I did! We were first in line and got to the front. She made my life. We got a free signed piece of merch, she winked at me hugged me, kissed my cheek, took three 'selfies' with me and tok my letter I'd written to her! I can't believe it.
She was stunning in life, and her vocals were beautiful.. I'm in awe of her!
Aw that's lovely:D
May I ask what time were you queuing from to be first in line?
2am :eek: We couldn't sleep so were like.. let's just go aha!
Anyway, we were the first in line because we were BONKERS and decided to queue at 2am because we were determined to get front row.. people arrived about half an hour after us and by 1pm there were about 200 people in the queue!
It got really full and by 7pm (doors opened) there must have been a good 1000 people queueing. At about 6pm Lana's father and I'm assuming her PA came out with a handful of signed merchandise for the first people in line. I think the first 10 - 15 people got signed special edition CDs, and I was lucky enough to be given the one signed lyric book! I'm going to treasure that forever!
Then we got let in and managed to get roughly front row centre, it got so packed and wasn't very nice, we couldn't move. Then someone must have pushed in to front row so we were literally squashed up, that was mad. Her support band, Kassidy were quite good! Not my style of music but they have great voices and got us warmed up, and my friend got the pic from one of the members guitars!
Then about half an hour later she came on.. oh my god it was so exciting. The build up was so haunting and beautiful. She is ridiculously beautiful in the flesh. Kind of surreal to be honest.. I couldn't take my eyes off her. She's so sweet and cute as well. She comes down several times during the show so you are literally touching distance from her. She sings one of hers songs right down just in front of the front row, amazing.. it's like she's singing to you.
Her voice is stunning, it's quite delicate really and sometimes hard to hear because the audience were so keen to sing along (which was lovely!) but it really is beautiful. I don't understand the criticism she gets, her voice I think it so haunting and wise. Anyway, I can't fault her at all.
As she walked past us at one point people were handing her things like flowers and letters, and I'd written her one and she took it so I do hope she reads it!
During her penultimate song (Video Games) we held up a poster saying 'Can we please have a photo' and when she saw it she winked at us! We didn't really need it because we know at every concert she's done she comes down to the audience…. (will describe below)
The final song she does is 'National Anthem' and during the final part of it she comes down to the audience and puts her mic down and spends a good 10 - 15 minutes going along the front row, taking photos with people etc. When she came to us, she was so cute! She stood by me and took three photos with me and my friend, she took my iPhone and said 'I'll take them!' and ahhh! Then we said we'd been here since 2am (crazzzzy) and she apparently said (I was too starstruck, my friend reminded me!) 'Oh you were the people, I love you!'. Then she hugged us both and kissed our cheeks . I was like OHMYGOD. And thanked her for the signed merchandise. She was so beautiful and lovely and I kind of feel in awe of it all. I mean it couldn't have been better for me… the best concert I've ever been with and ahhh! I just want to relive it over and over. Sorry this is like an essay!
That is wonderful madaboucarla. You can't get a better gig experience than that, brilliant!:D
And I have a very bad mental image of Lana haters having actual 3somes after initially misreading what Koney said! Given that Lana haters come across as very ugly people in both terms of looks and personality this is making me shudder.
I need something to make that image go away. Quickly. Bit of Young & Beautiful from the gig, aaah that's made it all better. Definitely become a fan favourite hasn't it, listen to them sing along: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4z-OYyrakM
Lana hit up the ‘The Great Gatsby” premiere at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival sporting a glamorous old Hollywood look. Del Rey channeled the glitz of the 1920s, rocking a detailed black-and-white embroidered gown complete with a sweetheart neckline by Austrian designer Lena Hoschek. The “Born to Die” singer accessorized her vintage look with glittering Chopard emerald earrings, retro waves, and bold cat eyes. Meow!
The media coverage (especially from US bloggers/music sites) has gradually been getting more positive/enthusiastic for a few months now. Maybe some of them are genuinely embarrassed when they look back to early last year and read the nonsense they were peddling regarding Lana or maybe it's taken them this long to cotton on to such a rare talent, who knows? Of course, the usual suspects will no doubt state as fact that her father has paid them all off :rolleyes:
PS Great review, madaboutcarla, so glad you had a great time
Lana's dad doesn't need to bribe any media groups. He apparently just turns up outside the concerts giving away merchandise to the fans, god bless him!
Nice Cannes roundup Veri. It was a brilliant dress and really seemed to match up with the Gatsby artwork. The leaks usually end up picking up coverage off the back of a major release, in this case Young and Beautiful. Its like hey you've heard the latest song-now listen to this. And yeah people do some to be getting more positive about her, so its all good!
The media coverage (especially from US bloggers/music sites) has gradually been getting more positive/enthusiastic for a few months now. Maybe some of them are genuinely embarrassed when they look back to early last year and read the nonsense they were peddling regarding Lana or maybe it's taken them this long to cotton on to such a rare talent, who knows? ...
I think that to people who've paid attention to what Lana's done since SNL (and perhaps also to things she did earlier), it's become increasingly clear that a lot of what was said against her doesn't make sense. (When, for example, has a record company puppet ever had so many good but unreleased songs?) And there's a lot of positive comment about her now, such as the Telegraph's "The ascent continues apace" article I linked earlier. However ...
However, there still seems to be a certain reluctance to acknowledge unreservedly that she's good. There's a certain reserve, a certain "yes, but", perhaps grudging, quality to some of the reviews, at least in the UK.
Consider this curious trio of three star reviews from the London concert:
Start with the Financial Times. Most of it is very positive. For example:
...
Lana Del Rey entered stage left, coolly sashaying into the spotlight like a screen goddess from the Golden Age. ... The first song was “Cola” – an all-American tale of adultery, drugs and sexual obsession, sung with shimmying self-possession by Del Rey.
The singer’s achievement has been to revive the film noir tradition of the femme fatale for an age of YouTube and luxury-rap. It’s a pointed act of rehabilitation. The most arresting female role play these days is found in the pop charts, not mainstream cinema, wrecked by cost and conservatism. The current crop of focus group-tested leading ladies pales next to Del Rey and peers such as Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé.
Her act is built on a series of striking videos and an immaculately poised debut album, Born to Die , which has sold more than 3.5m copies. The transformation from plain Lizzy Grant of Lake Placid into sultry Lana Del Rey has been accomplished with great artfulness. ...
There was no problem with the singing, which was excellent. Del Rey’s voice was breathy and atmospheric, coasting with enigmatic serenity through her songs’ tales of material and erotic desire. ...
Pretty good, yes? Yet it concludes with this:
The ingredients for an impressive live show were in place but frustratingly didn’t quite cohere. The music had a numbed quality, a string section sawing away bloodlessly amid airbrushed beats. The set’s ending also struck a false note, Del Rey advertising her love for her fans by embarking on a tedious meet-and-greet circuit of the front row. The carefully assembled layers of mystique disappeared. Femmes fatales shouldn’t have hearts of gold.
Setting aside the "numbed quality" attributed to the music (I've always liked the strings), their complaint seems to be that she wasn't sufficiently aloof and goddess-like.
The Evening Standard concludes in a similar fashion:
Her sultry vocal was complemented with sweeping strings, which gave an epic grandeur to Young and Beautiful from the Gatsby soundtrack. But like the fake marble lions, Del Rey never roared, and sang with old-fashioned enunciation rather than any real urgency. She did discover her dramatic side on the ballad Ride, and the global hit Video Games prompted further screams.
“It’s you, it’s you,” she trilled while pointing at admirers in the front row, who she felt moved to meet again during National Anthem. Fifteen minutes later she was still there while the rest of the audience waited for an encore that never came. It was a frustrating finale.
Finally, the Telegraph. The Telegraph also didn't like the finish, but rather than thinking she'd failed to maintain the mystique, their complaint seems to be that she never cut through it:
This was all entertaining, and often compelling. But for all the evocation of vulnerability, her performance did nothing to cut through her mystique and establish a connection with the real Lana Del Rey. We learnt little from her brief asides between songs. There was also no indication of what direction her music might take next. The only new song played was Young and Beautiful, from the Great Gatsby soundtrack, which sounded just like the rest of her album.
A stirring National Anthem promised a strong finale, but by the time Del Rey emerged from another mid-song round of gift collection, the upper echelons of the crowd were deserting. Perhaps they thought a fine line between “unusual” and “self-indulgent” had been crossed.
Yet the reviewer thought it was "all entertaining, and often compelling." Nor is that the only positive comment. For instance:
... singles Blue Jeans and Summertime Sadness were highlights – while woozy guitar shapes lent a grungy feel to a cover of Dylan’s Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. Del Rey’s voice flitted impressively between a purr and wail, best showcased on a spine-tingling rendition of Video Games.
I don't know quite what to make of these reviews, and it's too late at night for me to think very clearly, but at least she is (for the most part) being properly reviewed as an artist, and it's recognised that she can sing well, in varied ways, and can be entertaining, captivating, even spine-tingling.
To these critics, something was lacking. Perhaps her often languid style was not to their taste; perhaps on this particular occasion, in that place, the sound, or the band, or something else wasn't all it should be. Perhaps they don't want to risk enthusiasm. Perhaps they were just too conscious of their role as critics to let themselves go during the concert. Lana's time with her fans at the end did not go down well, and the Telegraph saw it as 'gift collection', but I doubt the fans see it that way, and isn't it better to show fans you appreciate them than to stay aloof?
To someone who, like Lana, has had a hard time from critics and commentators, fans must be especially important.
Oh dear, oh dreary me! Critics slagging Lana off for spending time with fans and just playing songs off her "Paradise Edition" album on the "Paradise Tour" (clues maybe in the title chaps)! I think the words are "grasping" "at" and "straws." Give it up media morans, she rules and you frickin' know it. Its over, you've lost, you all know you should have given her 5 stars.
Although I too was shocked Young and Beautiful sounds like a classic Lana Del Rey song. You know I was really expecting her to go with that Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band direction. I really can't understand what she was thinking making another classic Lana style song. Darn.
Ha yeah, wouldn't surprise me at all if there were a few other celebs hiding away in the crowds for the remaining UK tour dates. Corrie cast members at the Manchester gigs perhaps? I think Koney once pointed out that they always play her latest singles, so someones a fan on the show.
And talking of Manchester that's where I will be heading. So c'mon Lana, give us a 6 star out of 5 performance at both gigs over the next couple of days. And I say that not for my own "selfie" but because I know that's how impossibly amazing you are, so you know I just couldn't expect anything less. Oh and of course if you could do the same trick again for Makson and co. over in Dublin.;) cause you really are that good!:D
I wonder if the critics were complaining as when she came down to the front row, it was only really the front row that got attention? I supposed it's rich for me to talk as I was one of the lucky ones, but I think it just shows she has time for her fans and is willing to thank and show her appreciation for them. I think it was lovely.
It really was a lovely show. I wish I could see it again. She is so talented.
Jumping 19-9 is Lana Del Rey's "Young and Beautiful" with 121,000 (up 57%), thanks to exposure gleaned from its use in the film "The Great Gatsby" and on its soundtrack.
This isn't the Hot 100 as that includes streaming and radio play but this is still mighty impressive. The song is now sliding back down US iTunes but it has now been officially sent to US radio :eek: (fisrt Lana song to have this 'honour' :rolleyes:) and apparently Z100 (big US station by all accounts) already has it in rotation. Very encouraging.
It's interesting to see a song rise in the charts:
Despite releasing several music videos, "Young & Beautiful" is only Del Rey's second entry on the Hot 100, following the no. 91 peak of breakout "Video Games." Her "Great Gatsby" single made its debut four weeks ago at no. 82. The sweeping song began to gain momentum with the theatrical release of Baz Luhrmann's adaption. Now, Lana is climbing new Billboard heights with "Young & Beautiful" jumping from no. 59 to no. 22 this week.
I don't know how things are in the Hot 100, but in the British chart, songs often enter these days at their highest point (because of pre-release publicity and radio play) and fall thereafter. (The chart's based only on sales.) The old way that a song would rise in the charts as people discovered it seemed to have fallen into the dustbin of history.
This earlier article on Young and Beautiful's initial appearance in the Hot 100 is also interesting.
Indie pop singer Lana Del Rey's “Young & Beautiful” debuts at no. 82 on Billboard's all-genre Hot 100 chart this week. Despite seeming like an unimpressive position, it is actually the best showing for Ms. Del Rey so far. ...
...
Even though Lana does not translate into a big Hot 100 artist, her major label debut album, “Born to Die,” has sold over a cool 500,000 copies in the U.S. The record is an even bigger seller internationally where she is currently touring to sold out shows. Her true popularity proves to transcend any music chart.
Ok being a full on Lana addict I didn't just see Lana once in Manchester but both nights. And what can I say but, wow, she wasn't just 5 stars out of 5, or 6 but more like 100!
Loved it. Its good that we can watch things via You-Tube but it cannot give the full gorgeous quality of Lana's voice that you can actually hear being there. I was very glad I did go both nights cause (and I'd not realised this) she actually plays a slightly different set list each night. Well either that or I was waaay too drunk the 1st night to remember what happened. Which is eeerm highly possible with me, but no, no I'm pretty sure we didn't get Burning Desire 1st time round.
And what storming renditions of all those tunes. But well let’s let the You-Tube vids do the talking, bit of Cola, and listen to that crowd scream!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D_ZXVFwAZ0
I thought the fans were great. It’s been said before on here it was largely young girls that dominated the crowd at the other shows. Did rbautz say it was about 70% Germany? Yes that would seem about right here too. I also know there's been comments on here putting them down as "hipsters" but I would say Lana is clearly very much their hero and I wouldn't say they were hipsters. You can see that in the amount of them that had Lana styled hair with flowers. So I don't doubt their fan credentials one little bit and I'm sure most will be back next time.
There were a lot of gay lads there too, that seemed to be fans of Gaga. Lana's definitely their new Diva. There was a real mix of people there, from all over the world. I heard everything from US, to French to even Australian accents in the bar.
I have no issues with Lana mid concert signing sessions, to me it just added to the spectacle of the show. Critics just sound riled she generates such love from her fanbase to do that, and its frankly amazing that she does the signing sessions in the 1st place. If you’re really into music you can surely appreciate the brilliant playing skills of her band as they blast off solo’s as she does this.
Oh and on that Telegraph claim people were leaving early from the upper seating as she did her signing marathon during the end of National Anthem: If it was anything like Manchester, they weren't leaving, they were getting up and trying to come downstairs and join in! Or wait outside and be 1st by the gate to see her leaving. Once again, I would say the kn*bhead journalists see something, put a spin on it and GET IT WRONG.
Anything the critics or anybody else could moan about then? Nah they're talking twaddle if they do. Well a lot of the fans there seem gutted she never plays Off to the Races but that's just one for the wish list. Hey she can only play so many songs in one show.
Only mistake Lana made was a really cute one, she forgot the words when singing Burning Desire, she giggled, we all giggled with gave her a big ironic cheer and then she came back in perfecto. But hey she was probably absolutely knackered by then. She's given us 2 magnificent nights of entertainment and you couldn't have any complaints about that.
She said something along the lines of: "It was nearly 2 years ago that I last played this town, it was my first ever concert. I hope it won’t be that long before I see you all again." Nicely put and I hope it won’t be that long either! You're the best Lana!
Oh and will just mention you could see Lana's Dad stood by the side of the stage cheering his daughter on, which was sweet. By the way I just did a web search to double check this and found there's a video of him and Lana's sister Chuck playing Piano together. Music runs through family eh?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plZKhEYdl5A
Will just finish off with the Kassidy lads didn’t play this one as the warm up acts, the replacements were fab though. Apparently Lana’s boyfriend Barrie had to have emergency dental surgery. Hope they didn’t have a fight and she punched them out, always gonna lose against her, she’s a dangerous girl. Get well soon Barrie and I hope it’s nothing too bad. The remainder of the band did go "busking" playing outside though!
Oh and just re: Young & Beautiful. Just say bloody marvelous again that its done so well in the USA. Isn't their chart based on how often tunes are played on Radio as well as actual sales? That's something I despise about their charts, especially when all Radio does play is pish, it can really devalue the true sales picture. Makes it all the more amazing if she's got that high on sales alone, and full credit to her. Truly the most self-made artist on the planet and what a brilliant move it was becoming part of the Gatsby soundtrack.
I am getting fed up of how the media keep trying to blank her out, but if that big US station Z100 are playing her maybe that is a sign things are truly starting to change.
Frustratingly in the UK I don't think anyone bar Lana fans and people that have watched the film even know about the song. We need Fearne Cotton back from maternity leave to play her songs again on Radio 1.
But if even just some of the big US radio starts playing her songs, it might make some of the commercial UK radio who tend to shun her (like they do with anything alternative really) change their minds as they tend to copy the US stations.
Oh and drunken memory flashback, I think it was Gods and Monsters on the 1st night rather than Burning Desire. Great to see both of them.
Oh and a (4 star) review from the Manchester Evening News. Pretty fair & good review. Doubtlessly if any of the broadsheets review it they be obliged to knock a star off that score and make up some imaginary reason why they just can't quite get that excited. I think the reason's called not wanting to show Lana too much favour as they don't want to upset their American readers of their websites. Who they are increasingly reliant on as the physical sales go down in Britain...
her biggest critics were in the US and the US audience agreed.... but times are changing.... she has her biggest hit with young and beautiful... many congratulations ....
my only wish would be for all her unreleased tracks.... a one place point .... she truly is such a diverse and prolific artist ...
Think we can all definitely agree with that about the unreleased tracks boysforpele. I'd just love it if she brought them out on future albums or as a boxed set. Be great to hear some of them live too.
I'm still giddy over the gig so here's a video of the Kassidy lads doing their busking session. Gives an idea of how many people were there waiting to go in and you can see Blake & Cee Jay from Lana's band along the way too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbGIRaJvLgY
Ok being a full on Lana addict I didn't just see Lana once in Manchester but both nights. And what can I say but, wow, she wasn't just 5 stars out of 5, or 6 but more like 100!
Loved it. Its good that we can watch things via You-Tube but it cannot give the full gorgeous quality of Lana's voice that you can actually hear being there. I was very glad I did go both nights cause (and I'd not realised this) she actually plays a slightly different set list each night. Well either that or I was waaay too drunk the 1st night to remember what happened. Which is eeerm highly possible with me, but no, no I'm pretty sure we didn't get Burning Desire 1st time round.
And what storming renditions of all those tunes. But well let’s let the You-Tube vids do the talking, bit of Cola, and listen to that crowd scream!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D_ZXVFwAZ0
I thought the fans were great. It’s been said before on here it was largely young girls that dominated the crowd at the other shows. Did rbautz say it was about 70% Germany? Yes that would seem about right here too. I also know there's been comments on here putting them down as "hipsters" but I would say Lana is clearly very much their hero and I wouldn't say they were hipsters. You can see that in the amount of them that had Lana styled hair with flowers. So I don't doubt their fan credentials one little bit and I'm sure most will be back next time.
There were a lot of gay lads there too, that seemed to be fans of Gaga. Lana's definitely their new Diva. There was a real mix of people there, from all over the world. I heard everything from US, to French to even Australian accents in the bar.
I have no issues with Lana mid concert signing sessions, to me it just added to the spectacle of the show. Critics just sound riled she generates such love from her fanbase to do that, and its frankly amazing that she does the signing sessions in the 1st place. If you’re really into music you can surely appreciate the brilliant playing skills of her band as they blast off solo’s as she does this.
Oh and on that Telegraph claim people were leaving early from the upper seating as she did her signing marathon during the end of National Anthem: If it was anything like Manchester, they weren't leaving, they were getting up and trying to come downstairs and join in! Or wait outside and be 1st by the gate to see her leaving. Once again, I would say the kn*bhead journalists see something, put a spin on it and GET IT WRONG.
Anything the critics or anybody else could moan about then? Nah they're talking twaddle if they do. Well a lot of the fans there seem gutted she never plays Off to the Races but that's just one for the wish list. Hey she can only play so many songs in one show.
Only mistake Lana made was a really cute one, she forgot the words when singing Burning Desire, she giggled, we all giggled with gave her a big ironic cheer and then she came back in perfecto. But hey she was probably absolutely knackered by then. She's given us 2 magnificent nights of entertainment and you couldn't have any complaints about that.
She said something along the lines of: "It was nearly 2 years ago that I last played this town, it was my first ever concert. I hope it won’t be that long before I see you all again." Nicely put and I hope it won’t be that long either! You're the best Lana!
Oh and will just mention you could see Lana's Dad stood by the side of the stage cheering his daughter on, which was sweet. By the way I just did a web search to double check this and found there's a video of him and Lana's sister Chuck playing Piano together. Music runs through family eh?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plZKhEYdl5A
Will just finish off with the Kassidy lads didn’t play this one as the warm up acts, the replacements were fab though. Apparently Lana’s boyfriend Barrie had to have emergency dental surgery. Hope they didn’t have a fight and she punched them out, always gonna lose against her, she’s a dangerous girl. Get well soon Barrie and I hope it’s nothing too bad. The remainder of the band did go "busking" playing outside though!
Great review:)
My experience was very similar.
I will say though that the vast majority of the crowd at Vicar Street consisted of twinks and teenage girls.
They were HYSTERICAL to say the least. Most of the older fans were up on the balcony so I was swamped by the young crowd as I stood just three rows back from the stage.
Every time Lana would come down to the front row, there would be this huge surge from behind and all hell would break loose as people tried to barge their way through to touch her!
Lana herself was a vision. She is even more beautiful in person and just has this aura about her...you cannot take your eyes off her for a second!
She gave a touching speech before Video Games where she addressed the harsh media criticism ("a lot of people have said a lot of things about me but playing in front of ye guys makes it all worthwhile"). At this point the crowd erupted in huge cheers and chants of "LANA" as she broke down in tears and turned away to look at her band in amazement at the response.
It was such a beautiful moment and will be my lasting memory of such a wonderful gig.
Brilliant, thank-you Makson and glad you had a top time! Found a video of her giving that speech before Video Games. OMG that is one of the sweetest Lana moments on the world. I think every Del Rey fan owes it to themselves to watch this video, truly cathartic moment. Think it’s just a great moment of release for her crying tears of joy all the way through, you can see how much it means to her: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdiGekiibQ0
I really do not know how anybody could hate Lana at all, she's not only one of the most wonderfully musically talented people to have ever lived on this planet, but one of the nicest, most charming & sensitive people to have ever lived on the planet as well. I'm probably notorious on the Digital Spy boards for being crazily overly defensive of her, but, well I guess this is why. I've always seen this side to her and it just makes me snap when people (be it the press or the net trolls) are unkind to her, especially when it does seem to have affected her personally so badly in the past.
Oh one more thing on a lighter note: Something else I really liked with the Manchester gigs- they were serving Pepsi Cola for the kids in the bar. Well what else!;)
Brilliant, thank-you Makson and glad you had a top time! Found a video of her giving that speech before Video Games. OMG that is one of the sweetest Lana moments on the world. I think every Del Rey fan owes it to themselves to watch this video, truly cathartic moment. Think it’s just a great moment of release for her crying tears of joy all the way through, you can see how much it means to her: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdiGekiibQ0
I really do not know how anybody could hate Lana at all, she's not only one of the most wonderfully musically talented people to have ever lived on this planet, but one of the nicest, most charming & sensitive people to have ever lived on the planet as well. I'm probably notorious on the Digital Spy boards for being crazily overly defensive of her, but, well I guess this is why. I've always seen this side to her and it just makes me snap when people (be it the press or the net trolls) are unkind to her, especially when it does seem to have affected her personally so badly in the past.
Oh one more thing on a lighter note: Something else I really liked with the Manchester gigs- they were serving Pepsi Cola for the kids in the bar. Well what else!;)
Oh fantastic, I'm glad it was recorded:D
I'll be trawling through youtube tonight for videos from the gig to see how it looked from other perspectives and see if I missed anything!
Yeah I've been seeing on other forums how casual fans who were at the gig have all stated how charming and genuine she came across.
"Lana CAN sing" was also trending on twitter after the gig:D
Comments
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2am :eek: We couldn't sleep so were like.. let's just go aha!
Anyway, we were the first in line because we were BONKERS and decided to queue at 2am because we were determined to get front row.. people arrived about half an hour after us and by 1pm there were about 200 people in the queue!
It got really full and by 7pm (doors opened) there must have been a good 1000 people queueing. At about 6pm Lana's father and I'm assuming her PA came out with a handful of signed merchandise for the first people in line. I think the first 10 - 15 people got signed special edition CDs, and I was lucky enough to be given the one signed lyric book! I'm going to treasure that forever!
Then we got let in and managed to get roughly front row centre, it got so packed and wasn't very nice, we couldn't move. Then someone must have pushed in to front row so we were literally squashed up, that was mad. Her support band, Kassidy were quite good! Not my style of music but they have great voices and got us warmed up, and my friend got the pic from one of the members guitars!
Then about half an hour later she came on.. oh my god it was so exciting. The build up was so haunting and beautiful. She is ridiculously beautiful in the flesh. Kind of surreal to be honest.. I couldn't take my eyes off her. She's so sweet and cute as well. She comes down several times during the show so you are literally touching distance from her. She sings one of hers songs right down just in front of the front row, amazing.. it's like she's singing to you.
Her voice is stunning, it's quite delicate really and sometimes hard to hear because the audience were so keen to sing along (which was lovely!) but it really is beautiful. I don't understand the criticism she gets, her voice I think it so haunting and wise. Anyway, I can't fault her at all.
As she walked past us at one point people were handing her things like flowers and letters, and I'd written her one and she took it so I do hope she reads it!
During her penultimate song (Video Games) we held up a poster saying 'Can we please have a photo' and when she saw it she winked at us! We didn't really need it because we know at every concert she's done she comes down to the audience…. (will describe below)
The final song she does is 'National Anthem' and during the final part of it she comes down to the audience and puts her mic down and spends a good 10 - 15 minutes going along the front row, taking photos with people etc. When she came to us, she was so cute! She stood by me and took three photos with me and my friend, she took my iPhone and said 'I'll take them!' and ahhh! Then we said we'd been here since 2am (crazzzzy) and she apparently said (I was too starstruck, my friend reminded me!) 'Oh you were the people, I love you!'. Then she hugged us both and kissed our cheeks
And I have a very bad mental image of Lana haters having actual 3somes after initially misreading what Koney said! Given that Lana haters come across as very ugly people in both terms of looks and personality this is making me shudder.
I need something to make that image go away. Quickly. Bit of Young & Beautiful from the gig, aaah that's made it all better. Definitely become a fan favourite hasn't it, listen to them sing along:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4z-OYyrakM
* Did it get more media coverage than her 'leaks' usually do?
* Was the media coverage also unusually enthusiastic?
To me, it seemed that the answer to both was "yes", but I might just have failed to notice what happened with earlier ones.
For example:
Handbag.com: CANNES: Lana Del Rey nails the Great Gatsby look at premiere:
Billboard magazine: The Best and Worst Dressed Artists of the Week: Lana Del Rey and Florence Welch
PS Great review, madaboutcarla, so glad you had a great time
I'm glad you had such a good time.
Nice Cannes roundup Veri. It was a brilliant dress and really seemed to match up with the Gatsby artwork. The leaks usually end up picking up coverage off the back of a major release, in this case Young and Beautiful. Its like hey you've heard the latest song-now listen to this. And yeah people do some to be getting more positive about her, so its all good!
I think that to people who've paid attention to what Lana's done since SNL (and perhaps also to things she did earlier), it's become increasingly clear that a lot of what was said against her doesn't make sense. (When, for example, has a record company puppet ever had so many good but unreleased songs?) And there's a lot of positive comment about her now, such as the Telegraph's "The ascent continues apace" article I linked earlier. However ...
However, there still seems to be a certain reluctance to acknowledge unreservedly that she's good. There's a certain reserve, a certain "yes, but", perhaps grudging, quality to some of the reviews, at least in the UK.
Consider this curious trio of three star reviews from the London concert:
Telegraph
Evening Standard
Financial Times
Start with the Financial Times. Most of it is very positive. For example:
Pretty good, yes? Yet it concludes with this:
Setting aside the "numbed quality" attributed to the music (I've always liked the strings), their complaint seems to be that she wasn't sufficiently aloof and goddess-like.
The Evening Standard concludes in a similar fashion:
Finally, the Telegraph. The Telegraph also didn't like the finish, but rather than thinking she'd failed to maintain the mystique, their complaint seems to be that she never cut through it:
Yet the reviewer thought it was "all entertaining, and often compelling." Nor is that the only positive comment. For instance:
I don't know quite what to make of these reviews, and it's too late at night for me to think very clearly, but at least she is (for the most part) being properly reviewed as an artist, and it's recognised that she can sing well, in varied ways, and can be entertaining, captivating, even spine-tingling.
To these critics, something was lacking. Perhaps her often languid style was not to their taste; perhaps on this particular occasion, in that place, the sound, or the band, or something else wasn't all it should be. Perhaps they don't want to risk enthusiasm. Perhaps they were just too conscious of their role as critics to let themselves go during the concert. Lana's time with her fans at the end did not go down well, and the Telegraph saw it as 'gift collection', but I doubt the fans see it that way, and isn't it better to show fans you appreciate them than to stay aloof?
To someone who, like Lana, has had a hard time from critics and commentators, fans must be especially important.
Although I too was shocked Young and Beautiful sounds like a classic Lana Del Rey song. You know I was really expecting her to go with that Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band direction. I really can't understand what she was thinking making another classic Lana style song. Darn.
Ha yeah, wouldn't surprise me at all if there were a few other celebs hiding away in the crowds for the remaining UK tour dates. Corrie cast members at the Manchester gigs perhaps? I think Koney once pointed out that they always play her latest singles, so someones a fan on the show.
And talking of Manchester that's where I will be heading. So c'mon Lana, give us a 6 star out of 5 performance at both gigs over the next couple of days. And I say that not for my own "selfie" but because I know that's how impossibly amazing you are, so you know I just couldn't expect anything less. Oh and of course if you could do the same trick again for Makson and co. over in Dublin.;) cause you really are that good!:D
It really was a lovely show. I wish I could see it again. She is so talented.
This isn't the Hot 100 as that includes streaming and radio play but this is still mighty impressive. The song is now sliding back down US iTunes but it has now been officially sent to US radio :eek: (fisrt Lana song to have this 'honour' :rolleyes:) and apparently Z100 (big US station by all accounts) already has it in rotation. Very encouraging.
http://www.examiner.com/article/lana-del-rey-scores-first-top-30-hit-on-billboard-with-young-beautiful
It's interesting to see a song rise in the charts:
I don't know how things are in the Hot 100, but in the British chart, songs often enter these days at their highest point (because of pre-release publicity and radio play) and fall thereafter. (The chart's based only on sales.) The old way that a song would rise in the charts as people discovered it seemed to have fallen into the dustbin of history.
This earlier article on Young and Beautiful's initial appearance in the Hot 100 is also interesting.
Loved it. Its good that we can watch things via You-Tube but it cannot give the full gorgeous quality of Lana's voice that you can actually hear being there. I was very glad I did go both nights cause (and I'd not realised this) she actually plays a slightly different set list each night. Well either that or I was waaay too drunk the 1st night to remember what happened. Which is eeerm highly possible with me, but no, no I'm pretty sure we didn't get Burning Desire 1st time round.
And what storming renditions of all those tunes. But well let’s let the You-Tube vids do the talking, bit of Cola, and listen to that crowd scream!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D_ZXVFwAZ0
Video Games:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQhzfxQef1U
Or a bit of Ride from the 2nd night, look out for the American flag thrown onstage that she drapes herself in. Cool: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFgyJcRrdrY
I thought the fans were great. It’s been said before on here it was largely young girls that dominated the crowd at the other shows. Did rbautz say it was about 70% Germany? Yes that would seem about right here too. I also know there's been comments on here putting them down as "hipsters" but I would say Lana is clearly very much their hero and I wouldn't say they were hipsters. You can see that in the amount of them that had Lana styled hair with flowers. So I don't doubt their fan credentials one little bit and I'm sure most will be back next time.
There were a lot of gay lads there too, that seemed to be fans of Gaga. Lana's definitely their new Diva. There was a real mix of people there, from all over the world. I heard everything from US, to French to even Australian accents in the bar.
I have no issues with Lana mid concert signing sessions, to me it just added to the spectacle of the show. Critics just sound riled she generates such love from her fanbase to do that, and its frankly amazing that she does the signing sessions in the 1st place. If you’re really into music you can surely appreciate the brilliant playing skills of her band as they blast off solo’s as she does this.
Oh and on that Telegraph claim people were leaving early from the upper seating as she did her signing marathon during the end of National Anthem: If it was anything like Manchester, they weren't leaving, they were getting up and trying to come downstairs and join in! Or wait outside and be 1st by the gate to see her leaving. Once again, I would say the kn*bhead journalists see something, put a spin on it and GET IT WRONG.
Anything the critics or anybody else could moan about then? Nah they're talking twaddle if they do. Well a lot of the fans there seem gutted she never plays Off to the Races but that's just one for the wish list. Hey she can only play so many songs in one show.
Only mistake Lana made was a really cute one, she forgot the words when singing Burning Desire, she giggled, we all giggled with gave her a big ironic cheer and then she came back in perfecto. But hey she was probably absolutely knackered by then. She's given us 2 magnificent nights of entertainment and you couldn't have any complaints about that.
She said something along the lines of: "It was nearly 2 years ago that I last played this town, it was my first ever concert. I hope it won’t be that long before I see you all again." Nicely put and I hope it won’t be that long either! You're the best Lana!
Oh and will just mention you could see Lana's Dad stood by the side of the stage cheering his daughter on, which was sweet. By the way I just did a web search to double check this and found there's a video of him and Lana's sister Chuck playing Piano together. Music runs through family eh?:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plZKhEYdl5A
Will just finish off with the Kassidy lads didn’t play this one as the warm up acts, the replacements were fab though. Apparently Lana’s boyfriend Barrie had to have emergency dental surgery. Hope they didn’t have a fight and she punched them out, always gonna lose against her, she’s a dangerous girl. Get well soon Barrie and I hope it’s nothing too bad. The remainder of the band did go "busking" playing outside though!
I am getting fed up of how the media keep trying to blank her out, but if that big US station Z100 are playing her maybe that is a sign things are truly starting to change.
Frustratingly in the UK I don't think anyone bar Lana fans and people that have watched the film even know about the song. We need Fearne Cotton back from maternity leave to play her songs again on Radio 1.
But if even just some of the big US radio starts playing her songs, it might make some of the commercial UK radio who tend to shun her (like they do with anything alternative really) change their minds as they tend to copy the US stations.
Oh and drunken memory flashback, I think it was Gods and Monsters on the 1st night rather than Burning Desire. Great to see both of them.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-opinion/review-light-lana-shines-apollo-4013751
my only wish would be for all her unreleased tracks.... a one place point .... she truly is such a diverse and prolific artist ...
I'm still giddy over the gig so here's a video of the Kassidy lads doing their busking session. Gives an idea of how many people were there waiting to go in and you can see Blake & Cee Jay from Lana's band along the way too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbGIRaJvLgY
Lana.was.EVERYTHING!:( (happy tears)
I'll post about my experience tomorrow.
Great review:)
My experience was very similar.
I will say though that the vast majority of the crowd at Vicar Street consisted of twinks and teenage girls.
They were HYSTERICAL to say the least. Most of the older fans were up on the balcony so I was swamped by the young crowd as I stood just three rows back from the stage.
Every time Lana would come down to the front row, there would be this huge surge from behind and all hell would break loose as people tried to barge their way through to touch her!
Lana herself was a vision. She is even more beautiful in person and just has this aura about her...you cannot take your eyes off her for a second!
She gave a touching speech before Video Games where she addressed the harsh media criticism ("a lot of people have said a lot of things about me but playing in front of ye guys makes it all worthwhile"). At this point the crowd erupted in huge cheers and chants of "LANA" as she broke down in tears and turned away to look at her band in amazement at the response.
It was such a beautiful moment and will be my lasting memory of such a wonderful gig.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdiGekiibQ0
I really do not know how anybody could hate Lana at all, she's not only one of the most wonderfully musically talented people to have ever lived on this planet, but one of the nicest, most charming & sensitive people to have ever lived on the planet as well. I'm probably notorious on the Digital Spy boards for being crazily overly defensive of her, but, well I guess this is why. I've always seen this side to her and it just makes me snap when people (be it the press or the net trolls) are unkind to her, especially when it does seem to have affected her personally so badly in the past.
Oh one more thing on a lighter note: Something else I really liked with the Manchester gigs- they were serving Pepsi Cola for the kids in the bar. Well what else!;)
Oh fantastic, I'm glad it was recorded:D
I'll be trawling through youtube tonight for videos from the gig to see how it looked from other perspectives and see if I missed anything!
Yeah I've been seeing on other forums how casual fans who were at the gig have all stated how charming and genuine she came across.
"Lana CAN sing" was also trending on twitter after the gig:D