Concert Review: Lily Allen Gets Real At Music Hall of Williamsburg
“Wow, you guys are the most supportive crowd,” Lily Allen laughed at her her sold out concert in Music Hall of Williamsburg. We really were! The audience had a Planet Fitness policy of “Judgement Free Zone”, which comforted Lily as she sang and spoke on her mental breakdown, alcoholism, and the disintegration of her marriage. All of these tragedies at the epicenter of her new music.
“Apples”, “Waste”,”Lost My Mind”, and “My One” sounded like pop-trop jammers that could keep even the stiffest chav bopping on their way to work. Yet, beneath rhythms that swayed like Miami palm trees lied lyrics that shaded with the darkness Lily Allen met. Like The Weeknd, Allen is acclaimed for her capacity to make tragedy into a hit single. Yet, hearing her speak on her broken mind and heart highlighted that a good beat can be the carrier for a sad theme. It was an impactful moment to see her go through new songs and classics like, “Smile” and “F*CK You” (which she dedicated to Trump), because she appeared coy, happy, and healthy. Hence, her smiling at knowing she was far from the woman that broke down, but honored to be the woman singing to a breakthrough.
Lily Allen – Trigger Bang (feat. Giggs) [Official Video]
Allen was shy as she explained her past “sins”, but they made her appear accessible, which is why her the crowd adored her. She has managed to see the worst of herself, and healed herself back into becoming someone open to the best for herself. It is not easy to heal yourself after going “over the edge”, but it is also hard to say you deserve joy afterwards. Yet, tracks like “Pushing Up Daises” (dedicated to her new man) proved Allen has hope in love, and brings forth the vocal range to show the delicacy and consistency of this virtue. Although she swore she had a “frog” in her throat, the tenderness of “Three” (dedicated to her daughters) and the raw honesty of “Everything to Feel Something” made her sound better than ever because she felt clearer.
Lily Allen – Higher (Official Audio)
Lily Allen felt like the rainbow after a storm at the MHOW stage because she had survived one of the harshest lessons of life: not everything you want makes you happy. In a world that tells us fame, having a family, and fortune are the keys to joy, Lily Allen makes music that comforts the 99% whom secretly know that is not true. Happiness is a bit more personal and complex to be equated so easily. She laughed that she did not mean to make the night a “stand-up comedy” or an inadvertent, therapy session, but I was willing for both because they were authentic. For More Information On Lily Allen Click Here.
Lily Allen – Three (Official Audio)
