Why Olivia Rodrigo’s Phoenix show might be one of the year’s best

Countless videos from Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour show tens of thousands of fans screaming and singing along with the pop star at enormous stadium shows around the world

Take the energy of 70,000 attendees and squeeze it into a 18,000-seat indoor arena: That’s what Olivia Rodrigo’s Phoenix concert was like.

Rodrigo brought the Guts Tour to Footprint Center on Feb. 24, the second stop on the tour and only four days after the singer-songwriter turned 21.

Before the concert began, the word “Guts” spelled out in melting candles acted as a countdown to the show.

Then, Rodrigo took the stage to an incredible level of excitement that barely abated for the next 90 or so minutes.

Rodrigo and her all-female backing band delivered a flawless set that included all the songs from her sophomore album, “Guts,” plus most of the ones from her acclaimed debut, “Sour.”

A troupe of dancers and bold background graphics added visual interest, but Rodrigo was the centerpiece of it all, an incredibly young woman who sings, plays guitar and piano and has accomplished a staggering amount in a short musical career.

Phoenix has a packed concert calendar through the end of 2024, but less than two months in, Rodrigo’s show was already a strong contender for one of the best shows of the year.

The concert wasn’t the only thing that came to town that week; Rodrigo’s partnership with Crumbl Cookies brought Rodrigo’s signature cookie to the menu. A sugar-and-calorie bomb that features two sugar cookies held together with frosting, topped with jam and rolled with sprinkles, it was a popular menu item, but not one we were enamored with.

But that’s just our opinion. You can try it yourself when the cookie comes to all Crumbl locations after the tour ends for the week of Aug. 19 to 24.

Here’s a look back at the Feb. 24 Olivia Rodrigo concert at Footprint Center in Phoenix, and for more Phoenix concert info, visit the Phoenix New Times concert calendar.