Review and Photography by Robert Barrett

At this point in time Tove Lo is almost pop royalty. Over the past ten years she has evolved from a behind the scenes songwriter to a fully-fledged superstar in her own right. Currently touring her latest record “Dirt Femme”, she treated Birmingham to an incredible show worthy of much bigger rooms.

Kicking off in full throttle with her bouncy SG Lewis collaboration “Pineapple Slices”, Tove donned the stage in a roman gladiatorial garb (although I can’t imagine Russell Crow wearing this version), one of the many outfit changes of the night.

Following this with “Attention whore” and “Cool Girl” was a strong start to the show, showing the vast array pop bangers she has under her belt. It’s easy to see the positive effect touring recently with Dua Lipa has had on her show, a mix of well-crafted dance routines, impeccable song choices that screamed out for a bigger stage than the Institute.  

The set did take some time to cool down at points, her acoustic rendition of “Moments” was a real highlight, showcasing her incredible vocal range alongside her song writing skills.

The majority of tracks were lifted from the new record, even the encore featured two recent singles “I’m to Blame” and “No One Dies from Love”. It’s a testament to Tove Lo’s continued success and evolution to end on such recent tracks. All she needs is that one big hit, and she will be on equally big stages as her counterparts, her show is ready for it.