After enduring scorching temperatures for most of the summer, the city of Austin, Texas welcomed No Doubt frontwoman, and all around badass, Gwen Stefani with open arms... and a two-day downpour which caused flooding in some areas of the world's music capital. Promoting her most recent number-one album, This Is What The Truth Feels Like, the artist commanded the stage and the soaking wet crowd with iconic staples from each of her three solo studio albums, with added surprises for die-hard fans of her band days.
At the Austin 360 Amphitheater, following a solid opening performance by touring mate Eve (YAAAAASSS! for "Tambourine"), Stefani kicked off the anticipated show with a subtle rendition of "Red Flag". Not the best way to start things off, but with a quick change of pace and energy for Sound of Music-sampling "Wind It Up", the tour was destined to be one big party. Original album lead single "Baby Don't Lie" soon followed and sounded even better with the support of live instrumentals, while "Obsessed" brought out the artist's trademark wacky persona, and "Where Would I Be?" became an endearing showcase of her vulnerability and uncertainty.
Following a couple of selfies with lucky VIP fans, and a personal dedication to one in the crowd, Stefani delicately belted out fan favorite "Cool" with as much emotion as was present when the song first impacted listeners in 2004. This paved the way for Truth singles "Make Me Like You" and "Misery" to make their way out, with an unexpected performance of No Doubt-staple "Underneath It All" sandwiched in between. Both singles perfectly embodied the confusing, lovestruck feelings the artist dealt with during the new album's recording process.
"Luxurious" sounded as edgy and fresh as it did when it was initially released. The R&B vibe of the Love. Angel. Music. Baby. single was an appropriate lead in to Eve's return to the stage. The two artists joined forces for the GRAMMY-winning "Let Me Blow Your Mind" and top ten, Fiddler on the Roof-inspired hit "Rich Girl". Neither lacked the required attitude and playfulness, and the fan reaction highlighted the staying power of the decade-old collaborations.
"Hella Good" began another segment of the tour, getting the crowd up and their feet and dancing along, as Stefani covered the entire stage for the night's most lively performance. Labelled her "favorite" moment on her third studio album, "Rare" was a tender ode to finding a new flame (Blake Shelton), and those personal sentiments were not ignored during the live rendition. Stefani appeared emotional for the show's most sincere number. "What Are You Waiting For?", the start of Stefani's solo career, provided momentum for "It's My Life", both of which garnered positive audience response.
Fetty Wap was apparently unavailable for "Asking 4 It", the low point for both the album and tour stop. Thankfully, a heart-wrenching performance of "Don't Speak" put things back on track, while "Naughty" boosted the energy right before another thought-provoking and solemn moment in the form of "Used To Love You", a track that should have been a bigger commercial success. It all came to a close with an awaited performance of "Hollaback Girl", still Stefani's biggest hit to date, and likely her signature tune for the rest of her career. Even in the rain, fans still went B-A-N-A-N-A-S for a song released 12 years ago.
Encores are a strange occurrence on tours... do we expect the artist to just vanish without performing some of their most famous songs? Luckily, Stefani's absence from the stage was short, and her encore was three tracks long. The tour's title track likely summed up an album most attendees hadn't purchased, while "Just A Girl" and "The Sweet Escape" riled up the crowd once again for an effective, memorable closing to an overall enjoyable and unique music experience.
Stefani unfortunately did not play this blogger's favorite Truth track, the sugary, heartfelt "You're My Favorite", the alluring and trans-formative "Getting Warming" or tragic, underappreciated ballad "4 In the Morning", yet even with those important parts missing, the artist's current tour seemed to make a case for an album that went by too quickly and a diverse career that may be pigeon-holed just because of a particular, record-breaking era in the early 00s. Stefani is a force in the business, and proved she will continue to be one.
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