Although it’s been five months since Sabrina Carpenter wrapped up the first leg of her “Short n’ Sweet” tour in Stockholm, Sweden, the pop sensation hasn’t slowed down one bit. In that time, she’s lit up festival stages at Austin City Limits and Lollapalooza, performed at the 2025 VMAs, released her most recent album “Man’s Best Friend” and, just this past week, pulled double duty as both host and musical guest on “Saturday Night Live.” Keeping her foot firmly on the gas, there is no better way to dive back into tour mode than kicking off the second North American leg of the “Short n’ Sweet” tour in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Carpenter performed twice in Pittsburgh — Oct. 23 and 24 at PPG Paints Arena — and while the hype was high, expectations were mixed. Coming off the heels of such a packed tour hiatus, fans were eager to see what this next stretch of tour would bring, with an entire new album to consider. “Man’s Best Friend” signaled a new era of Carpenter’s artistry, but the singer was still touring in support of her previous record. But after her second-leg debut on Thursday night, Carpenter proved she can balance the “Short n’ Sweet” era while leaving plenty of space to experiment and even debut new songs.
With Olivia Dean as the opener, the crowd was ready to be entertained, with Dean singing and dancing to her very own recently released album, “The Art of Loving.” She kicked off her opening set with “Nice to Each Other,” and the audience swelled with energy as voices joined in on the lyric “I don’t want a boyfriend.” Performing in a sparkling gown with a gentle breeze blowing her hair, Dean owned the stage, literally lighting up the arena with disco ball lighting and visuals.
Kayla McClaughlin, a student at Carlow University, said she was almost as excited to see Dean perform as she was to watch Carpenter.
“It’s rare that you get two great shows in one night,” McClaughlin said. “Usually I use the opener’s set to grab a drink or go to the bathroom, but I’m so excited to see Olivia Dean, too.”
By 9 p.m., the wait was up. After a series of “Short n’ Sweet”-themed videos amping up the audience, Carpenter took the stage to “Taste,” tossing aside her towel to reveal a glittering leopard-print one-piece. The concert’s first two acts stayed true to the established “Short n’ Sweet” formula, featuring previous album “emails i can’t send fwd:” fan favorites like “Fast Times,” the crowd-pleaser “Feather” and one of Carpenter’s few ballads in her discography “because i liked a boy.”
Between acts, Carpenter made one of several costume changes, emerging in a sparkly black catsuit. Known for her glamorous aesthetic, she took a moment to acknowledge the sea of skirts, bows and go-go boots among fans, saying, “I see all of your costumes and effort for my shows. I want you all to know, it does not go unnoticed.”
A signature moment of every “Short n’ Sweet” show comes when Carpenter “arrests” a celebrity, musician or influencer for “being too hot” — a playful bit that distinguishes each city’s stop. Katie Wilde, a student at Youngstown State University, said she is eager to see who would be arrested in Pittsburgh.
“I’ve been trying to think of what celebrity is specific to Pittsburgh,” Wilde said. “All I can think of are athletes, and I really hope it’s not some football player or something.”
To Wilde’s delight, Carpenter “arrested” international supermodel Gigi Hadid, a Bucks County, Pennsylvania, native, before diving into one of her biggest and most-talked about hits — “Juno.”
Concertgoer Lindsay Hiddon said she was most looking forward to seeing Carpenter’s iconic “Juno” pose — a risqué, tongue-in-cheek hallmark of the tour that matches the pop star’s raunchy lyricism.
Hiddon added that she was really hoping to hear “Tears,” though she is “doubtful it will make the setlist since it’s from the new album.”
Fortunately for Hiddon and “Man’s Best Friend” fans everywhere, Carpenter surprised Pittsburgh with four tracks from the record — “Manchild,” “House Tour” and “Tears” as official additions, plus “Nobody’s Son” as Thursday night’s surprise song.
After about an hour and a half of pop music, dance breaks, costume changes, audience interaction and high-energy all around, Carpenter ended the concert with her most-streamed release, “Espresso.”
As the final instrumentals of “Espresso” faded, fans began to spill out of the arena and into the cool Pittsburgh night. That Thursday night, Carpenter gave it all to Pittsburgh — new songs, new energy, but still that same effortless charm. As the first stop on this new stretch of tour, Pittsburgh wasn’t just the opening night but the unveiling of a new era for Sabrina Carpenter.