Lily Allen's much-anticipated West End Girl Live tour kicked off at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, but the pop star's performance has left critics questioning the show's execution. Allen did not appear on stage for the first 45 minutes, leaving a string ensemble to perform a medley of her hits while the audience sang along to projected lyrics.
The first act, featuring the Dallas Minor Trio, began with a version of 'The Fear' but extended to nine more songs, including 'Not Fair' and 'Hard Out Here'. While some tracks worked as Bridgerton-style instrumentals, the prolonged set tested audience patience, serving as a compromise between a full album show and playing the hits.
After an interval, Allen finally appeared for the title track 'West End Girl', acting out a phone call on a pink velvet set. However, her stage presence was described as stiff, with movements across the bedroom set feeling rehearsed rather than dynamic. Songs like 'Ruminating' and 'Tennis' failed to capture the raw emotion of the album, with everyday details feeling banal on stage.
Moments of engagement, such as pulling props from 'Pussy Palace' and wrapping in receipt-printed fabric for '4chan Stan', were undermined by awkward choreography. Allen seemed to loosen up during 'Nonmonamummy' and 'Dallas Major', but other tracks like 'Just Enough' were performed motionless behind a curtain.
Despite the lukewarm reception, the audience responded enthusiastically, with shouts of 'dump him' and a standing ovation. Critics question whether this goodwill stems from existing fandom rather than the show's quality, noting that if the audience had to sing for the second act as they did for the first, the catharsis might not have been achieved.
The tour continues in the UK until 22 March before heading to the US and returning for an arena run later this year.
