Live review: Rina Sawayama at Manchester Academy

Fresh off the heels of the release of her sophomore studio album, Hold the Girl, Rina Sawayama stopped by Manchester Academy for an electric gig in support of the eclectic album.

Sawayama last played Manchester almost a year ago, as part of The Dynasty Tour, in support of her debut studio album, Sawayama. Each time the pandemic forced the gig to be rescheduled, the venue was upgraded – from Gorilla to Club Academy to Albert Hall – which is a testament to her growing notability. Whilst Albert Hall was, at the time, the biggest venue she had ever headlined, this time around she performed at the even bigger Manchester Academy.

Sawayama put on a hell of a show last time, with costume changes, choreography, and incredible support from the angelic HANA and the heavenly Ama Jones. But this time, with a bigger stage and a critically acclaimed top 3 album to showcase, Sawayama pulled out all the stops.

Opening act Tom Rasmussen entered the stage in an outlandish yellow jumper, a tartan skirt, and swanky shades. They wasted no time in showing off their impressive dance moves. The initial camp-tastic performance had me thinking they were going to be more of a fun, entertaining opener, but that presumption did not last long, for they soon showed off their impressive vocal chops. The next few songs were a little slower, and they brought the dancing to a stop, which allowed us to appreciate their vivacious voice.

The second support act was the better-known Joesef, who I had heard of, but I was unfamiliar with his music. His performance had nowhere near as much energy as the previous one, but he sang his songs wonderfully. He has a beautiful voice and a fantastic stage presence.

After Joesef brought the atmosphere down with his perfectly peaceful performance, the guys on the music got the queer crowd going with Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande‘s ‘Rain on Me’. Before Sawayama took to the stage, they played ‘F*ck This World (Interlude)’ – pretty bold to play your own song before you take to the stage but Sawayama knows her worth!

The main event was split into four acts and an encore. Sawayama opened the show with the first two songs from Hold the Girl: ‘Minor Feelings’ and the title track, really bringing the album to life. She came onstage in a cape and denim cowgirl outfit, complete with a cowgirl hat which was shortly dropped.

Her performance of ‘Hold the Girl’ was possibly the best of the night. The energy that she exuded was excellent; you could feel it passing from body to body. Towards the end, Rina Sawayama and her dancers had the entire audience clapping along. It felt more like the end of a concert than the opening. She made sure everyone was energised and involved from the very beginning.

The second song of the second act was ‘Imagining’, and it ended with Rina Sawayama saying “F*ck the Tories”, much to the young, queer audience’s delight – especially since Liz Truss had just announced her resignation. This was followed by ‘STFU!’ from her first record. In this act, she wore a sultry, tight dress that showed off her killer figure.

For the third act, she wore a white crop top and pants, complete with loose material. This set included the touching ‘Send My Love to John’, but, unfortunately, she stood at the stage right, behind a lighting rail, for the entire performance, so it was hard to catch a glimpse of her.

Before ‘Send My Love to John’, she sang ‘Bad Friend’ from her first album, but it was in the fourth act that her old material really got to shine. She opened it with a medley of ‘LUCID’ and ‘Beg for You’ (Charli XCX featuring Rina Sawayama), followed by ‘Comme des Garçons (Like the Boys)’ and her best-known song, ‘XS’.

For the final act, she wore a sparkly vest and shiny, super-short shorts. The encore, which saw her in the same outfit but with the return of a cowboy hat included the song everyone had been waiting for: ‘This Hell’.

‘This Hell’ is a sassy subversion of the notion that LGBTQIA+ people are going to burn in eternal damnation, and it was cathartic seeing Sawayama perform this queer anthem live.

After the second chorus, the audience began chanting the anthemic bridge – “Got my invitation to eternal damnation“ – before Sawayama brought us to a halt. She split the audience in two – those of us at the stage right sang the first line whilst those at the stage left sang the second: “Get in line, pass the wine, bitch, we’re going straight to Hell!” This involvement created a sense of community; it was a celebration of being queer and a huge f*ck you to those who condemn us to the fiery pit of hell.

After she left the stage, Shania Twain‘s ‘Man! I Feel Like a Woman’ began to play – pretty fitting, for ‘This Hell’ opens with the iconic, opening phrase from that song: “Let’s go, girls!”

The Hold The Girl Tour was absolutely electrifying. The production was so well-done that even the interludes in between each act had been thoroughly thought about. The interlude between the first and second act saw a member of the band play a guitar solo, the next allowed the dancers to show off their killer moves, and the final one was a mini DJ set.

Hold the Girl is so eclectic that there is something for everyone, and Sawayama even has you bopping along to songs you are unfamiliar with. She oozes energy, sexuality and understanding – yes, all of the above – which makes for a fun, fabulous night where you can be yourself and let yourself go (to Hell)!