Dua Lipa performs at SAP Center in San Jose on March 27, 2022. Chloe Catajan/STAFF.

SAN JOSE — In a sharply divided world, it’s reassuring that there’s one unifying force that can bring us all together, and that force is Dua Lipa. The U.K. pop sensation at long last brought her hotly anticipated Future Nostalgia tour to an absolutely jammed SAP Center. The show also coincided with a milestone: two years to the day since the album’s release.

“It’s a moment I’ve been waiting for so long,” the singer said shortly into a 75-minute set. “I’m so happy you’re all here to share it with me.”

It was actually one of just a handful of moments Dua Lipa spoke with the crowd. The night was heavy on nonstop energy and music from the moment the lights dimmed for the opening notes of “Physical.” The South Bay crowd erupted to a fever pitch as their hero took the stage, hair pulled back and braided, donning a neon jumpsuit. The energy pushed even further as she quickly jumped into “New Rules,” the singer’s first U.S. hit.

Lipa had a keen sense of controlling the pace. She would leaving a bit of space before exploding into the chorus, which just fed the crowd even more. Playing a song like “New Rules” almost immediately can’t even be considered a risk anymore, as the singer has simply racked up a trophy case worth of hit songs. With blue-clad dancers in tow, Lipa performed with a shining silver umbrella as she strutted down the arena-length ramp.

Dua Lipa performs at SAP Center in San Jose on March 27, 2022.

What might be even more impressive is how the crowd reacted to all the material fairly equally. There wasn’t any dead space or wasted songs in the set. Lipa performed the entirety of Future Nostalgia. In a streaming world, it’s so rare to see a complete work celebrated. The first act of the show was all about upbeat anthems like “Love Again,” “Break My Heart” and the bouncy “Be The One.” It’s almost as if everyone collectively spent the pandemic learning Future Nostalgia lyrics.

Lipa pulled in all of back-up dancers and singers, and her band to the forefront at various points of the show. The band played nearly all music live, with very little in the way of backing tracks or loops, another rarity in pop.

Everyone seemed to be fully engaged in the joyous energy of the show and it was impossible not to share in that feeling. The performance was expansive, but it didn’t over-rely on the production. At one point, an array of small lights lowered from the ceiling, creating a depth effect on the stage. There was a giant half-circle projector screen, but for the most part it was all about Dua Lipa.

Dua Lipa performs at SAP Center in San Jose on March 27, 2022.

The show’s second act lightened the mood with a large inflatable lobster on “We’re Good” to Lipa dedicating a verse of the envelope-pushing “Good In Bed” to a fan in the front row, the latter bringing some genuine laughs. Lipa brought things back for the only true ballad of the night, the soaring and empowering “Boys Will Be Boys.”

The center stage became the focal point for the next act. More lights lowered from the ceiling to create for an intimate effect. This portion of the show was all about the dance floor with tracks like “One Kiss” “Electricity” and “Hallucinate,” pulsating electronic anthems that had the fans moving from the floor to the rafters.

Dua Lipa concluded the main set with a singalong of her Elton John collaboration, “Cold Heart,” and “Levitating.” The latter had her literally levitating over the audience on a small moving stage. She channeled rock and roll energy on “Future Nostalgia” before bringing it all home with confetti cannons on closer “Don’t Start Now.”

The evolution of her Bay Area performances has truly be something to behold. Sunday night’s arena show felt like Lipa in her fullest form, from the singing to the dancing, a confidence on the stage and showmanship that made the crowd go crazy. She’s mastered the art of bringing a pop music show to life.

Caroline Polachek, formerly of Chairlift, was scheduled to precede the headliner, but injured her ankle earlier in the day and was unable to go on. Polachek posted photos to Instagram describing the injury, which happened as she was getting off her bus.

Lolo Zouaï performs at SAP Center in San Jose on March 27, 2022.

Because of that, singer Lolo Zouai got more time on stage. Zouai was born in France but grew up in San Francisco and considered the concert her hometown show, she said.

“I remember seeing indoor football games in this arena,” Zouai said, laughing.

Zouai gave an energetic performance, backed by two musicians who down a tight rhythm section. Donning a white shirt, long tie and an oversized Tigger jacket, Lolo Zouai bounced through songs like “Galipette” and “High Highs to Low Lows.”

The Bay Area’s DJ Umami got the last-minute call to take over the opening slot. Known for her work at Warriors and Giants game, DJ Umami effectively did her job in getting the crowd hyped up for the performance to come. She kept things simple, playing hits and occasionally grabbing the mic to check in on the crowd. Extra credit goes to some fans on the floor who broke out into a large group salsa dance during one of the tracks, which was impressive.

Follow writer Mike DeWald at Twitter.com/mike_dewald. Follow Chloe Catajan at Instagram.com/riannachloe.