Lily Allen's West End Girl tour has become the most divisive of the year for no reason. The main complaints include that she has no 'real' support act, only performs for an hour, doesn't speak to the audience, and tickets are too expensive. Fans are claiming they've been 'robbed'.
A Show That Delivers Exactly What It Promises
Having seen her show twice now, once in a freezing cold and small theatre in Glasgow, and another at London's O2 Arena in the middle of a heatwave, I've been taken aback by the moaning and groaning, not least because what you see on stage is exactly what's on the tin… and more. Since her bigger stadium shows kicked off, the criticism has been endless, with Lily even personally responding and insisting she doesn't want people to feel 'ripped off'.
'There is a support act,' she wrote, defending her openers, Dallas Minor Trio, a string ensemble who perform her older hits (LDN, Smile, F**k You etc) instrumentally in a karaoke-style warmup before she comes out. 'The show has always been advertised as "Lily Allen performs West End Girl." I was a few mins late as my tights were laddered and i had to change them. The show is just over an hour as it's just the album in its entirety. It's my artistic choice not…'
Why the Format Makes Sense
The argument is that fans would rather see Lily perform these songs herself, but doing this would feel totally disjointed given the contrast in her albums. Electro-R&B hits from her earlier years wouldn't blend well with a theatrical stage drama. If your preference in Lily's back catalogue is Alright, Still, It's Not Me, It's You, or even Sheezus, you should know based on the name of this tour, Lily Allen Performs West End Girl, that this isn't the show for you.
Of course, complaining about 'too much new material' isn't a new thing at concerts, but getting the pitchforks out for an artist for promoting an album which the tour is named after is bewildering. The concert is advertised as not being traditional, in which case there isn't much room for complaints about it not being a carbon copy of something you've already seen on stage by a different artist. It's become common in recent years for groups and artists to take a single album on tour – often on the anniversary of an album. As long as you know what you're getting when you pull the trigger and purchase a ticket, what's the issue?
Artistic Choices That Enhance the Experience
'It's my artistic choice not to talk to the audience, the fourth wall helps with the storytelling. Most people find it to be effective,' Lily argued against critics, who are unsatisfied with her lack of audience engagement. If you've seen the show, you'll know this decision makes total sense. Lily pours her heart out on stage like she's reading out her own gut-wrenching diary entries. She acts, she cries, she writhes around while performing a song about struggling to stay sober after the breakdown of her marriage to David Harbour. Interrupting that to ask the crowd how they are and reminding them to hydrate just wouldn't work.
And that's not to say that the show is in any way stale because of the lack of stage banter. The entertainment is consistent throughout; from the crowd who heckle David during her most intimate songs, to the explicit props she uses, and a set where the audience member feels like a voyeur. As I was leaving her show on Saturday, I overheard a girl tell her partner: 'That was unlike anything I've ever seen.' And that sums up the tour exactly. As I wrote in March: Lily Allen's West End Girl tour isn't a concert – and you'll be disappointed if you're expecting one.
