Some nights are carefully planned: you pick the city, the venue, the exact seat, maybe even what snack you’ll be sneaking in. Other nights? Well… other nights the universe has a sense of humor. We weren’t supposed to be in New Jersey. Our private flight to Virginia Beach got rerouted to Newark due to who the hell knows why, leaving us stuck for the night. Flights out wouldn’t be available until the next morning, and after wandering the airport a bit dazed, we decided to check local concerts. Katy Perry was playing the Prudential Center. And honestly, we were like, eh why not? As long as it’s cheap, because her shows now days are nothing like her shows 10 years ago
The story gets better. While standing in line to get in — unsure if this last-minute adventure would even pan out — we checked StubHub. Somehow, there were tickets available, right there, right then, for five bucks. Five dollars. Each. For Katy Perry. In an NHL Arena. We grabbed them immediately, shoved our snacks in our pockets, and rolled with it. Expectations were somewhere between “meh” and “well, this will be a funny story.” Little did we know, we were about to witness a perfectly adequate pop concert — entertaining, occasionally fun, but not exactly life-changing.
Level 1 – Pop Meets Video Game
The show kicked off with “Level 1” lighting up the massive LED screens, immediately introducing the video game-inspired concept for the tour. It’s a bold idea: each “level” representing a stage in her career and a different mood in the concert. Katy emerged from a glowing cube in a reflective silver bodysuit, like some sort of futuristic pop heroine. “ARTIFICIAL” opened the show, followed by “Chained to the Rhythm,” “Teary Eyes,” and “Dark Horse.”
The production values were undeniably impressive — smoke, lights, lasers — but the energy felt… safe. There’s no denying that Katy Perry is a professional. She moves, she dances, she hits the notes (when she actually sings, There is A LOT of overlay in her shows). But in these first few songs, the crowd’s reaction was more polite than ecstatic. It was a polished opening, like the pop version of a first-day-of-school performance: competent, confident, but not jaw-dropping.
Level 2 – Hits and Nostalgia
After a short interlude, “Level 2” hit, and Perry reappeared in a bright yellow outfit that screamed “look, I’m still fun and bubbly, and yes, I know you love my early hits.” She kicked off “WOMAN’S WORLD”, which got the crowd clapping along, though the energy never quite hit a fever pitch. “California Gurls” and “Teenage Dream” were next, instantly recognizable and singable. The crowd joined in enthusiastically — even people like us, who had basically stumbled here by accident.
Then came the medley: “Hot n Cold” and “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”. Nostalgia oozed from the speakers, and yes, it was fun. “Peacock” was teased briefly, and “I Kissed a Girl” made an appearance. The audience went nuts, naturally. But even with these big hits, the show felt like it was being delivered with a lot of precision and predictability — enjoyable, yes, but not the sort of pop magic that makes stadiums shake or your jaw drop.
Level 3 – Slowing It Down
“Level 3” brought a more mid-tempo, introspective mood. “NIRVANA,” “CRUSH,” “I’M HIS, HE’S MINE,” and “Wide Awake” were performed with solid vocals and smooth choreography, but the overall energy dipped a bit. At this point, the show felt comfortable, competent, and… fine. We were enjoying ourselves, sure, but there weren’t any moments that made us think, “Wow, this is going to stay in my memory forever.”
Perry tried to use arial stunts like Pink, but they sort of fell flat. It was the JV team compared to Pink’s Elite Varsity team. It was actually kind of sad. Maybe swigging around someone north of 40 wasn’t the best idea.
The “Level 3.5” segment was the deep cut playground. Katy dove into snippets of “Fingerprints,” “Long Shot,” “Electric,” and even “Hackensack”, the Fountains of Wayne cover. For die-hard fans, this was a treat. For us last-minute ticket holders, it felt a little like she was saying, “Here’s a mix of things you might recognize if you’ve been paying attention for the past decade.” Full songs like “Pearl,” “The One That Got Away,” and “ALL THE LOVE” landed a little better. “Pearl” was genuinely sweet — her voice was warm, and for a brief moment, it felt intimate despite the stadium setting. Again, the rare times she was actually doing the singing.
One thing, during CRUSH she started stripping off articles of clothes until she was in a barely covering herself body suit, ala Dua Lipa. Again, this might work for a young artist like Dua Lipa or Sabrina Carpenter, but for someone in their 40s, it came across as sort of weird and sad, and very thirsty
Level 4 – Flames and Flash
“Level 4” cranked the energy back up. Flames, strobe lights, and bright visuals accompanied “E.T.”, “Part of Me”, and “Rise.” It was visually impressive and delivered the kind of stadium spectacle you expect from Katy Perry. The problem was, it was very… formulaic. Everything hit where it was supposed to hit, but there were no surprises. The audience cheered, clapped, and sang along, but the performance didn’t feel electrifying. It was like attending a fireworks show where you know exactly which firework will go off next. Fun, but not breathtaking.
Level 5 – The Big Hits
The final level brought out her stadium anthems: “Roar,” “Daisies,” “LIFETIMES,” and the inevitable “Firework.” The crowd sang along as expected, lights flashed, and fireworks — literally — went off. Perry was smiling, clearly enjoying herself, and the audience was happy. But for us, it was more about checking a box than being moved to tears or awe. The sing-alongs were fun, but the climactic finale, while bright and loud, lacked a certain spark that makes a show unforgettable.
The Overall Experience
Here’s the thing: this was a good show. Solid vocals (when real), slick production, big hits, some fun visuals. If you’re a Katy Perry fan, it’s exactly what you expect. If you stumble into it by accident — as we did — it’s entertaining, and at $5 a ticket, you basically can’t complain.
But let’s be honest: the show was okay to pretty good. It wasn’t spectacular. There were a few bright spots — “Pearl” stood out, the sing-alongs hit hard, and seeing “Hackensack” live was fun — but mostly it felt like we were watching a professional pop star go through the motions. And that’s not a criticism so much as a reflection of what it was: a well-oiled, fun, predictable pop machine.
That said, it was impossible not to get caught up in it a little. The crowd was singing every word, lights flashed, and the whole arena had a celebratory feel. We laughed, sang, and clapped along. For five dollars, in a city we weren’t supposed to be in, it felt like a gift from the universe — even if it wasn’t a night we’ll remember for the rest of our lives.
Honestly, for a spontaneous, last-minute adventure, the night couldn’t have been more enjoyable. Katy Perry delivered exactly what she promised: a competent, colorful, and fully staged pop spectacle. Nothing mind-blowing, but it worked. It killed time, kept us entertained, and gave us a story we’ll be telling for years about the time we accidentally saw Katy Perry for five bucks. That, in itself, is a small kind of magic.
Grade: B
Setlist:
Level 1: ARTIFICIAL / Chained to the Rhythm / Teary Eyes / Dark Horse
Level 2: WOMAN’S WORLD / California Gurls / Teenage Dream / Hot n Cold / Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) / Peacock (Snippet) / I Kissed a Girl
Level 3: NIRVANA / CRUSH / I’M HIS, HE’S MINE / Wide Awake
Level 3.5: Fingerprints (Snippet) / Long Shot (Snippet) / Electric (Snippet) / Hackensack (Snippet) / Pearl / The One That Got Away / ALL THE LOVE
Level 4: E.T. / Part of Me / Rise
Level 5: Roar / Daisies / LIFETIMES / Firework