Suki Waterhouse @ MGM Music Hall 9/22

Photos by Isabella Laikin

Review by Kyra Papillo

Welcome to Loveland! With feathers and arrows, Suki Waterhouse, the British singer-songwriter and actress, enchanted fans with an alluring performance. Headlining her tour in support of her new album “Loveland,” Waterhouse made quite the entrance as a cupid’s arrow hit her heart, marking the start of the experience. At center stage, a disco anatomical heart spotlit the musician as she began her first song. 

Before Waterhouse took the stage, opener Charlotte Lawrence warmed up the crowd with an engaging, action-packed set. With songs like “Morning” and “Better Than This,” Lawrence connected with the audience through themes of love and heartbreak. Before one song, she told the crowd to scream “Fuck you, Johnny!” while introducing us to her grandparents, who were watching from the audience. This Los Angeles-based artist played hits from her 2025 album “Somewhere,” emulating an alternative-pop sound. With an enticing stage presence, Lawrence captured the crowd’s attention. To end on a high note, she invited everyone to sing along to her last song, a cover of  “Zombie” by The Cranberries. 

Amid the audience’s confusion, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” began playing, announcing the start of Waterhouse’s set. As she walked onto the stage, a phone began ringing, welcoming the audience to Loveland. This transitioned into “Supersad” from her 2024 album “Memoir of a Sparklemuffin.” Dancing in a sparkly jumpsuit accented by a sheer pink gown, she brought the album’s title to reality, while mesmerizing lights made the set feel like a 1970s love motel. This first show segment closed with “OMG,” as the entire crowd screamed along. 

When the stage lights returned, the opening chords of “Back in Love” began to play, accompanied by a story from the British pop icon about writing the song in Arizona. Then, the background drapery dropped dramatically, giving way to pink skies that highlighted the “Loveland” chapter. Midway through the concert, Waterhouse revealed that she has a love for Boston and would often hang out on Boston Common. Riling up the crowd, she threw a rose into the front row, changed into a feather-lined pink robe, and sat at her piano for “Notting Hill,” a melodic ballad about longing and nostalgia.

After an emotional song, the lights dimmed, and Waterhouse exited the stage to the echo of fans demanding an encore. In a bright blue robe and matching boxer shorts, Waterhouse theatrically returned and launched into “When I Get Drunk (I Want You Boy).”  She followed it with her smash hit “Good Looking,” which put her on the map when it was released in 2022. The crowd was completely captivated. To complement the performance, Waterhouse sat poised and windswept in front of an electric fan that blew her hair back, creating an ethereal glow. For a moment at the end of the song, she stepped off the stage and joined the audience on the floor, interacting with fans as she walked along the edge of the barricade. 

“Johanna” has always been one of my favorite Suki Waterhouse songs, so seeing it live again was a special moment for me. It brought me back to the last time I heard it on her 2024 The Sparklemuffin Tour. While no two concerts should ever be compared, this one felt like a whole new experience from when she was first becoming big in 2023 — one I was thrilled to be a part of. 

In between songs, Waterhouse asked the audience to share some “lore” for her to remember about Boston. Amid a myriad of fans shouting inside jokes, one shared the story of the Great Molasses Flood of 1919, which she and the crowd found quite amusing. To finish the evening, she closed with “Weirdo,” which she had just performed on Saturday Night Live, and “To Love.” 

As the saga ended, the crowd filtered out into the Boston chill in sparkles and pastels. With the conclusion of Loveland, Cupid’s arrow had done its work, and Boston was left hopelessly in love.