SLC Twilight • Suki Waterhouse • July 27, 2026 • Gallivan Center
Reviewed and Photographed by Ava Dalton
There’s a specific kind of energy that only exists in a sold-out crowd that’s been camping out since two in the afternoon. Salt Lake City brought exactly that to the Gallivan Center for none other than the iconic Suki Waterhouse. The sun started dipping into what seemed like an extra glowy and extra pink sunset, coordinated with Suki herself; the audience as a whole, but especially the audience members standing at the barricade who had been holding their spots for hours, were buzzing with anticipation. Trust me, their hours of waiting definitely paid off.
Suki Waterhouse didn’t just bring her tour to Salt Lake City on a Monday night; she brought a party full of love, positivity, and so much pink and sparkles. The stage setup alone was genuinely one of the coolest setups I’ve ever seen. With a disco-covered anatomically correct heart in the center, and a garden of wooden arrows and roses surrounding the stage, Waterhouse stood tall in the middle and maintained her rank as the well-deserved center of attention.
As opposed to a traditional set, Waterhouse structured her setlist into four acts, all with overtures, costume changes, light changes, and instrument swaps. I loved the opening of the show. The lights went down and the renowned performance of Judy Garland’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” began playing. Suki Waterhouse walked onstage and struck a pose in the dead center, before putting on quite the show with one of the wooden arrows onstage. This overture was the perfect segue into the opening number, “The Arrow.”
Shortly after the first song, Waterhouse exclaimed that Salt Lake City might be her favorite show on tour so far. Judging by the screaming that ensued after that comment, it seemed that the audience planned to make that statement true. Suki Waterhouse and her band performed on July 27th in Salt Lake City at the Gallivan Center as a part of the SLC Twilight Series. However, for Waterhouse and her band, this was stop number four of “The Loveland Tour,” named after the recent album, “Loveland.”
Waterhouse came out with what I can only describe as unapologetic and cool energy, in a way that exuded pure confidence. I truly enjoyed her stage presence. Even at a sold-out show, she still felt very down-to-earth and connected with the audience. Waterhouse continually encouraged one-on-one audience interaction, and frequently made sure her audience knew she appreciated and loved them. She also made a point of telling the crowd how much she meant that Salt Lake City has some of the best energy she’s encountered on this run, and that this city knows how to dance. It’s the kind of thing artists say on tour, sure, but it landed differently delivered mid-set, breathless, clearly having a good time herself.
“It’s so good to see you guys,” she told us. Waterhouse is famous for being unique, and she fully played all the way into that reputation, pausing constantly to interact with individual crowd members, calling out specific faces, telling people how beautiful they looked, and doing it in a way that felt truly genuine rather than traditional performative crowd work. She wasn’t just talking to the front row; she was playing straight to them. “I want to see you dancing, SLC,” she said at one point, and the crowd definitely delivered!
People were dancing with friends, dancing with strangers, dancing with whoever happened to be standing next to them. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. There is nothing like the display of unity at a concert in UT. One of my favorite moments of the night was when Waterhouse slowed things down just enough to tell the crowd, essentially, to go live their lives a little bolder. “Ask for the raise, kiss the guy, book the holiday, give someone your love tonight.”
In terms of vocals and performance, Suki Waterhouse is known for having a unique niche. Her vocals are uncommon, her production is different, and her lyrics are unique. Her live vocals definitely lived up to the recorded version. Something I appreciated was how she didn’t ever try to overdo her vocals. Waterhouse definitely did not disappoint with her vocal abilities, but she didn’t change the melodies or add riffs that overstated the existing songs. She left most of the songs exactly how they are, and I truly enjoyed it. She knows that she has a unique style and she owns every bit of it.
It also made every change or addition even more enjoyable and impressive. Her performance was also perfectly choreographed, again, not overstated. Waterhouse had cohesive and connected choreography that also allowed her to move along the stage, and interact with the audience. I love how she played to the audience, and the audience could tell that she loved what she was doing. Her passion shined through her entire time onstage. While Waterhouse is not a powerhouse vocalist, she allowed her individuality and unique vocal tone to show through above all else.
Waterhouse’s band switched from electric guitars to acoustic guitars, and to pianos, all throughout the set. If there was one thing to mention about Suki Waterhouse that hasn’t been said, it’s that she keeps her band busy. Both her bassist and guitarist contributed flawless background vocals that accented Waterhouse’s vocals perfectly, and didn’t overpower her at all. The blend between the three of them was amazing.
By the closing songs, “Salt Lake City, I adore you” was repeated over and over from the stage, and I can promise you it was mutual. This was a genuinely fun show from a genuinely unique artist who went above and beyond to make sure every aspect of the show was perfect. From lights to the four-act setlist to the audience interactions, and even down to the costumes. Suki Waterhouse made a sold-out Gallivan Center feel like everyone was celebrating at one big party. From what it seemed at the end of the night, it was the most unforgettable party many of us have ever attended.