Emma Swales
Lana Del Rey kicked off her limited North American headline tour this past Thursday, Sept. 14 at the FirstBank Amphitheater in Franklin, Tennessee. The 38-year-old alternative singer hung up her Waffle House uniform and returned to the stage to deliver an effortless and unforgettable show that debuted her “Did you Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd” tour.
This headline tour marks Lana Del Rey’s first stretch across America since her “LA to the Moon” tour in 2018. Her current tour is set to promote her newest album, “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd,” which was released earlier this year.
Nikki Lane, an American country singer and songwriter, was the opening act for Lana Del Rey. She commenced the first show of the tour in Franklin, TN with a charming, southern performance that electrified the crowd and successfully prepped us for the main event. She played some of her greatest hits, including “Right Time” and “Highway Queen.”
Soon after Nikki Lane finished her setlist, it was time for Lana Del Rey to grace the stage. Once her crew completed their set up, all of the lights in the amphitheater went down and the words “God Bless Nashville” appeared on the monitors. The crowd collectively stood up and began to cheer. The lights flashed on, and Lana Del Rey kicked off the show with one of her most well-known songs, “Young and Beautiful.”
Lana Del Rey was wearing an all-white look, consisting of a gorgeous white long sleeve mini dress and matching knee-high cowgirl boots. She was accompanied by background dancers, three backing vocalists and her band. Her band includes some of her long-time friends and tour mates, such as pianist Bryson Thomas and guitarist Blake Lee.
Throughout the show, she performed songs ranging from her first album, “Born to Die,” all the way to her most recent release, “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd.” She even sang a cover of the country music song, “Stand by Your Man” by Tammy Wynette.
About halfway through the show, Lana Del Rey performed her song “Ride” and concluded the hit by walking off stage and down to the pit in front of the stage. Once she was finished singing the song, she took a break to thank her fans and took photos with several people in the front row.
She finally ended the night with an extended version of her most popular hit, “Summertime Sadness” and proceeded to close the show with one of her newest songs, “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd,” in an effort to promote her latest album.
Overall, the show did not disappoint. Lana Del Rey’s voice was unexpectedly more powerful and operatic in person, and her effortless ability to perform exceeded my expectations. My favorite part of the concert was when she performed “Video Games” while swinging on a large swing that was covered with vines and flowers. Lana Del Rey successfully captivated her audience and kept them on the edge of their seat with a setlist of over 10 songs and striking stage visuals. Her background dancers and vocalists added so much more to the performance, as well as her band’s heavy backbeat and musical rhythm.
She will continue her tour across America with nine more shows located in Texas, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and will finish in West Virginia on Oct. 5. Tickets for the remainder of her tour are still available through Ticketmaster and other online ticket sites.