was a mutually experienced thrill in the room for the return of live music; Dua was all smiles as she brought a new flair to the pop bangers we’ve been enjoying while in isolation throughout the pandemic.

One of the standout elements of the staging of this tour was the celebration of her dancers and band throughout the show. At the start of Dua’s set, a beautifully colorful video introduced the crowd to every dancer and band member by name. Throughout the set’s many costume changes, it was clear that dancers could choose among different looks that fit their coverage comfort level and personal aesthetics. All of the dancers had moments to be featured at the front of the stage, which was a refreshing take on pop stars’ standard take on background dancers. Nothing stood out quite like two members of the crew effortlessly gliding across the stage on roller skates, as yet another reference to the retro disco era that so clearly inspired Future Nostalgia.

Dua and her team transformed the stage again and again, taking us from the discoteque, to the ocean floor with a giant inflatable lobster during “We’re Good,” and then to an iconic space-inspired elevated platform during a memorable rendition of “Levitating.” All elements combined to bring us all into her colorful world of glamor, confidence and fun. And in her world, you get to shake and sing along to feel the collective joy of sharing a love for pop anthems with 20,000 other fans again.

Review by Lauren Fabijanski. All photos by Meredith Wohl.