Rita Ora @ Arena Birmingham 25th May, 2019
As the Birmingham leg of Rita Ora’s Phoenix tour rolls into the city for her largest solo show to date, Arena Birmingham was full, well before tour openers Four Of Diamonds took to the stage.
FOD who’s singer Sophia for whom this is a home town show, as a band still in their infancy after finishing 8th on X-Factor in 2018 they have all the boxes ticked to be the next big girl group, the girls put on a great performance with smiles on all of their faces as they finished their set with new single “walk away”.
With a very short gap between the end of Four Of Diamonds set and the start of Moss Kena, the crowd had very little time to relax between artists. West London native Moss who has been tipped as one to watch by Clash magazine and several others took no time at all to have the crowd (especially the ladies) eating out the palm of his hand, with soulful voice and beautiful falsetto filling the arena. It was like the stage was his own, (I’m sure it wont be long before he’s headlining larger venues himself).
In the gap between Moss Kena leaving the stage and lights dimming for the entrance of Rita Ora, all be it 25 mins behind schedule the crowd kept themselves entertained by singing along to the venues between acts music and orchestrating a Mexican wave that went on for a good 5-10mins.
Suddenly the lights dropped and the arena was illuminated by a large L.E.D rig and huge screen at the back of the stage, around a dozen dancers filled the stage, with Rita rising from under the stage wearing a beautiful white gown with thigh high boots. As she sang the opening line of “for you” she was certainly looking every bit the superstar singer she’s promised to be for a long time. In recent years Rita has been more well known for her celebrity and being a judge on reality shows than for her music, but with the release of 2018’s “Phoenix”album and this tour of the same name her music is defiantely back at the forefront for Rita!
With a total of 4 costume changes including a fiery red outfit with Phoenix wings and a 21 song set featuring songs “only want you” “”girls” “black widow” and “hot right now” Rita set the stage alight with her performance as dramatically as the fire and pyrotechnics that lit up the stage.
For me this is the 3rd time seeing Rita and each and every time her shows and music have got bigger and better. With this tour she’s defiantely rising from the ashes to chase becoming UK’s number one pop queen, watch out Dua Lipa, RITAS BACK!!! And full of sass.
Set List
For You
Your Song
Doing it
only Want you
Summer Love
New Look
Girls
Let you love me
Hell Of a Life
Cashmere
Body on me
Soul survivor
I will never let you down
R.I.P
Keep Talking
Black Widow
Carry On
Coming home
Hot Right Now
Encore
Lonely Together
Anywhere
Photographer/Reviewer: Andy Watson