REVIEW: Lana Del Rey w/ Kali Uchis | 2.6.18 @ Bridgestone Arena [PHOTOS]

Lana Del Rey
w/ Kali Uchis
Bridgestone Arena; Nashville, TN
February 6, 2018

Review by Philip Obenschain. Photos by John Russell, courtesy of the artist.

Since erupting on the scene with breakout 2012 LP Born to Die, beloved, baroque, cinematic, and avant-garde indie pop singer Lana Del Rey has become something of a modern icon, renowned for his classic image and mystique; dreamy, epic, and hypnotic sound; and alluring presence. Over three full-lengths since, most recently last summer’s triumphant, career high point Lust for Life, Lana has only further risen in stature, cementing her status as a true artist with staying power, rather than some sort of gimmick or label machination, as her more polarizing early days led some detractors to believe. The fact that she’s the real deal is only further asserted by her current LA to the Moon Tour- the singer’s largest to date- where she graduates from the theaters she’s played in the past, like her one and only prior Nashville show at The Ryman in 2014, to arenas, moving to the significantly larger Bridgestone Arena for her recent, long-overdue return to Music City, along with Kali Uchis. We were delighted to catch Lana once again on her latest tour, and she was every bit as mesmerizing, genuine, and resonant as we anticipated. Read on for our review!

Though some other folks from our crew were able to see Lana’s inaugural Nashville show at The Ryman a few years back, I wasn’t so lucky, so I was extra eager to finally catch the singer- who I’ve been a big fan of since Born to Die– in person this time, even if I wished it was in a slightly smaller space. Arriving at Bridgestone, I was met with cool, damp weather outside- a juxtaposition to the summery sound and imagery Lana’s music and staging evokes- and a ton of eager fans heading into the venue. I knew this show wasn’t quite sold out, and taking my seat, I noticed that the uppermost sections had been closed off, a wise choice for packing in the audience more fully and intimately (and Del Rey still commanded a decently large and ultra-enthusiastic crowd regardless; a tough feat in an arena for any artist). After a short wait, opener Kali Uchis took the stage. I’ll admit, I’m not super familiar with her music outside of the handful of singles that have gained some buzz, but her poppy, modern R&B sound is great and her voice is really impressive, and her set was a lot of fun. I’ll definitely be checking out her debut album when it arrives soon, and I see what Lana picked her for this tour.

The room was full of palpable buzz and anticipation during the changeover- Lana Del Rey fans are without a doubt some of the most passionate and diehard around- and after a short break, the lights went dark and the singer emerged, donning a sparkly black dress and matching boots (“they told me you can never wear too many sparkles in Nashville” she’d later proclaim) like a sort of rhinestoned Wednesday Addams, as she opened with Lust for Life tune “13 Beaches.” Embodying that aforementioned summertime, coastal vibe that Lana’s music and album aesthetics so often conjure, her stage was decorated like a breezy beach scene, with palm trees and faux plants, rocks, chairs and swings, all accentuated by moody lighting and built around her great backing band, and backed by a huge screen which alternated between footage of the singer, clips from her videos, and scenery that matched the mood of her music. In addition to the band, Lana also had dancers (I’m not sure if this is new for this tour or has always been the case), but, unlike a conventional pop star’s backing troupe, their addition was much more subtle and tasteful, often veering into the territory of theatrical and interpretive as they coordinated with the singer, swung on swings, and gracefully moved around the stage.

Though she worked in at least something from each of her albums, I was a little surprised that 2014’s Nashville-recorded Ultraviolence and 2015’s retro and baroque Honeymoon didn’t get a lot of love, though I suppose it makes sense- Lust for Life is the new album that hasn’t been played live before, and Born to Die (and the cuts from its extended Paradise edition) is still the fan-favorite, and those two records made up the majority of the set. Early in the show, she played “Yayo,” which, though it appears on Paradise, actually dates back many years earlier, before she’d even adopted the Lana Del Rey moniker. Introducing it with “this is the oldest song I have, it’s about an old friend of mine named Rob,” Lana played the song by herself with an electric guitar- the only point in the evening she donned an instrument- creating one of the most casual and intimate moments in a show that was full of them.

The singalongs for some of her most viral songs like “Born to Die” and “Blue Jeans” were, of course, epic, and Lana played everything with such a laid back, subdued cool, casually bantering in between, acknowledging fans she recognized, and encouraging participation. Her music is serious but not too self-serious, and her relatability and sincerity feels so genuine, as though she was playing at a house party for friends instead of in a big arena. After a video of her rendition of Marilyn Monroe’s “Happy Birthday Mr. President” leading into a mesmerizing rendition of “National Anthem,” Del Rey delivered one of the most poignant and timely moments of the night with a stripped down “God Bless America – And All the Beautiful Women in It,” which feels like it adopts a new weight and relevance in our current sociopolitical climate. A medley of “Change,” “Black Beauty,” Great Gatsby hit “Young and Beautiful,” and “Ride” followed a few songs later, and served as a great way to pack in more songs.

Throughout the show, her band brought each song to life with such effortlessness on pianos, guitars, synths, percussion, and strings, that they nearly blended into the background, but they definitely deserve a special shoutout for being such an integral part of the performance. After a run of a couple more favorites- met with huge and excited response- like “Video Games” (which she performed while swinging on one of the stage’s giant rope swings) and “Summertime Sadness,” Lana said something to the effect of “we don’t know what to play next, what do you want to hear?” before settling on the audience suggestion of rarely-played Paradise tune “Body Electric.” Showcasing their chops, the band took a minute to figure out how to play it on the fly (as Del Rey joked she wasn’t sure she knew the lyrics), and it felt especially fitting given that it name-checks the Grand Ole Opry.

It’s hard to make such a big room feel so intimate, but Lana did so better than any other performer I can recall, delivering her songs (which, with their dreamy aesthetic, add a lot to that intimate feel) with such an earnestness and magnetism and genuine appreciation and fondness for her audience. She’s a one of a kind performer both in her art and her attitude, and after finishing out the night with “Off to the Races,” she did something I’ve never seen at an arena show- she walked to the front of the crowd to interact with her fans. After several minutes of accepting gifts, taking selfies, signing autographs, and saying hellos, the singer finally disappeared through the stage (though, I imagine if it was logistically possible, she would’ve tried to meet every single person in the crowd), leaving behind a lingering feeling that we had witnessed something truly special.

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All photos by John Russell, courtesy of the artist.

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Setlist:

13 Beaches
Pretty When You Cry
Cherry
Yayo
Born to Die
Honeymoon
Blue Jeans
White Mustang
National Anthem
God Bless America – And All the Beautiful Women in It
Lust for Life
Change / Black Beauty / Young and Beautiful / Ride
Video Games
Love
Summertime Sadness
Body Electric
Off to the Races