One of the most underrated artists on the music scene right now took the stage Monday night to a packed crowd at the House of Blues.
Lily Allen, an Alternative Pop, UK-based performer signed under Regal Recordings–under Parlophone Records, is hot on the scene right now making a comeback from her 2009 hiatus with her current Sheezus album.
The visit to Dallas was long awaited, but definitely worth the wait. The crowd began a little small while her Norwegian opener, Samsaya, warmed up the crowd with her strong M.I.A, Sia, Charli XCX-like vocals. But the moment Samsaya walked off the stage, it seemed the entire city of Dallas swarmed to the venue.
Beginning her set with her single “Sheezus”, Allen rocked the show from the very start. Ending her week-long visit in Dallas, Allen proclaimed her love for America and Texas.
“We went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and I bought a s***ton of these cups things with straws. I love America!”
Allen introduced every song with a personal story behind why she wrote it and what it meant to her. She became particularly emotional before singing “As Long As I Got You,” which is about her family.
“I normally get really nostalgic when I sing this song. But my babies and my husband are here. They’re on the bus. So it’s kind of a happier tune tonight,” Allen said.
Throughout the show, Allen openly drank and smoked cigarettes on stage which led to hilarious interactions with the audience. She treated the audience like a friend on stage at a karaoke bar, minus the bad karaoke singing. At one point, she walked out with her Drake versus Lil Wayne shirt on and made a reference to Kanye.
“Everyone should be on their f**king feet dancing! Unless… did you hear about the Kanye incident? F**king illuminati.”
Besides her riotous interactions with the audience, the girl can belt out the high notes and can rap with the best while still keeping some of her London swagger, proving it by covering The Weeknd’s “Or Nah” during her encore.
After one of her older hits “F**k You” closed out her set, people began to file out, but if I’ve learned anything from concerts it’s to not leave until the lights come on. And of course, she came back out for a rocking encore after a quarter of the crowd was already out the door.
“It’s kind of a celebratory week for me because I wrote this next song 10 years ago this week,” Allen said as she proceeded to sing her first mainstream single “Smile.”
It was apparent that she was having a blast on stage and really loved what she was doing. If she proved one thing to the audience at the House of Blues it was that she was just down-to-earth and one of us.
