Directly off a flight from Florence for some big wedding, Lana Del Rey descended upon Vancouver to wow her fans at the sold out PNE Amphitheatre on Sunday night.
The outdoor theatre set a perfect mood for the show, with the grey skies and light showers coming down. Del Rey’s music is emotional and the rain was almost symbolic that evening. The crowd was a mixture of young and old, but predominantly dresses with floral patterns and plenty of Del Rey’s signature flower crowns.
According to security, fans – mostly young females – began lining up the night before to get to the front of the stage. It is no wonder that by the time opener Father John Misty was on stage, the amphitheatre was practically full already. Father John Misty, who is known as Josh Tillman formerly of indie band Fleet Foxes, was a brilliant one-man performer, although may have not been in front of the right crowd. He jokingly takes this into account, speaking to Del Rey’s fans, “Does anyone want to lend me a flower crown?”
After his half hour set, the stage was prepared for Del Rey’s entrance as fans waited patiently. As the lights dimmed, the young girls in the crowd screamed, and Del Rey entered the stage with a massive smile. She began her set with “Cruel World” and was immediately interacting with the fans in the front row- now clear as to why they wanted to be there so early. She was handed a Canadian flag, which she wore around her neck during part of her performance. “How amazing is it that we’re finally here,” she said. “I absolutely adore you.”
As the rain came down a bit more, fans did not seem to care, as they swayed and sang along loudly to her hit “Blue Jeans”. Each time she faces either direction, it seemed the fans waved frantically to try to catch her attention. The mosh pit was tight, as fans pushed and squeezed to try to get a closer look, and a better photo.
For an outdoor venue, the sound from the band was really crisp. Del Rey’s voice, although consistent, was sometimes quiet. As a performer, even without dancing or being extremely energetic, she has a strong stage presence. At one point, Del Rey lit a cigarette on stage, and smoked during a song. Hearing “Born to Die” live was a highlight, with the lyrics changing slightly to, “Let me f*ck you hard in the pouring rain.” Fans loved it. Possibly because it was Vancouver, and we relate to the pouring rain.
Del Rey’s upcoming third album is scheduled for release June 16th, and she treated fans to a performance of the title track “Ultraviolence”. From the Great Gatsby soundtrack, Del Rey sang the haunting ballad “Young and Beautiful”, later followed by “Summertime Sadness.” Her set ended with “Video Game” and “National Anthem”, both very well received by her fans who continued to sing along during the entire set. “Thank you for sticking through the rain. I hope we come back and see you soon,” Del Rey said before finishing her 15-song set.
Lana Del Rey’s music may be emotional and filled with sadness, but on Sunday night, she made the rain and the sad music beautiful for many Vancouver fans.
Check out fan photos and videos from Lana’s Vancouver performance here.
Image: Rishad Daroowala
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