Thursday 02 June 2022.

Wednesday 01 June 2022. LORDE live at The Roundhouse. New Zealand singer-songwriter LORDE is on a world tour to promote her third studio album. This is the first of three sold out shows at this venue. She had incredible worldwide success with her debut single "Royals". The YouTube video for "Royals" is approaching 900 million views on that platform. "Royals" received widespread acclaim from music critics, who praised its songwriting, production, and Lorde's vocal performance. Since its release, the track has appeared on critics' year-end and decade-end song lists. The single attained international chart success, reaching number one in Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. In the US, "Royals" spent nine weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It sold 10 million units worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time. It also was the second-most consumed song of 2013 in New Zealand and is certified nine-times platinum in Australia, seven-times platinum in Canada, and six-times platinum in New Zealand. In the media, the song has been credited for inspiring some artists to adopt its minimalist sound, and has been called an anthem for millennials. Her debut album "Pure Heroine" was released to critical and commercial success. Her second studio album Melodrama (2017) received widespread critical acclaim and debuted atop the US Billboard 200. For her third studio album, Solar Power (2021), she ventured into indie folk and psychedelic styles. The album reached number one in Australia and New Zealand and charted inside the top-10 in numerous countries. These are intimate shows for her , as last time in London she headlined Alexandra Palace. ------------- Support act MARLON WILLIAMS arrived on stage at 7.30pm for his 30 mins set. LORDE has invited one of her chums from her home country New Zealand to tour with her. The singer and actor played a few songs on guitar and keyboards. He is given a tiny postage stamp space in front of the huge black curtain of Lorde stage production. A lengthy 55 mins between acts seemed an eternity, compared to the usual 30 odd minutes. LORDE arrived on stage at 8.55pm and was on stage for 1 hour 50 mins. From the second the black curtain shrouding her artful stage production drops, it feels like we’ve been whisked off to another planet. It’s fitting that the set begins with ‘Leader Of A New Regime’, a song that imagines life in the future when we’ve destroyed the earth and had to flee to a distant sanctuary – the effervescent, colour-changing sun that lights the whole show and the rotating ladder centre stage, that she climbs and sings on for many of the songs. All the band are dressed in the same loose pastel coloured suits. There are two video screens showing live footage, which is rare for this venue. Three acts with three costume changes, for the second act she performs in her bra. It is a very arty and well thought out meticulous stage production. There is a lot of stage banter from her between songs, and she knows exactly what to say. She has her own personal security in the pit following her every move. There was ticker-tape fired into the stalls at the end of the main set. Lorde has many hardcore fans who know all the lyrics to the songs and sing them loudly. Many seem to be from the LGBTQ community. It was a great show, much better than expected. Full LORDE setlist played tonight.... ACT 1 Leader of a New Regime Homemade Dynamite Buzzcut Season Stoned at the Nail Salon Fallen Fruit ACT 2 The Path California Ribs Hard Feelings (Lorde ate a banana on stage) Dominoes Loveless Liability Secrets From a Girl (Who’s Seen It All) ACT 3 Mood Ring Sober Supercut Perfect Places Solar Power Green Light Oceanic Feeling Encore: Helen of Troy Royals Team

Posted 2nd June 2022