Lana Del Rey : A Grateful Rock Goddess

Lana Del Rey. Photo Tony Zhou. Lana Del Rey. Photo Tony Zhou.

You know it was a good concert when your roommate comes home and immediately begins blasting the artist’s music in the shower. Lana Del Rey is a very talented singer, and she more than proved this at her sold-out Bell Centre show this Monday. With a whimsical stage, a multi-instrumental band, and a crowd of adoring fans Lana Del Rey made her debut in Montreal.

Opening for her was Jimmy Gnecco whose set comprised of 3 out of 5 songs dedicated to Lana. Usually, I try to enjoy the opening act with an open mind but after a few minutes I had enough of Mr. Gnecco. His boring guitar and deafening singing received many complaints of the crowd around me during his short set.

Lana Del Rey. Photo Tony Zhou.

Lana Del Rey. Photo Tony Zhou.

Luckily, LDR performed well enough to nearly erase him from my memory. She wore a simple white dress, and her hair was perfectly curled. Known for her beautiful singing, she did not disappoint. Watching this international star perform was nothing short of a magical experience. Listening to her surreal performance live, she sounded better than any recording I’ve heard. LDR even gave us a sneak peak of her warm ups on stage, showcasing her vocal talent even further.

Throughout her performance she gave the band and the crowd notice of her tweaks to the set list. To me, she gave the impression of a hard working musician, an impression many popular artists do not. Through her clear connection to her band and her songs, I feel it agreeable to deem her a rock goddess. What put the show over the top was her several visits to the fans at the front of general admission.

Lana left stage three or four times to hug, kiss, autograph posters and CDs, take selfies and generally appreciate the fans closest to the stage. She was very appreciative of the love that Montreal gave to her, and she made this much known. Lana was very humble to the incessant cheering in the area, stating that she didn’t feel like she deserved it and was very thankful. From her actions, I think it’s safe to say that she was being honest.

Lana Del Rey. Photo Tony Zhou.

Lana Del Rey. Photo Tony Zhou.

This tour was a secondary tour for the Paradise edition of her last album, which meant palm trees covered the stage. Most of the set list came from this record, but she did play her new single West Coast. To LDR fans that missed her show this time, this could be good news because she has a new album – Ultraviolence – that will come out next month. Hopefully, she will be touring again to promote this record and I am confident in saying she’ll be back to Montreal if she does tour.

Lana Del Rey gave a spectacular performance, and showered as many fans as she could with her gratitude. Her impressive vocals and rockin’ band filled the Bell Centre with music that made it easy to believe in fantasy. She is a must see, if you can get a ticket.

Lana Del Rey played the Bell Centre on May 5.