Written By Mauricio Segura // Photo: Golden Bay Times Graphics Dept.
You could feel the excitement before even stepping inside the Chase Center on Sunday. The people were electrified and eager to get in, and the buzz inside felt like it might lift the roof. When the lights finally dimmed and the projected wave effects set the mood, the noise turned physical, pure electricity surging through the room.
Then Dua Lipa appeared, rising from beneath the stage onto a bridge that spanned above the entire width of stage under a sharp beam of light. The crowd went ballistic. Her golden metallic outfit and boots gleamed majestically with every spotlight that hit her. She didn’t bother with small talk. The band kicked in, tight and punchy, and she launched straight into “Training Season.” The mix hit hard, bass pulsing through the floor, drums snapping clean, and her voice gliding over the top. The live arrangement gave her pop songs a bit of grit, and you could hear how confident she’s become as a performer.
Her dancers swept across the stage in bright, color-blocked outfits, hitting every move with surgical precision. Through a tireless run of “Break My Heart,” “Whatcha Doing,” and “Levitating,” the choreography stayed sharp but fluid, and she matched them beat for beat. Behind her, LED panels glowed and shifted between blues, pinks, and yellows, mirroring the mood of each song. It was theatrical but not overwhelming; you always knew who the star was.
She paused between songs just long enough to breathe, smiling as she took in the scene. “Everyone make some effing noise,” she shouted periodically, and the crowd answered like a wave. There was a sense that everyone there wanted to be part of the show, and she let them be.
A poignant moment came when she took a few minutes to visit fans in the front row one by one, talking, snapping selfies, accepting gifts, and giving hugs. I’ve never seen that before to this extent. I’ve seen artists shake hands or nod to a fan, but for her to spend time speaking with at least ten people and making them the stars of the concert, even briefly, showed how deeply she values the people who got her there. It was a genuine, unforgettable moment.
Midway through, she slowed the pace and stepped closer to the edge of the stage. “Every night we do a different surprise song by a local artist,” she said. “And I immediately thought about San Francisco, about all the incredible music that came out of it. I thought about one band in particular.” The screams shook the floor when Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day stepped out.
They sang “Wake Me Up When September Ends” together, Armstrong starting the first verse alone and Lipa joining on the chorus, their voices blending rawness and polish. It was a quick, emotional tribute that connected her sleek modern pop world to the Bay Area’s rock roots. When it ended, she hugged him, thanked him quietly, and turned back to her band as the crowd roared yet again.
From there, she shifted gears, powering through her own catalog with renewed energy. “Physical” hit like caffeine. “Electricity” turned the room into a full-on dance floor. Her band stayed locked in, live drums and bass adding warmth to songs most people only knew through headphones. The lighting pulsed with her moves, and her dancers seemed to orbit her like living satellites.
By the encore, everyone was on their feet. “Don’t Start Now” felt like a communal release, glitter and color sweeping the room. Then she closed with “Houdini,” the anthem that turned the Chase Center into a synchronized bounce of lights and voices.
Walking out after the show, it was clear: Dua Lipa isn’t just another pop star touring a big record. She’s building something bigger, her own language of movement, precision, and joy. That surprise duet may have stolen a few headlines, but the night belonged to her. Every beat, every light cue, every moment of connection, she owned it. Yes, I’m now a die-hard fan.
Setlist - October 12, 2025 - Chase Center, San Francisco
1. Training Season
2. End of an Era
3. Break My Heart
4. One Kiss
5. Watcha Doing
6. Levitating
7. These Walls
8. Wake Me Up When September Ends (w/ Billie Joe Armstrong)
9. Maria
10. Physical
11. Electricity
12. Hallucinate
13. Illusion
14. Falling Forever
15. Happy For You
16. Love Again
17. Anything For Love
18. Be The One
19. New Rules
20. Dance The Night
21. Don't Start Me Now
22. Houdidni
