Lily Allen @ Festival Hall, Melbourne (24/07/2014)
After a four year hiatus in which she focused on starting a family, Lily Allen has finally returned to Melbourne heading her ‘Sheezus’ album tour.
The pop star mum had quite the stage set up, including, but not limited to, giant illuminated baby bottles and gyrating dancers in animal masks. Allen herself took to the stage in a glittering silver bodysuit opening with tongue-in-cheek track ‘Sheezus’; a nod towards Kanye West’s 2013 release ‘Yeezus’. Though flu-ridden, she doesn’t half ass anything in her performance. From the dancing to her sheer individual, character, you’d be hard-pressed to dislike Allen’s performance. After her feminist anthem ’Hard Out Here’, Allen drew weathered fans in further, smashing out one of her very first hits, ‘Smile’. The song choice was on point all night, balancing new material with the old, and the costume change to a sparkling shirt proclaiming ‘Sorry, You Look Basic’ was equally as smooth. Energetic, colourful and talented beyond belief; as much as I enjoy Allen’s pop hits the moment that truly stood out to me was her beautiful rendition of Keane’s ‘Somewhere Only We Know’. It was in these moments that she really showed us her vocal strengths. Let me assure you, that girl can really fucking sing. Her voice rung through the air with a beautiful melody but with an edge of her distinct accent and personality, really making the song her own. |
Naturally, the only way to follow up such a stunning moment is to proceed to cuss at everyone in the building. One of the most vibrant points of the night, there’s something truly enchanting about a crowd of people crooning “Fuck You”.
Returning to the stage for the final time, opening her encore with electropop single ‘The Fear’, Allen articulates the issues with the celebrity lifestyle before transitioning into ‘Bass Like Home’. Ending the evening with ‘Not Fair’, Allen reiterates that not only is she some kind of performance goddess but that she’s got a wit so sharp it could kill a man.
Holly Parker
Returning to the stage for the final time, opening her encore with electropop single ‘The Fear’, Allen articulates the issues with the celebrity lifestyle before transitioning into ‘Bass Like Home’. Ending the evening with ‘Not Fair’, Allen reiterates that not only is she some kind of performance goddess but that she’s got a wit so sharp it could kill a man.
Holly Parker