Lily Allen @ First Avenue

In the end, there was no reason to worry. Lily Allen put to rest any fears over her unpredictable nature and live show with a composed and engaging performance Saturday night at a sold-out First Avenue. Looking absolutely alluring in a sky-blue jumper and sparkly stiletto heels, Allen charmed her way through her 75-minute set with a batch of buoyant pop songs and cheeky asides that kept the audience engrossed and dancing the entire night. While the packed club had to be patient to finally get a chance to see her live (she canceled her first scheduled show here as well as a full-scale US tour in 2007 amidst heavy drinking and chaotic live shows), Allen’s first Minneapolis show proved to be polished and professional, and was well worth the wait.

(video by the Rock ‘n’ Roll Star)

Taking the stage with a skilled four-piece backing band behind a simple white sheet and the audience roaring before she had even sung a note, Allen dove right into a lively version of “Everyone’s At It” from her excellent second record It’s Not Me, It’s You as the sheet dropped. The stage was adorned with giant white letters that spelled out her first name, and right from the get go Allen seemed to be in good spirits, carefree and beaming throughout her entire set. She appeared to be thrilled with the chance to play to a packed club on a Saturday night, and encouraged all in the audience to join in the party. Initially, Allen kept strictly to her music, as she treated the crowd to more hits from her second album like “I Could Say” and a version of “Never Gonna Happen” that really turned into an exuberant crowd sing-along, especially among the large female contingent that made up most of the packed crowd.

I was a bit dismayed that her wonderful cover of the Kaiser Chiefs “Oh My God” was slightly abbreviated and blended right into “Everything’s Just Wonderful” from her debut Alright, Still. But it was a small complaint, as the show focused more on her own material, highlighted by her performing every track from her new record. She seemed to be annoyed by some tape keeping her top in place, and tore it off after her third number, exclaiming audaciously “It’s gaffer tape, and it hurts like hell, so I’m going to take it off. You might just see my tits.” It was the first sassy exchange Allen had with the audience during her playful set, and was a clear example that while she cares about her music a great deal, she doesn’t take herself all that seriously. And that was a refreshing change from the continual barrage of diva-like, egomaniacal pop stars from abroad and the US.

(video by the Rock ‘n’ Roll Star)

Allen’s music is a successful blend of many contrasting styles fused together into catchy pop songs that are driven by her blunt, acerbic lyrics. She rarely pulls any punches, and continually speaks her mind on failed relationships, miserable sexual encounters and frustrations with men, God and the government alike. These were themes that clearly resonated with the audience, who responded better to the openly questioning religious undertones of “Him” than the conservative Salt Lake City audience of a few days earlier, and emphatically joined in with middle fingers raised throughout the entirety of the Bush-bashing “Fuck You.” Allen certainly found a comfort level with the audience while drinking rapidly from her red plastic cup and brazenly breaking the no-smoking rules of the club, smiling and laughing between songs as she joked with her band mates and the audience. She also shed her high-heels for trainers in order to dance uninhibitedly during the stellar second half of the set, highlighted by a tender rendering of “Chinese” and a feisty version of “Not Fair” that was dedicated to all of the ladies in the house, while the men were cheekily encouraged to “think outside of the box. Literally.”

(video by the Rock ‘n’ Roll Star)

After a quick change of clothes for the encore, trading in her jumper for a white tank top and jeans, Lily amped up the crowd with spirited versions of her two biggest hits, “Smile” and “The Fear.” And, after thanking the massive crowd for coming out to the show, she closed the night with a commendable cover of Britney Spears’ “Womanizer” that stirred the audience into a dancing, swirling mass. It was a spunky close to a show that found Allen in fine voice and behavior, supported by a talented backing band and a supportive audience that has been waiting quite a while for their chance to finally see her live. And hopefully Allen has put the distractions of her past behind her, so she can continue to write catchy, clever pop songs that will keep energizing her fans for a long time to come.

(video by the Rock ‘n’ Roll Star)

[Review by Erik Thompson, photos by Jon Behm]

Setlist:
Everyone’s At It
I Could Say
Never Gonna Happen
Oh My God
Everything’s Just Wonderful
Him
Who’d Have Known
LDN
Go Back To The Start
He Wasn’t There
Littlest Things
Chinese
22
Not Fair
Fuck You
Smile (encore)
The Fear (encore)
Womanizer (encore)

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Also: Lily Allen “It’s Not Me, It’s You” Review