Tove Lo Brings Her Unapologetic Energy to Chicago’s Salt Shed

Review and photos by Wendy Davis

A warm, foggy, late summer Chicago evening – the perfect night for an outdoor show with Tove Lo! With bleachers, balconies, and a huge lot full of people, Chicago’s Salt Shed is a notably unique venue with an outdoor space that makes every show feel like its own music festival. Thousands of fans packed in, all dressed in their best dancing garb, ready for Tove Lo to electrify the night. As the post-rain evening gloom settled in and Chicago’s skyline peeked out from under the low clouds in the distance, the stage lights lowered, and it was time to party.

Opening up the night was Mallrat, who gave all her energy in getting the crowd warmed up for the exciting night that was about to come. Marching with confidence in cat ear headphones and a blue mini skirt, she gave the crowd a taste of the unapologetic flair that the headliner was about to deliver at the maximum level.

After a brief weather delay between sets, the crowd was fired up, anxiously waiting for Tove Lo to take the stage. Sure enough, at 8:10 on the dot, the stage went black and the cheering commenced. Intermittent strobe lights flashed from the side stages, building the suspense as her band slowly made their way to their posts. After about a minute, Tove angelically revealed herself under the spotlight, atop an LED platform overlooking the stage.

Opening with “a lot of feelings, no solutions”, she immediately exuded this contagious confidence of a woman who is not afraid to command a space. Her sash reading “I’M THE F*CKING CAKE” said it all. After spending the first two songs atop the platform, she made her way down onto the stage for “I’m the cake”, getting all the way up to the front edge, pulling those fans right in. She proudly flaunted this energy throughout the whole show – the powerful voice, barefoot dancing, and periodically stopping to talk to the crowd about what certain songs mean to her personally. The stage production brought the magic all together with smoke and whimsical elements flashing on the screens throughout.

This night was a great example of how an audience can match the artist’s energy perfectly. A diverse crowd of prominently women and queer folks danced in every corner of the space. There was a clear theme of shiny fabrics, black boots, lots of jewelry, and any form of revealing clothing you could imagine.

Perfectly on theme for a summer pop concert! The movement was infectious with songs like “Grapefruit” and fan favorite “Talking Body” making it impossible to stand still. After a long night of nonstop dancing, Tove Lo pulled out two more for her encore, finishing off the night with “HEAT” and “I’m your girl, right?” Overall, this show was a perfect way to cap off the summer – bopping to some great beats, on a warm night, with Chicago’s skyline shining in the distance. Don’t miss out on Tove Lo’s remaining dates on her ESTRUS tour!