#SPOTTED: LANA DEL REY IN TORONTO AT MOLSON AMPHITHEATRE FOR “ENDLESS SUMMER” TOUR

Over the past four years, few have risen as quickly as Lana Del Rey, often referred to as a “Gangsta Nancy Sinatra“. Known for her moody, cinematic Catalog of self-penned Tunes which pay homage to Americana of another era, Del Rey is an Artist and a Woman in complete control of her image and musical vision.

This marks the third time Del Rey has visited Toronto, playing Molson Amphitheatre on the Toronto leg of her sold-out Endless Summer Tour. Her Encore-free Set, preceded by Grimes, was an abbreviated 13 songs which certainly are not short on quality. I as a huge Fan of hers however, couldn’t help but feel underwhelmed seeing her perform live for the first time. Believe me, I always find the positive in things, and totally get the understated elegance which Del Rey possesses, but I couldn’t help but feel a great disconnection between her and her material. Perhaps she long is over the phase in her life to which she is confined to singing on some of her older material on this Tour – or maybe she is just fatigued from aggressive touring, but my honest impression is that Del Rey didn’t seem happy about being on-tour. Tunes like Video Games and Shades of Cool simply didn’t translate as well live for me after impacting me so deeply on-recording and vocally some of her performances were off-the-mark.

Nonetheless still, I am still happy to say I’ve seen her perform live at last, although I wish the circumstances were different and that I got more value out of this experience. The fatal omission of one of her signature songs, Young & Beautiful also had me baffled. Lana Del Rey however still to me is a Goddess, all this aside.

Del Rey did mention that she will have a new Disc out this Fall titled Honeymoon, which of course has me excited and perhaps I’ll need to see her again live again when she’s in inspired mode to give it a fair evaluation…

One thing that irks me though is that Toronto Fans were among the first to get Del Rey on the map and in her last two Tours in the City, she’s given little back to Fans.  We hear amazing stories in other Cities how she takes the time after her Shows to greet her hoards of Devotees.  Her Show at Sony Centre for the Performing Arts last Spring had her being scooted away quickly as hundreds of Fans waited patiently by the Stage Door to see her.  Ditto again this time as she was snuck-out of the venue away from Fan view and believe me, hundreds were waiting again.  What gives?

See some Snaps:

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 3, 2015 at 7:39pm PDT

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 3, 2015 at 7:38pm PDT

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 3, 2015 at 7:37pm PDT

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 3, 2015 at 7:03pm PDT

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)