The Sabrina & Olivia Tribute Act: Did St Andrews Just Hit Peak Pop?
- Sarannya Nanda
- Oct 5
- 3 min read
By Sarannya Nanda
Glitter on the floor, sticker tattoos, and freshers singing their lungs out like their lives depended on it. This wasn’t just another night at 601. Typically, Freshers’ Week is a blur of nights with questionable playlists. But this year, the Sabrina Carpenter & Olivia Rodrigo tribute act carved a special place in our hearts. This wasn’t like a typical concert or even a BOP night, but a tribute to two of the biggest pop icons of the moment, which made for a truly unforgettable night.
The performance transitioned from Olivia’s heartbreak ballads, “Driver’s License and “Good 4 U,” to Sabrina’s cheeky pop hits, “Espresso” and “Nonsense.” What made the tribute an incredible act was the production quality, which was to a high standard. Throughout the show, the performers made several outfit changes to match each artist’s persona. For Sabrina, she changed from sparkly corsets to a lace bodysuit just like in the concerts. On the other hand, Olivia wore darker shades for her heartbreak anthems and even brought in the GUTS microphone!
The cherry on top was the performance of the backup dancers, who kept the stage alive with choreography replicating moves from Sabrina’s and Olivia’s real concerts. This attention to detail from the outfits, the staging, and the choreography, captured the fans' attentions and kept them immersed in the performance.
Furthermore, the element that set this event apart was not just the music. Fans were handed accessories to match their outfits like colourful glasses and sticker tattoos, turning the audience into part of the spectacle. These props doubled as silly little souvenirs for freshers’ pin boards, whilst also making the crowd feel more invested in singing along than they might at a regular club night.
The vocals were another pleasant surprise. Matching Olivia Rodrigo’s raw emotion and Sabrina Carpenter’s cheeky clarity is no easy feat, but the performers were remarkably close. At times, if you closed your eyes, you would almost forget that this was not an actual concert. However, there were occasional slips, but tributes are rarely flawless. Even so, their commitment to recreating the artists’ styles carried it through.
The crowd didn’t seem to mind either as they were swept up in the energy of hearing their favourite songs. The atmosphere was infectious. As a fresher, it was exactly what I needed. In a week where everything felt new and overwhelming, this positive atmosphere made it so much easier to talk to people and form connections. It wasn’t just about the music, but about the way it brought us together.
That being said, not everything hit the right note. There were a few intervals in between that broke the flow of the act. Random filler tracks during breaks disrupted the momentum. A suggestion for next year’s event would be to have an opening act instead. Additionally, the start time was delayed, testing the patience of students before the event.
Still, for every hiccup there was a payoff. When the flamboyant lights hit and the performers came back out, it genuinely felt like an arena show for students. There was a collective scream when the music started playing and the disco lights sparkled across the room. In a town where the biggest venues are usually pubs and bars, this came close enough to feeling like St Andrews had its very own pop concert.
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