For two nights, Chappell Roan sold out Brookside at the Rose Bowl, performing to some 80,000 fans across two nights. It wasn’t your typical concert; it was a legit music festival with all the bells and whistles (and pink cowgirl hats and feathered boas).

It’s extraordinary that Chappell Roan alone sold out two nights at Brookside, which is usually the site of music festivals like Just Like Heaven and Cruel World.

“That’s not impressive, bands do that all the time. Not taking away from her, just a silly caption.”
~ random dude on Instagram

There’s always that one man who has to say something negative about a successful woman in music … it’s seriously fucking exhausting.

Chappell Roan at Brookside in Pasadena by Ragan Henderson

It’s Beyond Impressive

At night, two of Chappell Roan’s Pasadena shows, I marveled at the festival-like crowd she had summoned. My staff and I have been to Brookside at the Rose Bowl countless times, covering music festivals like the old school Arroyo Seco Weekend and Pasadena Daydream, to Brookside regulars Just Like Heaven, Cruel World, and Head In The Clouds. But never had we experienced one single artist entertaining their own music festival with everything curated to their persona.

The funny thing is, Chappell could’ve easily loaded 200,000 across both nights. Festival organizers, Goldenvoice, who produced Chappell Roan’s pop-up shows at Brookside, are also the organizers behind the aforementioned music festivals, not to mention a certain music you may have heard of: Coachella. I’m not sure why they didn’t open the floodgates to allow up to 100,000 people, since Brookside can accommodate that number of attendees, but the demand was definitely there.

Many Grimy Goods readers and social media followers shared they weren’t lucky enough to score tickets. While the demand was there, I imagine event organizers kept it at 40,000 per night to ensure an optimal overall experience. I mean, it would probably be a major FOMO-sad-face to experience Chappell all the way from the main entrance of Brookside (which feels like a mile away), where there is usually a secondary stage for music festivals held there. But seeing that Chappell can’t teleport from stage 1 to stage 2, we were all better suited as is.

And can we talk about fair ticket pricing? What Chappell Roan did with her Visions of Damsels & Other Dangerous Things pop-up shows is what more pop stars of her magnitude need to do. For just $126, fans not only got to experience Chappell Roan live, but they also received an entire music festival experience, complete with performers, photo activations, food and drink vendors, and plenty of fun. It was like a carnival.

Meanwhile, other pop stars who play stadiums will charge you the same price (if not more) for a nosebleed ticket, and all you get is that one stadium experience. I’m not saying that those experiences aren’t as memorable because I had the most incredible time at Lady Gaga, and apparently so did Chappell; however, Chappell Roan gave way more bang for her buck with her music festival (just gonna call it the Chappell Roan music festival because that’s what it was).

Additionally, $1 from each ticket sale was donated to organizations that provide resources and support for transgender youth.

A Supernova of a Femininomenon

Sure, several bands and artists can also sell out two nights at Brookside, but the thing is, they haven’t. Chappell is the first to accomplish such a feat at Brookside, which has become the “Pink Pony Club” queen’s biggest headline show to date. She single-handedly commanded a music festival that sold out in minutes, with a demand for thousands more.

But what’s unique about Chappell’s situation is that she is not a band; yes, she has an incredible backing band (who are truly badass), but she is just one human.

Chappell Roan’s trajectory is unlike any other band or pop artist. I mean, the girl hasn’t even been able to do a proper arena or stadium tour. That’s how high in demand she has been.

Chappell Roan at Brookside in Pasadena by Ragan Henderson

She went from playing to a few people in an L.A. park in 2021 to opening for artists like Fletcher in 2022. In that same year, she headlined her first L.A. show, which was in front of about 500 people at The Troubadour in West Hollywood. It wasn’t until 2023 that Chappell was selling out medium-sized venues, such as the Fonda Theatre. But after she opened for Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS Tour in 2024, followed by her Coachella sets, it was all [red wine] supernova from there on.

Since Coachella, it’s been one music festival after another, in between wrapping up The Midwest Princess Tour at medium-sized venues. And at these festivals, despite not being a headliner, she often commanded a crowd far larger than the headliners themselves.

Chappell has never done a headline arena or stadium tour. She skipped it all and went straight to basically her very own music festival at Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena as part of her Visions of Damsels & Other Dangerous Things pop-up shows. She is what you call: a “femininomenon.”

A Pop Artist with No Backtrack?!

To sweeten the pot, she’s not your traditional pop artist. I’ll admit, I am not a fan of conventional pop in the vein of Taylor Swift and Tate McRae. However, the first time I heard “Good Luck, babe!,” I was like, who is this operatic, synth pop queen? I need more. To listen to that song live in my community of Pasadena was magical. She hit every note effortlessly and sounded even better live.

Most pop artists of Chappell’s notoriety tend to rely heavily on the backing track; it was crystal clear (easily discernible between breaths and with the crowd filling in the chorus) that Chappell was singing without a backtrack.

I’m not one of those people that was hip to Chappell Roan early on. My pop leanings have always been indie and alt, and not of the mainstream Top 40, but Chappell stopped me in my tracks with her steamy, honest, and absurdly energizing anthems wrapped in queer and camp splendor.

And in Pasadena, my first time seeing her live, it was all the more special with my 8-year-old daughter. We both found comfort in endless plays of “Pink Pony Club” and “HOT TO GO” after our community was leveled by the Eaton fire.

Witnessing Chappell Roan live just 3 miles from our home, with the ones I love most, was an emotional and joy-filled experience. Her lyrics and vulnerable storytelling hit, even if they don’t directly apply to one’s situation. They can be just as compelling and cathartic, given the challenges one is facing at that moment in time.

(And yes, navigating those clever steamy lyrics can be pretty tricky with a little one, but we don’t believe in censoring music in our household, instead we have plenty of conversations surrounding our daughter’s questions, and we’re pretty good at improvising lyrical meaning.)

Preach, Girl!

Adding to what makes Chappell Roan the unicorn pop star going against the grain, she is 100% herself. She’s not fake or performative. I’ve never seen a pop artist speak up for marginalized and oppressed people in the way that Chappell does. She is no stranger to using her massive platforms to bring awareness to inhumane situations, she is not afraid to express her political views, and she certainly knows how to set boundaries.

Her Pasadena gigs were no different.

Ahead of Chappell Roan’s touching ballad “Kaleidoscope,” she spoke directly to her fans in an emotional show of honesty and vulnerability, sharing her struggles with touring and ultimately why she chooses to do it.

Btw, Chappell’s vocals truly shone flawlessly during this vocally challenging song.

“Last year I was really questioning, why am I doing this to myself. I’m so sad. I feel so left out in public. I feel so awkward all the time, and I always felt like, well, actually, why am I putting myself through this if this feels so, if this is taking so much away from me, what is this for? And then I started doing shows again and it all made sense. It was to literally bring queer people joy in a time that there’s so many things in the world that are so ‘fuck you.’ And then there’s this, and I’m like, it’s the only thing that matters is joy anymore. To me, that’s it.”

“I’m protecting that and peace and safety. So I hope you know that when you are here, you are safe and I want you here. You can be whoever you are tonight. You are cherished for everything that you are.”

“And even if you’re not queer, I hope you know that, I include you. This isn’t just for the gays. I want you to know that protecting this joy is the most important thing and protecting peace and safety.”

The night before, Chappell spoke up about her love for Los Angeles and how she lived in Altadena. She paused while talking about the Eaton Fire. Anyone who lives in the Denas knows that discussing this topic can be very emotional. I still don’t think those outside of our bubble understand the magnitude of devastation and hurt that was caused by the fire. To hear Chappell speak of Altadena, and recall how quickly the community came together to help one another, was moving.

“I’m so lucky to be able to live here and play here and this city has taken care of me and it’s only my duty to take care of it back …”

“And … fuck ICE forever … fuck ICE.”

You Attract What You Put Out

Chappell Roan’s fans are just as vibrant and welcoming as she is. We come in all ages, sizes, colors, and personas, but none of us is perfect. There were some WTFs and entitled fucks (as with all concerts). However, before I delve into that, it was beautiful to see such a diverse mix of people here, all united by their love for one artist.

I was thrilled to bring my eight-year-old daughter, who is no stranger to concerts and music festivals. My husband, her father, put on his big pink and very bright Princess Hennin on (a handmade gift from our dear friends) and happily joined the Pink Pony Club, singing his heart out every step of the way. The boy goes off.

@grimysandra Watching him and our daughter sing and dance to HOT TO GO with so much joy was everything. Seriously the best dad. 🩷 #chappellroan #pasadena #pinkponyclub ♬ Pink Pony Club – Chappell Roan

The entire vibe at Chappell Roan in Pasadena was golden. However, some drunk and obnoxious middle-aged individuals could do better, as could some Gen Z teens and young adults who could be more inclusive (according to social media comments on TikTok).

As Chappell Roan said in her very poignant and emotional speech, this is a “safe and inclusive space” for everybody. It doesn’t matter if you are queer, heterosexual, a cis man in their 40s, or a 10-year-old tagging along with your teenage sister and mom; Chappell Roan is for everyone.

I won’t link the specific TikTok I saw that I found to be quite hypocritical and entitled, but this person and especially their commenters, sure need to practice what they preach, otherwise you come off like a performative, tone-deaf individual.

And to the “elders” (which, apparently, being in your 30s and 40s is old), some of you were acting like toddlers. Drunkendly shoving your way through to the front, practically stepping on fans who had been camping for hours, is not a good look.

Room for improvement for both.

The Chappell Roan Music Festival

The entire event played out like a music festival, with spectacular activations, including a gigantic pink horse and Chappell’s infamous “Subway” hair, where fans eagerly lined up to take pictures with (I really hope nobody got lice because let me tell you that shit was going around at my kid’s school). From the colorful festoons emerging from the oaks, it was all just so beautifully curated.

The drag queen performers were so much fun and captivating. My daughter couldn’t keep her eyes off Meatball and Trixie Mattel‘s dancers in their iridescent booty shorts. She was beaming with curiosity as she stared in awe at their art. The following morning, she told me, “Mommy, Meatball was my favorite.”

Singer and producer hemlocke springs performed ahead of Chappell Roan, getting the crowd perfectly primed with her vibrant personality and screamo-like alternative pop. Her unique style and vocals were a fresh take on pop music, and I think that’s one of the reasons why Chappell selected her as an opening act. The dichotomy between their vocal stylings and sound is what keeps events like these interesting, evoking music festival vibes.

Chappell Roan in Pasadena was a warm and sensational extravaganza. Event organizers put on an incredible event that ran like a well-oiled machine (certainly not like RÜFÜS DU SOL show at the Rose Bowl Stadium).

Ahead of gates opening, early arrivals were treated to thoughtful amenities including water, parasols, bathrooms, and more. Sure, you can never win with Rose Bowl-getting-there-and-parking-logistics, but if there is one event organizer that always does it better than the other, it’s Goldenvoice. They have homecourt advantage, and they’ve been doing it a lot longer and bigger, with independent roots that many of us locals grew up with, going to their shows.

This was probably the best in-and-out I’ve conquered at the Rose Bowl (except for that one time at Arroyo Seco weekend, where they gave me ADA because I was so pregnant and they didn’t want me to go into labor). We rolled into the preferred parking area through the backside (Washington Blvd) with ease and rolled out immediately after Chappell’s final song, “Pink Pony Club.” Once in our car, it took us about 10-15 minutes to exit the lot, and then another 10 minutes to hit the streets and arrive home.

The two nights will surely go down in the music history books, scrapbooks, and hordes of social media posts, as a first-of-its-kind event from a one-of-a-kind artist.

If you’re reading this, Kayleigh, (and yes, I know it’s very long. I’m probably one of the few long-form music journalists left), we here in PUSSY DENA love you.

For reals though, whoever created that sign needs to make it a shirt: I enjoyed Chappell Roan in PUSSY DENA.

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