What to expect at Charli xcx's Music, Fashion, Film Tour: Setlist, start time and more

Welcome to SeatGeek Front Row, where SeatGeek employees share their best tips for getting the most out of live events. For this edition, Fan Support Shift Lead Mike Roca went to opening night of Charli xcx’s “Music, Fashion, Film Tour” in Philadelphia to find out what fans should know before seeing the show, from the songs you can expect, what time Charli comes on stage and even the type of merch you can buy.

At 8:30 p.m., Xfinity Mobile Arena still felt surprisingly empty. By 9, that had completely changed.

The seats filled up during the break after underscores’ opening set, and when Charli xcx finally appeared at 9:06, the place exploded. She went straight into “Rock Music,” kicking off a 97-minute show that barely gave the crowd a chance to come down.

Despite Brat now being a few albums back, you definitely wouldn’t know it from the crowd. Brat green was everywhere, people still broke into the “Apple” dance and some of the loudest stretches of the night came when those songs hit.

If you’re heading to one of the upcoming dates, here’s what to know about the show. 

What a Charli xcx “Music, Fashion, Film Tour” concert is actually like

This is not just Brat Tour Part Two, though. The “Music, Fashion, Film Tour” pulls together a lot of what Charli has been doing lately, but it still feels like a concert first. The fashion and film elements are there throughout the night without taking over the music.

Opening night in Philadelphia also showed how much of her career she is pulling from right now. There is plenty from the newer records, but longtime fans still get songs that go much further back.

Who opens for Charli xcx on the “Music, Fashion, Film Tour?”

underscores opened the Philadelphia show, taking the stage at 7:50 p.m. and playing for about 40 minutes.

Her set is fast, loud and heavily electronic, with the kind of hyperpop sound that makes sense before Charli. She jumps between pop, electronic and heavier sounds, and the whole thing moves quickly.

Philadelphia was also a big moment for underscores, who told the crowd it was her first time performing in an arena. The room was still filling in during her set, but if you like the more chaotic side of Charli’s music, she is worth getting there early for.

She also returned later in the night when Charli brought her back out for “Do It.”

What time does Charli xcx go onstage?

At the Philadelphia opener, doors opened at 7:00 p.m., underscores started at 7:50 and finished around 8:30. Charli came on at 9:06 p.m.

That left a 36-minute break between the opener and the main set, and the arena filled up quickly during that stretch. 

How long is Charli xcx’s “Music, Fashion, Film Tour” concert?

Charli played for one hour and 37 minutes in Philadelphia, from 9:06 to 10:43 p.m.

There was no encore. Once the final sequence ended, that was it, so do not assume there will be another song after the lights and screens start signaling the end of the show.

What is Charli xcx’s “Music, Fashion, Film Tour” setlist?

Charli played 29 songs at the Philadelphia opener, with the set pulling heavily from Music, Fashion, Film and Brat while still making room for older fan favorites.

One of the biggest surprises came with “Stay Away,” Charli’s 2011 major-label debut single. She had not played the song live in years, making it one of the clearest nods to longtime fans. Philadelphia also got the live debut of “Persona,” while underscores returned during Charli’s set for “Do It.”

Here is the full setlist from opening night in Philadelphia:

Setlists can always change from night to night, but Philadelphia gives fans a good idea of just how much ground Charli is covering on this tour.

What is the stage setup like?

The stage is built around four levels, with a walkway extending out into the floor.

Charli uses all of it. She moves between the different levels throughout the night and regularly performs toward the cameras so the shots can play out on the arena screens. Models also appear throughout the show, adding to the fashion side of the production without turning the night into something that feels separate from the concert itself.

The visuals are a major part of the show. There are prerecorded sequences, heavy use of the video screens, strobe effects, bursts of fire and confetti, and four different Charli looks over the course of the night.

The ending is especially stylized, with the final visuals taking over the screens instead of leading into a traditional encore.

Where are the best seats for Charli xcx’s “Music, Fashion, Film Tour?”

If you want the clearest overall view of the production, sitting toward the back of the arena and facing the stage is a strong option.

At the Philadelphia show, Section 106 (I sat in Section 106, Row 26, Seat 14) provided a great view of the full setup, with only a thin cable from the production equipment creating a minor obstruction. That location also made it easier to take in all four levels of the stage and the video screens at the same time.

The screens matter more than they do at a lot of arena shows. Charli often performs toward the front and cameras rather than constantly turning to every side of the building, so seats with a more direct view of the stage will generally give you a better look at the full production.

Sections far off to the side can still get you close, but you may miss some of the way the show is designed to be seen from straight on.

What to know before going to Charli xcx’s “Music, Fashion, Film Tour”

Once you have your ticket, a little planning can make the rest of the night easier, especially if you want time for merch, food and drinks before Charli xcx comes on.

What time should you arrive for Charli xcx?

If you want time for merch, food or drinks without feeling rushed, getting there close to doors is the move.

At the Philadelphia show, doors opened at 7:00 p.m., and arriving around 7:10 gave plenty of time to get through security, grab something and settle in before underscores started at 7:50. Security took less than two minutes without a bag, and even with a small bag, the process looked pretty quick.

The bigger reason to arrive early is merch. Lines were shortest shortly after doors opened and got noticeably longer as the night went on.

What is the merch situation like?

The merch selection in Philadelphia included vinyl records and CDs, shirts, tanks and hoodies, along with smaller programs and posters. The black tour shirt looked especially popular with fans.

The best tip from opening night was not to stop at the first merch table you see.

There was a second merch stand farther inside the arena near Section 106, and the difference was huge. The main stand looked like about a 15-minute wait when doors opened, while the smaller satellite stand took roughly two minutes to get through and appeared to carry the same items.

By the end of the show, the main merch line was extremely long, and some smaller shirt sizes were reportedly sold out. If you know you want something, buying early is the safer bet.

What were fans wearing at the “Music, Fashion, Film Tour?”

There is no single dress code here, which is part of the fun.

At the Philadelphia show, fans wore everything from short frilly skirts and oversized tees to bike shorts, tanks and tour shirts. Brat green is still very much around, too, even two years after Brat Summer.

The black tour tee was one of the most common looks in the building, including plenty of fans who bought one at the venue and changed into it before the show.

The crowd felt open and welcoming, so this is definitely a show where you can lean into your outfit as much or as little as you want.

What should you bring to a Charli xcx concert?

The biggest thing to check before leaving home is your venue’s bag policy.

Xfinity Mobile Arena limited bags to 4.5 by 6.5 inches for the Philadelphia show, and larger bags were not being sent through the alternate screening setup sometimes used for other events at the venue.

Beyond that, keep it simple: your mobile ticket, a charged phone and whatever you need to comfortably get through a few hours at the arena. There were no Charli-specific restrictions on signs, light sticks or other fan items noted in Philadelphia, but venue rules can vary from city to city.

What is the crowd like at a Charli xcx concert?

The crowd in Philadelphia felt very open and plugged into Charli’s world. There was not one big chant or tradition everyone needed to know, although plenty of fans broke into the “Apple” dance when the song came up.

The audience also covered a wider age range than you might expect, with younger fans, longtime Charli listeners and plenty of people connected to the queer community around her music. More than anything, it felt like a crowd where people were comfortable being themselves.

How to get Charli xcx “Music, Fashion, Film Tour” tickets on SeatGeek

If all of this has you checking whether Charli is coming to your city, you can find Charli xcx tickets on SeatGeek and compare your options before picking a spot.

1. Find your Charli xcx show. Search for Charli xcx on SeatGeek or in the app, then choose the city and date you want to attend.

2. Open the interactive seat map. Compare sections, rows and prices around the arena. For this tour, a more centered view can be especially useful if you want to take in the full stage and screens.

3. Use View From Seat when available. Check previews from different sections to get a better idea of what your sightline could look like.

4. Compare listings with Deal Score. Deal Score weighs factors such as price and seat location to help you compare your options.

5. See the full price upfront. SeatGeek uses All-In Pricing, so mandatory fees are included in the displayed ticket price before checkout.

6. Review the ticket details. Double-check the date, venue, section, row, quantity and delivery method before buying.

7. Purchase with Buyer Guarantee protection. Qualified orders are backed by the SeatGeek Buyer Guarantee if a covered issue comes up with your tickets.

Then all that is left is deciding what to wear, getting there before the merch line takes over and being ready when Charli finally hits the stage.

Mike Roca is a Shift Lead on the Fan Support team at SeatGeek, working to help Fans see more live every day. A frequent concertgoer, Mike loves to travel and see shows in different cities. Recent shows he’s caught are Central Cee, Little Simz, and RAYE. A newer baseball fan, he’s managed to catch 13 Phillies games this season, with a goal of 15 for 2027.