Sabrina Carpenter tour criticized for high prices, short performances

Sabrina Carpenter kicked off her worldwide "Short n' Sweet Tour" on September 23. The artist, who gained huge popularity this year with the singles "Espresso" and "Please, Please, Please," has faced overwhelming criticism.

Did Sabrina Carpenter record the album in the summer of 2024? There’s no definitive answer, as some will support her without hesitation while others will argue for the clear victory of Charli XCX. One thing is certain: "Espresso" and "Please, Please, Please" are incredibly catchy, were on all the summer playlists, and although radio stations played them non-stop, they haven’t become tiresome and are still topping charts even though we’ve reached the start of fall.

Sabrina Carpenter's sixth studio album, "Short n' Sweet," which features the aforementioned singles, was released at the end of August—perfectly timed for the transition between brat summer and hoa hoa season. Classy but sassy, the album playfully dominated the end of summer, eased into fall, and left fans in intense anticipation.

The artist embarked on the "Short n' Sweet Tour" shortly after the album's release. It started in Ohio, USA, and will reach Europe by March. Recordings from the concerts are already circulating online. Although the show looks spectacular, fans have found reasons to complain.

After Sabrina Carpenter’s first concert, fans learned the official setlist of songs she performs during the "Short n' Sweet Tour." The list includes 21 tracks, including one cover song. During the first show in Ohio, the chosen cover was "Mamma Mia" by ABBA.

Polish fans expressed disappointment that the artist clearly distances herself from her earlier albums, performing only tracks from her last two albums: "Short n' Sweet" and "emails i can’t send."

However, much more emotion was stirred by the fact that the entire concert by Sabrina Carpenter was supposedly far too short. Fan reports vary but indicate that the show lasted 75 to 85 minutes, just under 1.5 hours, a standard performance duration. However, there’s a notable difference between 1 hour and 10 minutes and 1 hour and 20 minutes, even though theoretically, it’s just a few minutes apart. It's also important to highlight the price context—tickets were not cheap, and due to dynamic pricing, often the only ones remaining just a few minutes after sales started were significantly more expensive.

For the concert in Glasgow, the cheapest seats cost £58 (approx. $72), but fans reported that those sold out in the blink of an eye, leaving only tickets priced at £220 (approx. $274). In some cities, buying a ticket was almost impossible, with desperate fans resorting to pricier VIP packages with additional goodies.

Some fans complain, while others defend Sabrina Carpenter, emphasizing that her latest album was only 36 minutes long, so "a show lasting 1 hour 10 minutes isn’t really bad."