What to expect at Adéla’s The Red Bottoms Tour: Setlist, start time, VIP experience and more

Welcome to SeatGeek Front Row, where music writers share their tips for attending the biggest concert tours around the country. For this edition, NYC concert expert Annmarie Gajdos breaks down what it’s really like to see Adéla's "The Red Bottoms" Tour in person, from an unofficial punk pink dress code and ballet barre to an unreleased song and a crowd willing to wait all day for barricade.

As a first-generation Slovak American girl, there is something uniquely surreal about standing in a packed New York City venue watching a pop star from Slovakia command the stage.

Growing up in a homogeneous community in Staten Island with roots in a small Eastern European nation, that wasn't something I had before. So before Adéla even appeared at Brooklyn Steel, there was already an extra layer of excitement in the air for the Slovak fans scattered throughout the crowd, many proudly waving Slovak flags above a sea of hot pink.

But Slovaks were only one corner of the room. The crowd skewed young, with plenty of fans who appeared to have discovered Adéla through the broader K-pop world, and they showed up ready to commit to Adela’s edgy ballet world.

By the time Adéla finally walked onstage at 9:10 p.m., Brooklyn Steel was packed from the floor to the balcony.

Here’s what the Red Bottoms Tour is actually like, from the setlist and opening DJ to VIP, merch and how early you really need to arrive.

What an Adéla Red Bottoms Tour concert is actually like

There was a lot of pink.

Fans showed up looking like they had walked directly out of one of Adéla’s music videos: micro mini skirts, shredded fishnets, baseball caps, hot-pink tutus, feather boas and, naturally, plenty of red-bottom heels.

Some had pointe shoes dangling from backpacks and bags as a nod to Adéla's ballet background. Others traded homemade friendship bracelets featuring song titles and lyrics. For “Ain’t in LA,” one fan project even handed out paper hearts for fans to place over their phone flashlights during the song.

And the dedication started long before showtime.

Fans spent hours outside Brooklyn Steel in 90-degree weather, singing Adéla songs and getting progressively more excited as doors approached. My sister and I arrived around 1 p.m., and even after waiting most of the day with VIP, we ultimately ended up about three rows back.

Once Adéla appeared, though, the hours outside suddenly made a lot more sense.

She entered alongside her dancers with a militaristic dance opening to “KGB,” immediately setting the tone for a performance that feels less like watching a new artist figure out how to put on a pop show and more like watching someone make a very deliberate case for pop stardom.

I had previously seen Adéla open for Demi Lovato at Barclays Center just a few months earlier. She was already a compelling performer then, but at Brooklyn Steel, she appeared noticeably more comfortable and assured onstage. This time, she seemed fully connected to both her music and the message she wanted to share with the audience. While the Barclays Center set felt like an introduction to Adéla, this Red Bottoms Tour stop felt like a complete realization of who she is as an artist and performer.

There isn't much conversation or lengthy banter between songs. Adéla mostly keeps things moving, dancing hard enough that within a few songs, her bright-pink hair was visibly drenched in sweat.

Her ballet background isn't treated like a fun fact, either. It is woven directly into the performance. One minute she performs full pop-girl choreography; the next, she's at the barre reminding you that she trained as a ballerina long before she was strutting around singing about red bottoms.

There are sections where Adéla relies heavily on backing tracks rather than appearing to sing every line live, particularly during some of the show's most physically demanding choreography. But the performance is built around the entire package: singing, dancing, attitude, visuals and an almost intimidatingly cool stage presence.

Maybe I'm biased, but there is also something distinctly Eastern European about the intensity she brings to the show. Amid all the cheekiness, choreography and hot-pink spectacle, there are moments where her expression turns almost severe and every ounce of emotion seems to flash across her face.

For a little over an hour, Brooklyn Steel didn't feel like a room full of people waiting to see whether Adéla could become a pop star.

It felt like a room full of people who had already decided she was one.

Who opened for Adéla?

DJ Zoe Gitter opened the Brooklyn show, and instead of feeling like something to begrudgingly sit through before the main event, her set quickly turned into its own pop-girl party.

The crowd warmed to her immediately. Gitter bounced between artists including Charli xcx, Slayyyter, Britney Spears and Pitbull, throwing together songs that sometimes sounded like they stylistically had no business working together and somehow making them work anyway.

The whole thing felt like someone had been given the aux cord at the world's best girls' night.

Strobe lights flashed across the room while people danced, screamed lyrics and progressively packed tighter onto the floor. Gitter even worked elements of Adéla's “SexOnTheBeat” into her mix, teasing the headliner's music before she ever stepped onstage.

She began around 7:50 p.m. and wrapped roughly 40 minutes later. The venue was already fairly full when she started, but it became noticeably more crowded midway through her set.

If getting a clear view of Adéla matters to you, don't treat the DJ as your cue to arrive. By then, the best spots have already been claimed.

What songs did Adéla perform? What was the setlist?

For an artist whose debut album had only recently arrived, Adéla already has enough material to make the night feel like a full-fledged pop show rather than an album listening party with choreography.

She opened with “KGB,” arriving in a denim jacket before shedding it and spending much of the night in a matching bra top and micro shorts. From there, the pace barely let up.

And she really does dance.

The ballet portion is one of the clearest reminders that her dance background isn't simply part of her branding. Under the stage lights, she moves into ballet before diving straight back into pop choreography, heels and all.

The show gets increasingly provocative as it goes on. “Starving Artist,” in particular, features choreography with one of her male dancers that pushes well past suggestive. It's one of several moments where Adéla's ballet precision crashes headfirst into the knowingly sexual, slightly scandalous world she has created around her music.

Some fans wanted even more. Because her discography is still relatively compact, there was some disappointment that she didn't simply perform every song she has released to date.

But what she did perform was delivered with an almost nonstop level of physicality.

One of the night's biggest pauses came before “Ain’t in LA.”

Adéla talked about the idea that celebrities are automatically treated as more interesting or important than everyone else, joking that her own mom is “way cooler” than she is.

Then she turned toward the room.

“The baddest bitches are not just from L.A.,” she told the crowd. “They're here in Brooklyn. They're in Slovakia. They're everywhere in the world.”

As a first-generation Slovak American watching a Slovak pop artist headline a packed New York venue, hearing Slovakia shouted out from the stage felt almost impossibly full-circle.

That's what makes “Ain’t in LA” hit differently live. The song's message is essentially that you don't have to come from one of the places pop culture has declared important in order to matter. Hearing that in a room with Slovak flags waving in the crowd made it feel much bigger than just another song in the set.

Brooklyn also got a surprise: Adéla performed the unreleased song, “Kiss Here,” slipping it into the show after “I’m the Man.”

Before the final song, the mood shifted again when Adéla pulled out her journal for a manifestation ritual. She took a moment to talk about what she was grateful for, including the success her music was experiencing, before wishing that fans would remember the night forever and that everyone would get home safely.

And because this is still an Adéla concert, the earnest moment couldn't end without a joke. Her final manifestation was a decidedly less spiritual request involving her chest sitting exactly the way she wanted it to.

Then came “Nicole Kidman.”

It technically serves as the encore, although there isn't much pretending that the night is actually over. Adéla disappears briefly before returning for one last burst of energy.

The Brooklyn setlist was:

1. “KGB”

2. “FinallyApologizing”

3. “Boys”

4. “NastyDirtyGross”

5. “Go”

6. “DeathByDevotion”

7. “Ain’t in LA”

8. “Marijuana”

9. “I’m the Man”

10. “Kiss Here”

11. “Red Bottoms”

12. “Starving Artist”

13. “Fantasize”

14. “SexOnTheBeat”

15. “SUPERSCAR”

16. “Nicole Kidman” [encore]

What did the stage and production look like?

If you're expecting an elaborate arena-style production, this isn't that kind of show.

The Red Bottoms Tour keeps the stage relatively simple and lets Adéla do most of the heavy lifting.

During Zoe Gitter's opening set, the setup was essentially a DJ booth backed by flashing lights and strobes shooting out over the crowd.

Once it was time for Adéla, the defining visual was uncovered: a hot-pink ballet barre stretching across the stage.

The barre remains in place and becomes part of the choreography rather than simply functioning as set dressing. Adéla dances around it, leans into it and incorporates it into the show's ballet-inspired moments.

Beyond that, the stage is pretty bare. There aren't massive video screens, complicated set changes or an endless parade of props. Lighting behind the performers changes colors throughout the night, with plenty of strobes adding intensity to the bigger dance numbers.

It's not a production that overwhelms you with spectacle. Instead, the barre, dancers and lighting create the world, and Adéla fills in the rest.

What were fans wearing?

If there was an unofficial dress code for the Red Bottoms Tour, it was pink, tiny and slightly chaotic.

Hot pink appeared everywhere in the form of tutus, feather boas, tops and accessories. Plenty of people wore short skirts, ripped fishnets and baseball caps, while others went literal with red-bottom heels. And I would be remiss not to mention the pink wigs that fans donned. Adéla’s team is known to hand out pink wigs to fans on the barricade, but that didn’t stop concertgoers from taking it upon themselves to theme their hair for the show, including plenty of fans who actually dyed their hair in Adéla’s signature shade of pink.  

There were ballet references throughout the crowd, too. Some fans had pointe shoes hanging from their backpacks or bags as a nod to Adéla's dance background.

The overall look wasn't about copying one exact outfit. It was more like dressing as though you belonged somewhere inside the Adéla universe.

Think hyper-feminine pop girl, ballerina, club kid and internet it-girl all crashing into one room.

Between the pink, fishnets, heels and pointe shoes, the crowd became an extension of the stage itself.

What's the merch situation?

VIP ticket holders received a separate merch bundle that included a Red Bottoms Tour tote bag, poster, lanyard and red-bottom heel keychain.

There was also a smaller selection of regular tour merchandise available to purchase.

The main tour T-shirt was $40 and featured a pink outline of Adéla on the front with tour dates on the back. One thing to know before buying: it runs pretty oversized and boxy. I would personally size down. The material also felt noticeably softer than the stiff cotton you sometimes get from concert merch.

There was a black “#SWAGGERINA” T-shirt for $40, a matching black hat for $40, a $90 sweatshirt, a PRIMA CD for $15 and vinyl for $35.

One noticeable absence was the city-specific “Baddest Bitches Are in…” shirt. Adéla created versions for individual tour stops, including New York City, but the shirts were sold online instead of at the venue. Several fans were disappointed that they couldn't actually purchase the New York shirt at the New York show.

Overall, the merch selection felt pretty limited considering how distinctive Adéla's visual identity is elsewhere. Between ballet, red bottoms, hot pink and the whole “Swaggerina” universe, there is a lot to work with, and I would have loved to see the creativity of the show extend further into the merch booth.

Is an Adéla concert family-friendly?

I wouldn't describe an Adéla show as inappropriate, but I also wouldn't call it a family concert.

Brooklyn Steel itself listed the show as 16+, and the crowd skewed young, with plenty of what appeared to be high school- and college-age fans. I saw very few actual children.

That makes sense once the performance starts. Adéla wears tiny stage outfits, several songs deal pretty directly with sex and adult relationships, and some of the choreography is overtly sexual.

None of it felt shocking simply for the sake of being shocking. It fits the music and persona.

But if you're deciding whether to bring a younger child, this is probably a show better suited to teens and adults who already know what they're walking into.

What attending an Adéla concert at Brooklyn Steel was like

If you want a good spot for Adéla at Brooklyn Steel, this isn't the kind of show where you casually roll in when doors open.

I arrived around 1 p.m., hours before entry, and fans were already settling in for the long haul. It was roughly 90 degrees outside, but people were still singing Adéla songs, swapping friendship bracelets and turning the sidewalk into a mini pre-show hangout. Several fans waited overnight for the show, with about 50 or so people saying they got there in the early morning to camp out for a good spot.

Fans at Adéla's second Brooklyn Steel show also received an unexpected freebie while waiting outside: Tru Fru handed out samples of its Strawberries & Crème flavor. That didn't happen during our first night, so I wouldn't count on freebies at every date, but it was a nice surprise for fans spending hours in line.

Once inside, the wait wasn't over.

Zoe Gitter began around 7:50 p.m. and finished at approximately 8:30. During the break before Adéla, venue staff did one thing I really appreciated: they began passing free water into the crowd, first with mini bottles and later with full-size bottles.

That matters more than it might sound.

Once you've spent hours waiting and finally secured a spot several rows from the stage, leaving to buy water can mean losing the place you waited all day for.

Adéla was scheduled around 9 p.m. and actually appeared at 9:10, performing until approximately 10:17.

By then, Brooklyn Steel was packed from the floor to the balcony.

My biggest advice is simple: if being close matters to you, get there early.

Really early.

What was the VIP experience like?

If you're buying VIP for the Red Bottoms Tour, temper your expectations a little.

I paid around $120 for my VIP ticket when I purchased it, and the biggest value wasn't the gift bag. It was early access to the floor.

At Brooklyn Steel, VIP and general admission fans initially waited in the same area, and the lines weren't properly divided until 90 minutes before the doors opened. With very little physical queue organization outside, people shifted positions, cut ahead and, once entry began, quite literally ran toward the venue.

That made the experience feel much more chaotic than exclusive.

VIP check-in began later in the afternoon, and once the lines were finally reorganized, fans were pushed into a single-file formation. When entry began around 6 p.m., people grabbed their VIP bags and ran for the floor. Different security lines moved at different speeds, so where you had spent the afternoon waiting didn't necessarily translate to where you wound up once you got inside.

The VIP crowd also felt enormous compared with what I normally expect from a premium tier.

We waited for hours and still ended up roughly three rows back.

In other words: VIP can absolutely help if getting close is your priority, and I would probably want it again for that reason. But buying VIP does not mean you can arrive casually and expect barricade.

Gift-bag-wise, I wouldn't call it a must-buy. Proximity-wise, it's a different story.

The post-show process also felt rushed. Staff started clearing people out fairly quickly, even as some fans were still trying to buy merch or snap a final photo. At one point, merch buyers were moved back into the performance area to form another line while other guests were being pushed toward the exits.

Even a quick trip to the bathroom felt hurried.

None of that ruined the concert itself, but the VIP experience felt more like paying for earlier access and some exclusive merch than a particularly polished premium experience.

What was seating at Brooklyn Steel like?

Brooklyn Steel is primarily a standing-room venue, so most of the action happens on the general admission floor directly in front of the stage.

There is also an upstairs balcony. For Adéla's show, part of that upper area was designated for friends and family, while other fans also watched from above.

If you want to feel like you're in the middle of everything, the floor is where you want to be. Just understand that you'll be committing to standing in a very packed crowd for several hours.

The balcony gives you more breathing room and a clearer overall view of the stage, although you sacrifice some of the up-close energy.

For this show, the floor filled quickly, so choosing your spot really comes down to what you value more: proximity or comfort.

How should I get to Brooklyn Steel?

Brooklyn Steel is located at 319 Frost Street in Brooklyn, and public transportation may be the least stressful way to get there.

The L train to Graham Avenue puts you within walking distance of the venue. You can also use the G train via the Metropolitan Avenue/Lorimer Street area and walk from there.

Coming from Times Square, one of the easiest options is to head downtown to 14th Street and connect with the Brooklyn-bound L.

From Penn Station, you can also travel downtown to 14th Street and transfer to the L, which makes the venue fairly manageable for anyone arriving into the city from New Jersey or Long Island.

From Grand Central, head downtown to Union Square and transfer to the L. That's particularly convenient for fans coming into New York from Connecticut and other Metro-North destinations.

I took a rideshare to Brooklyn Steel, and on this particular night, I probably would have been better off taking the train.

The drive hit stretches of nearly dead-stop traffic, including around the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, and our show fell during United Nations General Assembly week, when getting across New York by car was particularly painful.

Driving or rideshare is still an option, but Brooklyn Steel doesn't have the giant dedicated parking setup you'd find at an arena. If you're trying to arrive early enough to compete for a good floor spot, leave yourself a generous buffer.

The subway may not feel as glamorous as getting dropped at the door, but on a busy New York night, you'll be a lot happier dancing to “KGB” than watching your arrival time climb while you're sitting in traffic.

How to get tickets for an upcoming Adéla concert at SeatGeek

By the time Adéla reached Brooklyn, face-value inventory for many shows had become difficult to find, meaning resale may be your best option for some remaining dates.

Your best move is to check Adéla's SeatGeek ticket page for upcoming dates, compare available listings and decide what matters most to you: getting into the room, getting close to the stage or scoring one of the premium packages.

If you're deciding whether to splurge on VIP, I wouldn't do it solely for the tote bag and merch, but do it if being close to the stage matters to you.

At Brooklyn Steel, there were enough VIP fans that getting near the front still required arriving hours early. VIP gave us a better shot at a great view, but it didn't magically turn the experience into a stress-free trip to barricade.

If all you care about is seeing the show, prioritize the best deal you can find.

If your goal is to be close enough for Adéla to lock eyes with you while you're screaming “Ain’t in LA,” that's a different mission entirely.

Wear comfortable shoes, bring water for the line and prepare to get there early.