Katy Perry arrives in Cardiff with a show that was as colourful, chaotic and larger than life as you would expect from one of the world’s biggest pop stars.
Supported by Mimi Webb, whose fantastic vocals shone throughout her set, including a brilliant cover of The Climb, the evening got off to the perfect start. Webb continues to prove she is much more than just a support act, confidently winning over the sold-out Cardiff Castle crowd before the main event.
And after a fairly long changeover on stage of just under an hour, which could be partly down to local artist Nathan Wyburn who presenter the star with one of his amazing art work. but she appear on a large phone and appears that she is running down the street to get to the stage.
Playing to a packed Cardiff Castle, she is carried onto the stage determined to entertain and for nearly two hours did exactly that. Fans arrived dressed as everything from giant fries and burgers to sparkling unicorns, perfectly matching the playful atmosphere that surrounded the show.
Katy made an immediate statement on stage dressed in a white shirt and American tie beneath the words “I Am Not A Robot.” It felt like a playful nod to the online criticism and conspiracy theories that have surrounded her in recent months, from claims she’s an AI-generated performer to jokes following her highly publicised space flight. Rather than shy away from the headlines, she embraced them with humour, proving from the very first moment that she’s happy to laugh along and simply get on with entertaining people.
And entertain she did.
This felt very much like a celebration of Katy Perry’s incredible catalogue. While newer material had its place, the night was built around the songs that have made her one of pop’s biggest stars. Hit after hit kept the castle singing, dancing and smiling from start to finish.
The production was exactly what you would expect from Katy Perry. Every song brought a new surprise, whether it was dancers dressed as Muscle men, astronauts, aliens and suited characters, enormous props or dazzling visuals that constantly transformed the stage. At one point an alien even handed Katy a Welsh flag, which she proudly planted on the stage to the delight of the Cardiff crowd.
One of the evening’s funniest moments came during the live camera games. Stood on a giant computer console, Katy scanned the audience with cameras, challenging fans to complete different tasks including acting sober in the office, taking on the mannequin challenge and reacting to increasingly outrageous prompts. Every person the camera landed on didn’t quite seem ready for their moment, making it one of the biggest laughs of the night.
Then, of course, there was the now-famous inflatable water bottle. Watching one of the world’s biggest pop stars crowd surf around Cardiff Castle inside a giant plastic bottle is one of those moments that simply has to be seen to be believed.
The show wasn’t without its surprises. There were a few moments where Katy’s language became more explicit than some parents of younger fans may have expected. However, she quickly joked that it was well past the watershed, and the crowd seemed more than happy to go along with it.
Throughout the night, Katy never stopped moving. Whether she was chatting to the audience, playing games with fans, belting out huge choruses or embracing the complete madness unfolding around her, she reminded everyone why she remains one of pop’s most captivating performers and almost to big for the intimate Castle grounds.
This wasn’t just another concert. It was a full-scale pop spectacular packed with colour, humour, nostalgia and pure entertainment.
Whatever the internet may say about her, Katy Perry made one thing crystal clear in Cardiff. She’s here to have fun, and she took an entire castle with her.
A powerhouse performer, a true pop icon and a night that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
