Lana Del Rey played her first London headline show last night (16 November) at a packed Scala in Kings Cross. With her Video Games single remaining in the upper reaches of the UK charts and views for the attendant video on YouTube rocketing past the six million mark, the gig had a genuine sense of event. But such is the scrutiny Del Rey has been subjected to in the wake of her seemingly instant success, there were questions that needed to be answered too: could she really sing like that? Does she have other songs as good as Video Games? Oh, and yes, what does she actually look like in the flesh?
Her entrance was low-key - she quitely took to a stage framed by four giant floating white balloons, onto which images from those YouTube videos were projected - but was still enough to prompt excited whoops and, in one especially hysterical case, a shout of, "I love you!" from the crowd. Wearing a sparkly gold top and short white skirt, Lana Del Rey looked like Jessica Rabbit come as the prom queen: big bouffant hair, bigger false lashes, legs that go on and on and lips that appear stung by an entire hive of bees, and even though she restricted her movements onstage to little more than a few side steps, no one took their eyes off her.
She negotiated the first song Without You - her skin-tight, four strong backing band settling comfortably in around her - in the upper registers of her vocal range. The song is a light, pop confection that possesses shadowy corners and a woozy undertow, though her scrunched-up expression and an agitated hand gestures suggested she was struggling to hear herself initially.
If this was an uncertain start, the four songs that followed stopped the room. The next single Born 2 Die saw Del Rey lowering her voice to its spine-stroking depths, as she propositioned a lover to "let me fuck you hard in the pouring rain", before fluttering of those enormous eyelashes and delivering her pay-off: "You like your girls insane."
Del Rey's lyrics - scatty, playful and striking - do the job of scratching away her surface glamour and pointing one towards a darker, more troubled soul beneath. This is especially so on Blue Jeans and the inevitable Video Games, along with a hypnotic slow-burner entitled Million Dollar Man, which drifts around the air before gently dissipating like smoke rings.
She only played three more songs after that - one of which, Radio, sounds like a hit - before treating the crowd to a smile of her of dazzling white teeth and coyly declaring, "I'll be back." Don't doubt it.
Paul Rees @paulreesQ
9:47 AM | 17/11/2011
More Photos Of:
Latest News
-
Campaign for New York park to be named after Adam Yauch, Flaming Lips will try to beat Jay-Z's record, Paul Simon on Gracelands, Beyonce on poll, Florence in fancy dress... Daily Hot List
A round-up of all the news, views, interviews and cool music things online today (23 May)
-
Q&a Tom Jones - on his new album, working with Jack White, covering Leonard Cohen and whether Elvis Presley would do The Voice
The real star of The Voice uses his voice to talk to about the show and his new album
-
Stone Roses record new songs, watch Lady Gaga's Simpsons song, Damon Albarn & Portishead collaborate, Green Day man plays Facebook chief's wedding... Daily Hot List
A round-up of all the news, views, interviews and cool music things online today (22 May)
-
Bee Gees' Robin Gibb RIP (round-up) Muse carry Olympic torch, Mick Jagger plays with Foo Fighters & Arcade Fire, Jack White new record attempt, Citizens session, Crowded House drummer dies... Daily Hot List
A round-up of all the news, views, interviews and cool music things online today (21 May)
-
Column - Robin's Reign: the remarkable career of the Bee Gees' Robin Gibb
Following the Bee Gee's death last night, Dorian Lynskey looks back at the singer and songwriter's multifaceted work
-
The Cult: 'Nirvana's arrival was like a nuclear bomb for rock bands' - Q311 extract
As the band release a new album today (21 May) they recall how Kurt Cobain and co made them split the first time - get our current issue for the full interview
Advertisement
User Comments
Post A Comment
I liked your review it captured the moment! that seemed to be Beautiful...
altough your remark "stung by an entire hive of bees"
was off track, at least for my opinion
Posted by Eran Gomeh at 10:53 AM | 17/11/2011 | Report Abuse
Post A Comment