When Olivia Rodrigo announced her Sour Tour in 2022, I knew I had to make it to at least one of the shows. What I didn’t realize at the time was how special it would feel to see her at Massey Hall in Toronto—a venue that’s intimate by today’s pop standards, especially for someone whose career had exploded overnight. This wasn’t an arena spectacle with pyro, moving stages, and endless costume changes. It was something more raw, more personal, and more connected. By the end of the night, I felt like I’d been let into Olivia’s world, and judging by the energy in that historic room, I wasn’t the only one.
The Opening Firestorm
The night kicked off with “brutal,” and Olivia didn’t ease us into anything. The guitars ripped through Massey Hall like a chainsaw, and the lights blasted red and white as she stomped across the stage. Hearing thousands of voices scream along to “I’m so insecure I think / that I’ll die before I drink” was surreal—there was this weird combination of humor and pain that made the room both laugh and rage together.
She wasted no time diving into “jealousy, jealousy,” which hit just as hard. The bassline shook the wooden floor of Massey Hall, and Olivia leaned into the sarcasm of the lyrics with a knowing smirk. The song was cathartic, almost punk-like live, and the crowd treated it that way, turning the seated hall into a standing-room riot.
The Emotional Heart
Just when we thought the night might be all grit and snarling guitars, Olivia sat down at the piano and started “drivers license.” I’d been waiting for that moment, and I don’t think I was prepared for how heavy it would hit. Everyone in the crowd seemed to stop moving, phones raised, some people already crying. It wasn’t just her singing—it was the way she closed her eyes during the chorus, as if reliving the moment all over again. I’ve heard a lot of live songs where the audience drowns out the performer, but Olivia held her own against the sea of voices. It felt communal, like we were all letting our heartbreaks air out together.
A Surprise Guest
The night was already unforgettable, but then Olivia turned it into something historic. She introduced a guest—“someone who inspired me to make music in the first place”—and out walked Avril Lavigne. The crowd lost it. Toronto went absolutely insane.
Together, they ripped into “Complicated,” Avril’s 2002 classic. Olivia was glowing the whole time, clearly living her teenage dream, and Avril looked like she was having a blast handing the torch to a new generation. It wasn’t just a gimmick—it was a moment of pop-punk history being passed from one icon to the next. Everyone in the building knew they were watching something they’d tell stories about years from now.
Stripped Down and Intimate
After that adrenaline high, Olivia pulled things back with a rare acoustic moment. She played “hope ur ok” by herself on guitar, and the stripped-down arrangement highlighted how delicate and empathetic the song is. She explained that it was about people from her past who carried pain they never should have had to. In a venue like Massey Hall, it landed perfectly—you could hear a pin drop, and every word landed like a direct conversation.
She followed it with a clever mash-up of “enough for you / 1 step forward, 3 steps back.” Hearing them together emphasized how much those two songs live in the same emotional universe—quiet reflections on vulnerability, insecurity, and yearning. She sat at the piano again, and the hall filled with a softness that felt like a collective exhale.
The Climb Back Up
“happier” brought the mood into bittersweet territory. She sang it with this fragile smile, like she was in on the irony of it all, and when she hit the line “I hope you’re happy, but don’t be happier,” the crowd practically shouted it back at her.
Then came “All I Want.” If you’ve seen High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, you know this one, but live, it turned into a showcase of her vocal power. She belted it with an urgency that made it clear this wasn’t just a Disney+ moment—it was her claiming it as part of her canon.
The biggest curveball of the night came next: “Seether,” the Veruca Salt cover. This was Olivia leaning into her rock influences, snarling the chorus with a punk edge. The crowd maybe didn’t know every word, but they got into the energy of it. It was noisy, messy, and perfect.
Deep in the SOUR Wounds
The home stretch of the setlist hit hard.
“favorite crime” was stripped down and tender, her voice practically trembling through the verses. It contrasted beautifully with the full-band version of “traitor” that followed. She gave “traitor” a little more fire live than on the record—almost angry in parts, as though time had turned sadness into frustration. The extended outro had the band hammering the chords while Olivia leaned into the mic, screaming the last lines as if she’d finally said her piece.
Then came “deja vu.” Bright visuals, neon colors, and Olivia leaning into her cheeky side. The audience shouted “strawberry ice cream in Malibu” like it was gospel. The song ended with a big outro jam, and she skipped around the stage, laughing and egging the crowd on. It was one of those songs that felt lighter live, less like a breakup track and more like a celebration of the shared absurdities of love.
The Encore
Of course, she couldn’t leave without the song that had become the anthem of her rise. For the encore, Olivia returned to the stage to the opening notes of “good 4 u.” The place exploded. If Massey Hall had a roof to blow off, that would’ve been the moment. The entire floor turned into a pogoing sea of fans screaming every line. The chorus was feral—like catharsis set to three minutes of pop-punk fire.
Olivia threw herself into it, hair flying, her voice powerful enough to cut through the roar. When the song ended, she stood there grinning, waving, and thanking Toronto like she knew she had just been part of one of those shows people never forget.
Final Thoughts
Walking out of Massey Hall, I couldn’t stop smiling. Olivia Rodrigo’s April 29th, 2022 show wasn’t just another night on the Sour Tour. It was a carefully crafted blend of teenage angst, genuine vulnerability, and pure joy. She brought out her heroes, gave space to her own band to shine, and most importantly, created a safe space where thousands of fans could scream, cry, and heal together.
The setlist balanced the obvious hits with deep cuts and surprises, the venue gave it an intimate energy you won’t get at a stadium, and Olivia herself delivered with a mix of youthful chaos and old-soul wisdom.
For me, the highlight will always be that duet with Avril Lavigne. It wasn’t just two artists sharing a stage—it was two generations of women in pop-punk connecting in a way that felt symbolic. But beyond that moment, every song carried weight. “drivers license” reminded us of heartbreak’s sting, “hope ur ok” gave us empathy, and “good 4 u” sent us out into the night feeling like warriors.
Olivia Rodrigo may have been only a year into her first headlining tour, but that night in Toronto proved she was more than ready to carry an entire era on her shoulders. If you were there, you know how special it was. And if you weren’t—you’ll just have to take our word for it.