Is brat summer really over? Fans sure aren’t ready for it to be.

“Brat” was named Collins Dictionary’s word of the year for 2024. The word started being widely used after English pop star Charli xcx came out with her six studio album ‘Brat’, and even though its release was almost a year ago the word and phrase “brat summer” is still used today. 

Charli xcx wrapped up the American leg of the Brat Arena Tour Sunday May 4th in New York City.

The star performed four sold-out nights at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The shows in New York came after her electrifying performance  at Coachella and a series of solo shows in Austin,  Minneapolis, and Rosemont, Illinois before headlining two nights in New York. 

Photo by Annie Gallo

On the second night of the Brooklyn show, before she hit the stage, flashes could be seen in the crowd on every level of the Barclays Center because dozens of people in green were taking out their digital cameras, taking pictures of themselves and friends capturing the moments.

From the second fans saw her appear on the stage that read “girl” in capital letters, they were singing along to songs and screaming for her at the top of their lungs. When she came out there was a green curtain behind her; the curtain said “brat” in black lowercase letters with black scribbles overtop of the word. Photos online of the curtain showed that it got more and more damaged each night, seemingly intentional.

The moment  she started singing “I Might Say Something Stupid” the crowd was lit up with thousands of phone flash lights swaying  back and forth.

Photo by Annie Gallo

At one point she danced in a caged walkway that was under the catwalk. She aggressively shook the cage  with her hands like she was trying to escape.

When she performed “Guess” she strutted down the catwalk and spat on it, then kneeled down and lapped it up. It made the thousands of fans in the crowd scream louder than they already were for her.

27-year-old Shannon Fleischman from Parkland, Florida, was one of the thousands of people screaming and singing during the show. She attended two of the four Brooklyn shows.

“I went to the Sweat tour in New York last year and absolutely loved it so I had to see her again and everything is more fun in New York,” she said to SoundCheck Mag.

Both nights Fleischman’s favorite song that Charli performed was “Spring Breakers”.

There were plenty of other noteworthy moments including Charli bringing out Bb trickz to perform their remix of “Club Classics” on the second night.

Photo by Annie Gallo

“Honestly the whole time I'm just so entertained and what sticks out to me is how Charli can put on a show like that while she’s on stage alone. No dancers, no band. Just her. It’s impressive,”

Feischman said about what stuck out the most to her.

Another incredible moment that stunned the crowd was when the English star walked to the end of the catwalk and water droplets started coming down from above her as she sang “Track 10”. It left her soaking wet and in need of a towel and an outfit change.

FULL GALLERY HERE

After about an hour and half of performing the show ended with red and blue lights flashing as she sang the 2016 hit “I Love It” by Icona pop on which she’s featured. 

That was 29-year-old Joshua Yamdogo from Springfield, Missouri’s favorite part of the shows. He went to Minneapolis and New York to see the show, and he got to experience the last concert in Brooklyn. Yamdogo said it was mesmerizing, unapologetic, and euphoric seeing her.

“There’s something about her raw energy and stage presence that aren’t in the other shows I’ve seen. It’s like she’s turned an arena of 20,000 into her own club for her close friends,”

he said to SoundCheck Mag.

The folks who were lucky enough to secure tickets to the shows had the experience of a lifetime as they jumped up and down to songs like “365” and did the viral “Apple” dance.

Fans may wonder how she could possibly top her brat era, but only time will tell.