REVIEW: Lily Allen Performs West End Girl - Concert turned Theatre
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY ARI CHEEMA ☆
Photos By Tom Pandi
A SEXTET, AN APARTMENT AND A THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE - Lily Allen brought all three to the Toronto stop of her West End Girl tour, five shows into the North American leg.
Opening up the show while Allen got ready to perform was her very own cello ensemble, the Dallas Minor Sextet. Performing Allen’s hits on strings with karaoke-style lyrics on the screens, the crowd definitely wasn’t left quietly waiting. You could hear the crowd echoing throughout the outdoor venue, singing along to Smile and Fuck You
A second before 9:15 PM, the lights turned off and we were met with a hypnotising light show on the stage. Opening with her latest album’s title track, West End Girl, Allen appeared through the curtains on the stage. Her set changed with every song, featuring a glimpse into her apartment, a swing, a receipt dress, and a Duane Reade bag filled with a few not-safe-for-work toys. Playing the album front-to-back, Allen brought down an endless number of chandeliers as she closed with Fruityloop.
The night’s standout moments were definitely the ones where Allen immersed the audience into her performance. From a devastating phone call from her ex-lover to tears as she sang Relapse, Allen made sure that no one in the audience looked away the whole night.
Leaving the venue, the only thing I could think about was how different my listening experience with West End Girl would become. Lily Allen Performs West End Girl is simply a 5 star theatrical show that I will continue to remember.
