Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet tour was a night to remember

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On a Monday night in Vancouver, I found myself part of an unexpected sea of miniskirts and pink dresses, each shimmering and moving toward the Pacific Coliseum for Sabrina Carpenter’s final Canadian stop on her Short n’ Sweet tour. 

This scene was strikingly different from her performance last year in Vancouver’s far smaller PNE Forum for her Emails I Can’t Send tour. But with Short n’ Sweet — one of the summer’s top albums that has her headlining alongside Charli XCX and Chappell Roan — Carpenter has secured her place as one of pop’s new main players.

The crowd’s energy was palpable even before Declan McKenna opened the show, donning a Whitecaps jersey and setting the mood with songs like “Brazil” and a nostalgic cover of ABBA’s “Slipping Through My Fingers.” 

By 8:30 pm, as the lights dimmed, an announcer playfully welcomed us to “the Short n’ Sweet show — filmed in front of a live audience.” The curtains lifted, revealing a 60s-style T.V. set, complete with lamps and staircases, where Carpenter, appearing on screen in a bubble bath, kicked off the night with “Taste.”

From that first act, Carpenter gave us an extravaganza — each performance a mini-music video brought to life with backup dancers, live camera feeds, and props that amplified the theatricality of it all. The Pacific Coliseum itself felt alive, pulsing with energy that immediately reminded me of Taylor Swift’s 1989 tour. 

Having opened for a portion of Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour, it’s easy to see how Carpenter’s own show has been inspired by those larger-than-life performances, though her own personality shone through in the moments where she connected directly with us.

After a powerful rendition of “because i liked a boy,” Carpenter paused to reminisce. 

“I came here for the first time when I was 13, and I remember coming back when I was 15. Overall in my life, I’ve probably lived here for about six months in total.” 

She laughed, adding, “Robson Street was my shit, and I filmed in Squamish, I was working in Squamish. I’ve just always been so pleasantly surprised by how beautiful and kind the people were here.” 

Her genuine warmth was evident, especially when she recounted her first Vancouver show. 

“[It] was probably about 400 people. It was quite intimate compared to this room, which you sold out tonight, and it’s all 17,000 of you rather than 400.” 

The show continued with the “Sabrina After Dark” act, where Carpenter spun a bottle to select a surprise song. The night’s choice was “Busy Woman,” a new release produced by Jack Antonoff and sold only through her store. 

Though I typically prefer a more stripped-down show, her seamless mix of humour, storytelling, and infectious energy had me relishing each track more than the last. Her background in Disney certainly lends her a polish and charisma, but Carpenter’s own edgy wit and playful attitude brought something fresh and grounded to the performance. 

“The only thing wetter than Vancouver is my … eyes when I cry,” she teased before launching into “Nonsense,” known for a unique and different outro in every city. Here, Carpenter staged a “technical difficulty” as she vanished from sight, prompting a humorous screen message that “Sabrina After Dark” was experiencing issues.

The final act of the concert was “Don’t Touch That Dial!” She bounced back with songs like “Dumb & Poetic,” “Juno,” and finally “Don’t Smile,” rolling credits on what felt like an authentic production of the “Sabrina Carpenter Show.” As the night closed with her encore of “Espresso,” I found myself caught in the joyous fandom surrounding her.

At 23 years old — in my soft, masc lesbian outfit surrounded by fans in hair ribbons — I might not have been the typical Carpenter fan, but the night was an unexpected, successful conversion.

The energy, production, and palpable connection Carpenter forged with the audience made it clear why her star has risen so quickly — and why I’ll keep following where it takes her.