PHOTOS: Tove Lo – Portland, OR – 2/26/2023

Last Saturday night, Swedish pop superstar Tove Lo brought her latest album Dirt Femme to life at Portland’s Roseland Theater. Her show on Saturday came exactly three years after her last performance at the venue, during which she did the entire show in a medical boot due to an ankle injury. She was stellar three years ago despite the injury, but this time around she was fully healed and delivered a truly unforgettable anniversary performance.

After a high energy opening set from the bombastic pop singer Slayyyter, the Roseland crowd was visibly pumped for their reunion with Tove Lo. When the synths of SG Lewis collaboration “Pineapple Slice” started pulsing through the speakers, Tove strutted on stage while blowing a kiss to the cheering crowd. Unencumbered by any medical gear, she took full advantage of her movement as she danced her way across the stage, bringing charm and intrigue with her everywhere she went.

Vocally, she stunned from the first note. Most of the setlist was upbeat pop, but her vocals never failed to cut through the mix and deliver that extra live flavor. Sometimes punchy and other times moving, her voice carried emotion and commanded attention.

The show consisted of mainly songs from Dirt Femme including standouts like “2 Die 4” and “Grapefruit” but Tove heavily featured her back catalogue as well. She played at least one track from every album she’s released including tracks like “Disco Tits”, “Cool Girl”, and “Glad He’s Gone” which have emerged as standouts in her impressive discography. Another definite standout was the vulnerable “Moments” from her debut album Queen of the Clouds, which gave her the first chance of the night to slow things down and show a different side to her artistry.

During the encore, she surprised the crowd by singing her 2019 track “Passion and Pain Taste the Same When I’m Weak” live for the first time ever. The theater fell silent while Tove sang the lyrics, her voice piercing the sorrowful instrumental. It was a beautiful and emotional moment that marched the show into its final two songs; her breakout single “Habits (Stay High)” and Dirt Femme opening track “No One Dies From Love.”

These final two tracks worked as perfect one-two punch to close out the show, taking us on a journey from her first single to one of her most recent. It showed how far she’s come after nearly a decade and proved why she’s one of the most consistent pop stars working. From top to bottom, the show was an immaculate display of pop excellence that was a perfect return to Portland for Tove Lo.

Check out some photos from the show below and click here to see her remaining tour dates.