Kim Petras Hit the Sweet Spot of WOO-AH at Denver's Ogden Theatre
/Born and raised in Germany, transgender pop star Kim Petras gave Denver a performance that was anything but icy on this past cold Wednesday night. The singer gained popularity after releasing her debut single, “I Don’t Want It All” produced by Dr. Luke in 2017. In support of her debut full-length album, Clarity, she brought her tour of the same name to Ogden Theatre this week.
Alex Chapman opened with a DJ set full of pop cult classics. His turntables pushed pop songs spanning from Britney Spears to Lady Gaga to Mariah Carey to Grimes. The hour-long set made fans feel right at home, where people danced and sang along to songs they probably heard on the radio years ago, before streaming made its imprint on culture. The throwback pop sing-alongs were a precursor to Kim Petras’ music, which has a knack for bringing retro elements into the future of pop music.
The main attraction, Kim Petras burst onto the stage in front of a massive light display alongside collaborator and DJ, Aaron Joseph. In true fashion she opened the night with “Clarity” in thigh-high boots and a black tutu. After the song, fans cheered for what felt like ages. Kim paused for a moment to take in the energy with a smile on her face and sparkles in her eyes before asking the crowd to stop because the applause was “making her emo.” A trifecta of top-tier pop songs came soon after with “I Don’t Want it All,” “Hillside Boys,” and a mashup of songs “Unlock It” and “Click,” both of which she is a featured on with Charli XCX.
The first half of the show, Kim was sweet, shy and smiley. She settled into her element when she returned from an outfit change to perform “There Will Be Blood” on a rotating platform. This is where Kim Petras is at her best: singing dark pop songs with thumping beats and a light show reminiscent of an underground rave. The next slew of songs, Kim was sassy, sexy and confident. The crowd sang along, jumped up and down and felt the music pulse through their bodies as the ice princess pranced around the stage. The flashing light show, thumping beats, and hot ,crowded floor made me feel like I was at a club. We were only missing a disco ball.
A tender moment occurred towards the end of the show where Kim stripped down to a baby blue t-shirt. She sat next to Aaron, who strummed a guitar as she sang an acoustic cover of The Killers’ song “Human.” She explained that pop music has always been her escape, and “Human” was a song she loved to escape with. Her voice carried the track, as fans sang along and swayed their hands in the air with the house lights on, a drastic change from the last section of songs. The show ended with a sugar rush, with Kim closing on “Sweet Spot,” a disco-tinged, feel-good number.
Throughout the show, Kim Petras dominated the stage with her signature ‘WOO-AH!’ moments. She offered everything one looks for in a pop show: dance, art, pop, lights and technology. Even with blaring beats pulsing through the theatre, her voice reached heights that matched the 5280-foot elevation in the Mile High City. At the end of the night, it was clear that for Kim Petras, this is only the beginning of a long-lasting career in the music industry.
See more photos from this show here.
All photos, videos, and embedded tracks per the artists featured and those credited. This feature was edited for brevity and clarity by BolderBeat.