Madison Beer at The Anthem
By Addis Ngo
Madison Beer’s the Locket Tour arrived in Washington, D.C. on July 6, drawing a packed house to The Anthem for a night that combined glossy pop spectacle with genuine vocal power. Supporting sets from Lulu Simon and Thủy warmed up the crowd before Beer took the stage, promoting her new album Locket, a record that leans into her strengths as a vocalist while carving out a more confident, self-assured identity than her earlier work. 
From the floor, with soundstage access that gave us a great vantage point, the show felt immersive right from the start. Act I opened with “yes baby,” bringing a runway-ready, fashion-forward energy that had the crowd hooked immediately. From there, the pace stayed high with “15 MINUTES” and “BOYSHIT,” keeping the momentum going. Beer paused to greet the audience, sharing that playing The Anthem had long been a dream of hers, one she was finally getting to live out. Act I closed on “bad enough,” a track that showcased her powerful vocal range and gave a genuine spine-chilling moment to close out the opening act.
After a brief intermission, Act II began with her biggest hit, “Reckless,” as the room lit up with waving flashlights and full-crowd singalongs. An extended version of the “locket theme” followed, and it landed with a grand, almost cinematic quality that slowed the show down without losing its momentum. “Envy the Leaves” and “somehow i got lucky” rounded out this stretch, with Beer taking a moment to thank fans directly for their support throughout her career. A highlight of the set came when she let a fan choose a surprise song, which turned out to be “Follow the White Rabbit,” a welcome deep cut for longtime listeners.
Act III shifted into a mix of bigger, more familiar songs like “Baby” alongside deluxe-album tracks such as “free” and “lovergirl.” The act, and the main set, closed with “make you mine,” an upbeat dance-pop number that the entire crowd knew word for word. Between the tempo and the strobe lights, it turned the final stretch of the show into a full-on party.
Just when it seemed the night was over, one major hit had yet to be played, and that is exactly what the encore delivered. “bittersweet” closed the show, with the crowd singing along to one of her most recognizable songs as confetti rained down over the floor, a fitting and satisfying way to send everyone home.
What stood out most, beyond the setlist itself, was just how impressive Beer’s vocals were live and how much louder the crowd’s energy felt compared to a typical show. One of the most memorable touches came from the camera work on the big screens. The feed cut seamlessly between wide shots of the full stage and tight close-ups of Beer’s face, and the switches seemed to follow her gaze almost intuitively, so that whichever direction she looked, the camera was already there. It made a venue the size of The Anthem feel surprisingly intimate, giving everyone on the floor a front-row view of her expressions all night.
I am so grateful I got to be in that room, surrounded by fans who sang just as loudly as I did, watching an artist clearly pour everything into her performance. This is a night I will be thinking back on for a long time, and with the Locket Tour coming to an end, I highly recommend seeing it if it comes near you. I loved every second of this show.
