Lana del Rey performed her first night at a sold out Wembley Stadium, London on the 3 July 2025 and I was more than ecstatic to be in the crowd. It is rare for Lana del Rey to perform in the UK and ever since her 2020 tour was cancelled I’ve thought about what could have been an incredible show at the O2 arena all those years ago. Since her UK tour kicked off on the 23 June there have been mixed reviews criticising her tardiness, the choice of setlist and general chaos. However, I disagree with those criticisms. Yes, Lana was late and yes the setlist could have been different but I think she amply made up for that in her production and performance. I can’t see where the criticism is coming from. The support for the London shows was Addison Rae, who I have to admit I wasn’t familiar with before the night but she had a lot of support from the crowd. Addison definitely brought energy, although may not be to my taste. I couldn’t understand why she appeared to enter into a fitness class with her choreography half way through her set, but the crowd seems to love it sending applause and encouragement her way.
I was seated section 551, row 2 with a pretty good view and excellent sound quality. I will say – this is no criticism to Lana Del Rey – but the fans in my sections weren’t the most pleasant. I truly believe as soon as many walk through the turnstiles with their tickets they lose all semblance of concert etiquette.
Review
Right from the start the staging was exceptional echoing the Blue Banisters (2021) album cover with the homely front porch and foliage creating an intimate country feel despite such a large venue. This choice of staging was very detailed and invited fans to join her in a relaxed environment as if she were just singing at home in the garden and not to thousands. The stage even included a giant swing to perform Video Games which was very ethereal and proves that an artist doesn’t need to do a lot to command the attention when they can sign as beautifully as Lana del Rey does. All these elements lend itself to Del Rey’s captivating vocals and subtle stage presence. She doesn’t need big showy choreographed sequences and flashing lights, she is simply singing and that is enough. Arguably, there is a lot to focus on when she is performing from the dancers, the feather bowers and even a miniature doll’s being set alight but it is a performance at the end of the day.
Given the large venue, I was slightly concerned if the sound would be shaky but everything was perfect. There is nothing quite like singing songs that have helped shaped a generation of music from the iconic Video Games, Ride, Born to Die and Summertime Sadness. Even the spoken monologues with visuals on the screens thoughtfully integrated each song into the other and carefully weaves the story of Americana that Del Rey is famous for using throughout her work.
My personal favourite was Ultraviolence which conveyed so much emotion and could have easily been studio vocals they were that clear and crisp. I would have loved to have heard Ultraviolence the album live when it was released. I think the rocky pop vibes would have been heavenly. In terms of the setlist, there was a mix of two country covers, unreleased music and a surprise of Venice Bitch which I was very excited to hear live. Del Rey also brought out the night’s support act Addison Rae to sing her song from the opening Diet Pepsi. Changing up the setlist added a level of surprise considering by this point in the tour fans are aware of the setlist from previous nights. Despite her tardiness, the show was faultless. Yes, there were some instrumentals that went on a little too long and could be seen as over indulgent, yes two songs were performed with a hologram in the window of the set house, but I don’t mind so much because I had a wonderful time that I’ve waited a long time for. The show was breathtaking from its design, production and her vocals were perfect. It was a captivating performance that I couldn’t take my eyes off. A career defining moment for her and I really hope she schedules another set of shows in the UK soon. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I hope Lana del Rey continues creating arts that speaks to the souls of so many fans.
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Amy is a writer and reviewer and is currently working on a YA fantasy novel. For more content click here to read book reviews, short stories and updates on Amy’s writing journey. Her debut novel is set to be published in 2026!
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