Lily Allen @ The El Rey 4/25/2018
Lily Allen grew up, and so did the fanbase she so strongly resonated with. Like with all changes, this metamorphosis comes with both good and bad.
Instead of the loudmouth Myspace queen, the El Rey came face-to-face with a composed, if a bit reserved, young woman. The primary focus of this show was Allen’s fourth LP, No Shame, slated for a June arrival. Apparently, people like Mark Ronson really dig it.
Yet as someone who holds both Allen and Ronson in high regard, this show did not entirely sell me on No Shame just yet. Unlike her last LA performance, which included glowing neon baby bottles and dog-mask-wearing backup dancers, it was just her and her two band mates. For fans of Allen, this sounds like it should be enough. After all, her wit and personality are what draw in a large portion of her fans.
Yet this Allen does not want to cause controversy, and that in and of itself stands out as how far pop culture has shifted. Back in 2010, Allen proclaimed her retirement from music, stating the hardships of fame and fans. Allen built much of her career off of social media, and being an accessible pop star a decade ago allotted a person major credibility on top of popularity. Allen’s willingness to embrace such platforms in ‘06-07 was a sign of shrewdness. It’s the same wit that roped me in with “Knock ‘Em Out” and “Not Fair”, both of which she performed to deserved hype. But the excitement of those songs never quite crossed over to any of the new singles like “3” or “Higher”.
Though maybe not as combative or reckless , No Shame still delivered the honest candid lyrics that built her fanbase in the first place. Allen sang as openly about her recreational habits as she did her divorce, with a refreshingly straightforward account of her life. For all her faults, which are many, Allen remains quite good at describing them. Sir Elton John calls her “Britain’s finest lyricist” for nothing.
Yet, the lyrics make up only one part of a performance, and they failed to completely sell me on Allen’s new stuff. She just seemed tired, but then again, aren’t we all nowadays?
