Sue Me I Wanna Dance with Audrey Hobert: The 'Staircase To Stardom' Tour in Austin, TX

Written by Claire Hookstra

In August 2025, rising star Audrey Hobert released her debut album, Who’s The Clown? With straightforward and highly relatable lyricism and danceable beats, this album is nothing short of pure joy. It feels as if you’re playing princesses with your friends in Kindergarten, but somehow with the knowledge of destructive breakups, over-the-top parties, and an intense love for the TV show “Friends.”

A mannequin in a long, braided blonde wig was carried onto the stage by Audrey Hobert at 7:40 p.m., while fans immediately cheered and pulled out their phones, assuming the show was starting. In a way, it was, as we were graced with just over 30 minutes of disco lights and dance remixes while waiting for Hobert to begin.

By 8:30 p.m., the lights dimmed, and screams filled the sold-out ACL Live. High above the crowd on a ladder, Audrey Hobert, in clown glasses with a fake nose, an oversized trench coat, and holding a banjo, kicked off the night with the album’s opener, “I like to touch people.” Right off the bat, it's clear that Hobert isn’t your typical sequin-dressed and hair extension-wearing pop star. She holds an upaologetic offbeat energy that’s infectious. It felt like one of the most judge-free crowds I’d ever been in, people dressed in their best polka dots, tiaras, clown gear, and custom t-shirts with their favorite lyrics. 

Overall, the show was quirky, upbeat, and a perfect form of escapism. Audrey wanted the crowd to dance, and the crowd delivered. “Don’t go back to his ass,” a song about convincing your friend to stay away from their toxic ex, got the crowd hyped. The “Thirst Trap” end-of-song dance break kept the vibes high, and “Bowling Alley” was the loudest song of the night, with diehard fans in the crowd performing the TikTok dance that accompanied the song back in 2025. 

The stage wasn’t elaborate, there weren’t jaw-dropping special effects or pyro, but the show didn’t need it. The energy radiating from Hobert and her band, and the energy being sent back from the audience, was enough to keep the engaging, but short, show alive throughout the hour-long set. An anecdote of her first concert ever being Hannah Montana, Hobert shared a sincere moment with the audience that she never thought she’d be in Hannah Montana’s place, onstage, infront of a crowd. She explained that she felt the same way we did, and that the only difference was that she had the microphone. 

Hobert treated the audience with her unreleased track, “Punkrocker,” which samples the lyric “I’m a punkrocker, yes I am” from “Punkrocker” by TeddyBears featuring Iggy Pop. The track was heavier than her current work, with more rock influences and deeper vocals, hinting at a prospective new era for the pop artist. 

Back on track with the Who’s The Clown tracklist, “Chateau” was one of the most fun songs of the night, the venue nearly shaking as teens and young adults screamed “Don't care that I’m at the Chateau / Don’t care who you are, who you know / Don’t care!” at the top of their lungs. “Sue Me” (round one) ended the main set, the viral song owning up to its online popularity live. Hobert brought her now iconic trampoline onstage, and the room turned into what felt like an Audrey Hobert club night. A maybe one-minute intermission followed before “Silver Jubilee” got the crowd… those few of age… to put their drinks up singing, “I’ma put my drinks up / It’s drinks up now / I’ma tell my sister she’s perfect.” The dancing continued, and the energy stayed high as Hobert yelled, “OK NO PHONES!” as the intro to “Sue Me” started once again. The second phone-free performance of the song was unforgettable, further proving the current idea circulating on the internet that phone-free concerts should become the norm. Everyone had their hands up, singing with their friends, seemingly having the time of their lives. 

Audrey Hobert’s ‘Staircase To Stardom Tour’ is full of chaos in the best way possible. Props, dance breaks, and a giant disco ball, the night felt like what a concert should be: welcoming, entertaining, and most of all, just pure fun. Hobert’s second leg of tour is still making its way across North America, with several upcoming and fall festival dates. So, there’s still a chance to heal your inner child and dance it out with the rising international star.