Tonight, thousands of devout fans flocked to The Hydro to see Lana del Rey take to the stage, not sporting as many flower crowns as expected.
It is easy to see the mix of people waiting to enter the concert, notably in terms of age, which portrays the wider audience that Del Rey is now singing for in comparison to the previous years of her career.
Just after 9 o’clock, she takes to the stage in a small blue dress, looking like a young, high school girl who has just graduated.
Opening with ‘Cruel World’ Del Rey showcases both her vocal ability and her ability to work with the band around her whilst welcoming the audience to her show.
There is definitely an established hierarchy at Lana Del Rey’s shows with regards to the audience; at the front are the young, ultra-dedicated fans who are most likely split into genuine Del Rey admirers and those who are looking for a quick selfie with the singer to update their Instagram or Twitter.
Then follows the rest of the standing crowd who are also heavily dedicated, knowing 80% of the words and who are enjoying the ecstatic atmosphere at the front of the stage.
Finally, the remainder of the audience are there to enjoy the performance of a singer who knows exactly how to captivate her audience.
The set includes only four tracks from recent album Lust For Life including the intensely sensual ‘Cherry’ alongside stunning performances of ‘White Mustang’, ‘Change’ and an acoustic version of ‘Love’.
Del Rey also throws into the mix her most well known tracks such as ‘Born To Die’, ‘Videogames’ and ‘Summertime Sadness’ – obvious crowd pleasers.
The strongest tracks of the night are undoubtedly ‘Ultraviolence’ and closer ‘Off To The Races’, where Del Rey’s vocals flourish, as she looks genuinely delighted to be on the stage.
It is astonishing to see how much Lana Del Rey has grown as a performer and songwriter over the past few years.
Some aspects have remained the same, for example the retro film reels that appear behind her during the performance and her alluring awkwardness on stage, however the inclusion of backing dancers and choreography make it a more detailed showcase and keep her shows new and exciting.
This one-off show in Glasgow proves that Lana Del Rey still has the ability to release beautiful music, which she can present to a crowd with class, confidence and charisma.
Words: Orla Brady
Rave Child 