Lorde

Lorde is a talented songwriter: her second album ‘Melodrama’ is full of great ballads with all the sincerity and directness that one expects from a 20 year old pop star. Live however, she doesn’t quite live up to her writing credentials.

The concert started well, with some bolshy introductory music and a stylish large ‘Melodrama’ neon sign heralding the arrival of an energetic Lorde. Two dancers and stark, neon tableaus also enlivened the evening at different points, and Lorde’s earnest stories about her songs between numbers was endearing. The evening sadly never really took off however, with many songs a little too faithfully recreated as to feel inorganic, and barely live. Some more instrumentation and variation would have kept things more interesting.

Lorde’s energy and talent shone through a strangely staid set. The vibrant ‘Perfect Places’ lifted the mood and gave an impression of what could have been a fantastic show, but instead merely hinted at what will hopefully be more rounded, honed concerts later on in her lengthy career.

Brighton Centre, 30 September 2017

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