It was my first time attending a show at the First Bank Theater in Franklin. Beautiful outdoor venue with rocks and lights everywhere. The main event was Lana Del Rey. I’d heard of her but never paid much attention to her music until my boyfriend started playing it all the time. Deciding to give her a chance live, I went to the show with him to check her out.

She played for around 90 minutes, opening with a mashup of “A&W”. Hits included “Chemtrails Over The Country Club”, “Summertime Sadness”, “Video Games”, “Blue Jeans”,”Ultraviolence”, “Born To Die”, and her new single, “Did You Know Tere’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd”.

Lana strikes me as very quirky and outspoken, not afraid to be herself. With clever
lyrics such as “I can’t help but feel somewhat like my body marred my soul/ Handmade beauty sealed up by two manmade walls” and “Did you know a singer can still be/Looking like a sidepiece at 33? God’s a charlatan, don’t look back babe” Lana Del Rey is not what you would expect from a typical pop artist. Her music breaks the traditional pop mold, heavy on
poetry. Songs about heartache and Hollywood, but with a twist.

The stage was fairly simple, with mirrors, curtains, and rope swings to play with. During one song she swung happily over the delighted crowd in front. Other songs had Lana crouched behind the curtains, seeming to disappear from view unless you searched the stage. Music videos played in the background, along with special lighting effects to add to the ambience.

One highlight of the night, especially for fans in the pit, was when Lana spontaneously jumped off the stage and into the crowd. She greeted fans, snapping photos, signing autographs, and even calling out a long time supporter to thank him for coming. One prime example, Lana seems to have a cult fanbase who have grown with her. Many were dressed in a similar fashion,
with flowing dresses and ribbons in their hair. They knew every word to every song and sang them at the top of their
lungs.

Another moment worth noting was when Del Rey performed a cover of “Stand By Your Man”. Completely unexpected by me, it brought out another side to her vocals. The whole show was entertaining, from the first song to the last. In a unique twist, the set ended with Lana being literally pulled by her hair off the stage by dancers. That’s a first. It was a night Lana Del Rey fans won’t soon forget.