Tour Dates
10/04/14 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
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10/05/14 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom 10/06/14 Portland, OR McMenamins Crystal 10/08/14 Oakland, CA Fox Theater 10/10/14 Hollywood, CA Hollywood Palladium
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Lily Allen is currently in the US, touring in support of her latest album, Sheezus (Regal, Parlophone), stopping by the Skyway Theatre in Minneapolis last night.
New York's Lolawolf started the show. The thing to note about this band, is that they are fronted by singer Zoë Kravitz (the daughter of Lenny Kravitz).
The trio played 10 tracks from their forthcoming album Calm Down (out October 10th on Innit Recordings, LLC./Cult Records), including the title track, "Dirty Feeling", "What Love Is" (one of the keyboard not working for this song) and set closer "Bitch".
Often in cases where the singer is also a movie star or model or have other higher profile profession, they tend to put their music career on the side... so I'm not really sure how serious Zoë Kravitz is with this band - especially when opportunities like appearing in Divergent (and its sequels?) is too good to say no to.
Also note, apparently Kravitz and Har Mar Superstar are friends, as she asked for him twice on stage. Har Mar was previously seen at Caroline Smith/Lizzo last Saturday and at Drowners on Monday... so not a surprise to hear that he was also at last night's show.
In 2005, Lily Allen was burning up on the music social website MySpace. Her songs were getting millions of hits, and before long major label Parlophone/Columbia Records swooped in to sign her. Her music is pop music, and even though I normally don't like pop, I was drawn to her. When I heard that she won the NME award for best solo artist in 2006, I noted how impressed I was.
I would have gone see her live in Minneapolis in 2007, but she immediately canceled the show as soon as it was announced. According to NME, she was playing some bad shows and "I don't want people spending money on a going to see a show that isn't the best it could be." The first time she actually appeared in Minneapolis on April 11, 2009, I was already committed to covering Copeland and had to miss Lily Allen's show... so I was really looking forward to Lily Allen at the Skyway Theatre.
Here's the thing about Allen, she writes lyrics like she sees them. They are songs about people she knows and how she feels about them, for example, "Alfie" about her kid brother Alfie Allen and Game of Thrones star: "My little brother's in his bedroom smoking weed. I tell him he should get up cos it's nearly half past three. He can't be bothered cos he's high on THC." or about stars in the public, "And I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless, 'cause everyone knows that's how you get famous." or about ex-boyfriends "At first when I see you cry, yeah it makes me smile, yeah it makes my smile."
It's these unfiltered and often honest thoughts that makes Allen an interesting singer and songwriter, in my opinion. I can relate to her lyrics, and sometime they're a little too close to home!
After the It's Not Me, It's You tour in 2009, she took a (long five year) break... which she revealed on stage she went away to "have babies." Based on the lightup giant baby bottles on stage, I can only guess that it's that portion of her life that she doesn't want to re-visit.
As for the setlist, it is the same night after the night. That is a necessity because of specific breaks for costume changes and scheduled dancers. There were four key costume changes, she came out in a sweater-esque top, then during "LDN" she took it off to reveal a leather bra. Half way into the set, she went backstage to come back in a cheetah outfit. Finally, for the encore, it's a rainbow top.
Obviously the old hits like "LDN", "Smile" and "Not Fair" were really welcomed by the singalong I hear from the crowd. The biggest surprise to me was their set closer, "F*** You". I have always liked the song, but I never knew that so many people loved it as well! It's not a classical "radio hit" because of the F-word, but obviously it's an underground hit. Allen said that she knew this was a pop song, but she could never get the production right. She must have gotten something right, because the entire audience was singing along.
Ask any fan in the audience and they will tell you that this was such a fun show, mostly thanks to the visuals (dancers in dog masks, light show, stage props, and costumes) and great music.
Lily Allen will be ending her US tour next week in October. If she's playing in your town, go see her on this fun little tour.
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Lolawolf
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The trio played 10 tracks from their forthcoming album Calm Down (out October 10th on Innit Recordings, LLC./Cult Records), including the title track, "Dirty Feeling", "What Love Is" (one of the keyboard not working for this song) and set closer "Bitch".
Often in cases where the singer is also a movie star or model or have other higher profile profession, they tend to put their music career on the side... so I'm not really sure how serious Zoë Kravitz is with this band - especially when opportunities like appearing in Divergent (and its sequels?) is too good to say no to.
Also note, apparently Kravitz and Har Mar Superstar are friends, as she asked for him twice on stage. Har Mar was previously seen at Caroline Smith/Lizzo last Saturday and at Drowners on Monday... so not a surprise to hear that he was also at last night's show.
In 2005, Lily Allen was burning up on the music social website MySpace. Her songs were getting millions of hits, and before long major label Parlophone/Columbia Records swooped in to sign her. Her music is pop music, and even though I normally don't like pop, I was drawn to her. When I heard that she won the NME award for best solo artist in 2006, I noted how impressed I was.
I would have gone see her live in Minneapolis in 2007, but she immediately canceled the show as soon as it was announced. According to NME, she was playing some bad shows and "I don't want people spending money on a going to see a show that isn't the best it could be." The first time she actually appeared in Minneapolis on April 11, 2009, I was already committed to covering Copeland and had to miss Lily Allen's show... so I was really looking forward to Lily Allen at the Skyway Theatre.
Here's the thing about Allen, she writes lyrics like she sees them. They are songs about people she knows and how she feels about them, for example, "Alfie" about her kid brother Alfie Allen and Game of Thrones star: "My little brother's in his bedroom smoking weed. I tell him he should get up cos it's nearly half past three. He can't be bothered cos he's high on THC." or about stars in the public, "And I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless, 'cause everyone knows that's how you get famous." or about ex-boyfriends "At first when I see you cry, yeah it makes me smile, yeah it makes my smile."
It's these unfiltered and often honest thoughts that makes Allen an interesting singer and songwriter, in my opinion. I can relate to her lyrics, and sometime they're a little too close to home!
After the It's Not Me, It's You tour in 2009, she took a (long five year) break... which she revealed on stage she went away to "have babies." Based on the lightup giant baby bottles on stage, I can only guess that it's that portion of her life that she doesn't want to re-visit.
As for the setlist, it is the same night after the night. That is a necessity because of specific breaks for costume changes and scheduled dancers. There were four key costume changes, she came out in a sweater-esque top, then during "LDN" she took it off to reveal a leather bra. Half way into the set, she went backstage to come back in a cheetah outfit. Finally, for the encore, it's a rainbow top.
Obviously the old hits like "LDN", "Smile" and "Not Fair" were really welcomed by the singalong I hear from the crowd. The biggest surprise to me was their set closer, "F*** You". I have always liked the song, but I never knew that so many people loved it as well! It's not a classical "radio hit" because of the F-word, but obviously it's an underground hit. Allen said that she knew this was a pop song, but she could never get the production right. She must have gotten something right, because the entire audience was singing along.
Ask any fan in the audience and they will tell you that this was such a fun show, mostly thanks to the visuals (dancers in dog masks, light show, stage props, and costumes) and great music.
Lily Allen will be ending her US tour next week in October. If she's playing in your town, go see her on this fun little tour.
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Lily Allen at the Skyway Theatre, Minneapolis (01 Oct 2014) |
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