Cowgirl hats, clown makeup and bunny ears filled the Gillioz for Chappell Roan's concert

Fans from Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and beyond eagerly waited in a line that wrapped around downtown Springfield for Chappell Roan's free concert on Wednesday night.

The Willard native, now based in Los Angeles, kicked off her "The Midwest Princess" tour at the Gillioz Theatre to a crowd decked out in pink cowgirl hats, clown makeup and bunny ears. "The Midwest Princess Album Release Experience" served as Roan's official release show for "The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess." The concert was free, but guests were encouraged to make donations that benefited The GLO Center.

Fans were asked to RSVP online, which secured a spot at the concert. Spots "sold out" within only a few days of the concert's announcement.

Before Roan took the stage, fans could take photos at several bedazzled photo booths around the venue or grab an album-themed drink. The show opened with a drag performance featuring Springfield drag queens Tina HC and Devorah the Doll, Miss Gay Springfield USofA 2024 Elle SD and Kansas City-based drag queen Kora Kayyy. At each stop of "The Midwest Princess" tour, drag queens from the touring cities will open for Roan.

Three pageants, which featured participants from the crowd, were also held before the show. Winners received merchandise-filled goodie bags.

The Springfield concert was hosted in conjunction with Amazon Music, as Roan was honored as an Amazon Breakthrough Artist for 2023. An emerging artist program through Amazon Music, Breakthrough works with up-and-coming artists to curate unique programming, such as exclusive videos, social promotion and merchandise offerings.

Following her Springfield performance, Roan will take the stage Saturday at the Goldfield Trading Post in Roseville, California. After performing a brief stint overseas, Roan will complete her tour April 10, 2024, at the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Chappell Roan hosts free album release concert benefiting GLO Center