header image: henry redcliffe
words: meg hilborne, @meghillbilly
sun is in the sky, oh why, oh why... would I wanna be anywhere else?
i’ve known lily allen’s music for as long as i can remember. when alright, still was released in 2006, i was eight years old, dancing around my bedroom to ‘smile’, ‘ldn’ and ‘alfie’, blissfully unaware of what half the lyrics actually meant.
nearly twenty years later, following her divorce from david harbour, allen returned with her fifth studio album west end girl. from my very first listen, i was hooked. the album transported me back to that childhood excitement while simultaneously feeling sharper, angrier and more emotionally raw. it’s female rage distilled into pop music, and i loved every track. so, when allen announced a tour, seeing her live felt non-negotiable.
originally, i had hoped to catch her at the london palladium but after those dates sold out almost instantly, additional shows were announced at the o2 – i jumped at the opportunity to get tickets.
arriving at the venue, it was impossible not to notice the sea of polka dots inspired by the west end girl album artwork. one fan had committed entirely to the aesthetic, complete with matching boots and a black wig. before allen even appeared, the audience was treated to an unexpected opening act: five cellists and a conductor performing orchestral arrangements of some of her biggest hits, including ‘not fair’, ‘alfie’ and ‘ldn’ – the standout moment came during ‘fuck you’, when the backing track kicked in, the lyrics appeared on the screen, and 20,000 people gleefully turned the arena into a karaoke session. there’s something undeniably cathartic about shouting that chorus in unison with thousands of strangers.
When Allen finally emerged from behind a sweeping green curtain, she looked every bit the star. Rather than feeling like a traditional pop concert, the evening unfolded as a carefully constructed theatrical production with a clear narrative from beginning to end. She performed West End Girl in full and in sequence, allowing the album to tell its own story. As the show progressed, the stage slowly revealed new set pieces, from beds and oversized receipts to giant cakes and deliberately provocative props, each adding another layer to the performance.
allen’s costume changes were equally striking, reinforcing the feeling that this wasn’t simply a gig but a piece of musical theatre. the only slight drawback was that the production occasionally felt swallowed by the sheer size of the o2. it’s easy to imagine how intimate and immersive it would have been at the london palladium, where it was originally scheduled. however, given the overwhelming demand, the move to a larger venue was completely understandable.
vocally, allen was exceptional. songs such as ‘relapse’ carried genuine emotional weight, and at times it was difficult to tell where performance ended and real vulnerability began. whether she was acting or genuinely overcome with emotion hardly mattered; the sincerity came through either way. interestingly, she barely addressed the audience throughout the evening – there were no lengthy speeches or crowd interactions, and she didn’t even offer a traditional hello or goodbye. instead, she remained firmly in character until the final curtain, ending the night with a bow, a bouquet of flowers and a perfectly timed heel pop. judging by her expression, the performance clearly meant a great deal to her.
one aspect of the production that left me slightly conflicted was its emphasis on sexuality. allen has always been unapologetic in expressing herself, and that confidence is part of what makes her such a compelling artist. however, i couldn’t help noticing how every sexually charged moment was met with deafening cheers from the audience. at times, the reaction felt more focused on spectacle than on the emotional complexity of what the show was trying to communicate.
Perhaps the biggest talking point afterwards was the running time. At just over an hour, the performance was noticeably shorter than most arena shows. As my friend and I left the venue, we overheard plenty of concertgoers calling it “naughty” that Allen had only been on stage for such a brief time. Personally, I thought it was exactly the right length. I’d experienced a complete, carefully crafted performance that never overstayed its welcome. In an era where audiences have become accustomed to sprawling three-hour spectacles from artists such as Taylor Swift, it was refreshing to see a show that prioritised quality over duration.
west end girl felt like the beginning of a new chapter for lily allen, and this performance reflected that perfectly. bold, theatrical, emotionally exposed and meticulously staged, it was unlike any concert i’ve attended before. if this is what allen’s current era looks like, then she may well be at the peak of her creative powers.
