Katy Perry Witness tour review: The pop star delights with a dazzling spectacle

The singer continues to push the boundaries and take her talents to new heights

Katy Perry in concert at the O2 Arena in London on 14 June 2018 (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/REX)

If there’s one thing that you can be sure of when going to a Katy Perry concert, it’s that you should prepare for a bewitching spectacle like no other.

From the very start of Perry’s first night in London, as part of her worldwide Witness tour, fans were treated to a feast for the eyes with extraordinary set designs and captivating visuals galore.

The singer opened the show with “Witness” from her new album, emerging from a cloud of smoke wearing a vibrant, red, sequinned ensemble.

Her powerful voice filled the O2 arena as she moved onto “Dark Horse” and “Chained to the Rhythm”, during which her backing dancers flawlessly demonstrated their talents while wearing television sets on their heads.

Perry has never been one for convention, as she’s continued to push the boundaries and display her eccentricity throughout her career.

The entire show was as big and bold as the pop star’s character, flitting from an Alice in Wonderland-inspired aesthetic at the beginning of the night to an 1980s-esque stage production for fan-favourite “Teenage Dream”.

In between songs Perry decided to take the opportunity to profess her love and adoration for the capital, comedically telling the audience: “Obviously you know I fall in love with the English very easily.”

Katy Perry performs at the O2 Arena in London on 14 June during Witness tour (Rex Features)

While it’s evident that the singer was buttering up her fans with compliments in their hometown, her attempts at a poor English accent and her confession that she loves Heinz baked beans still went down a treat.

She even went as far as to dedicate “Hot n Cold” to the traditional English cuppa, which she claims to have become a master at brewing.

Perry’s energy levels were sky high throughout the night as she repeatedly bounded across the stage while singing perfectly in tune the entire time.

Her vocals were especially impressive when belting out emotional ballad “Wide Awake”, which she sang while sitting on a planet that had been suspended from the ceiling dressed head-to-toe in a spangly silver outfit. As you do.

While some of her cheesy gags stretched on for slightly longer than they needed to – such as when Perry brought out the famous “Left Shark” from her Super Bowl performance to recreate the piano scene from 1988 film Big – there was no doubt that the singer was having an absolute blast.

The pop star ended the night with a bang, entrancing the audience with a performance of “Firework” that included a dazzling display of pyrotechnics.

From the adults singing along to “California Gurls” to the young kids “flossing” to “Swish Swish”, the ability of Perry’s music to connect with a variety of people across different generations is undeniable.