Lana Del Rey strikes right notes in sold-out Pittsburgh area debut

Lana Del Rey could be described as an enigma, even calling herself “a modern day woman with a weak constitution” in one song.

Yet there was little weakness on display Tuesday — just vulnerability, and isn’t purposefully exposing that actually a true sign of strength? Sure, her songs often dwell on troubled romances, bad choices and desperate situations, but she seemingly doesn’t hide from those contradictions or imperfections.

Del Rey infused her haunting yet tender pop melodies with striking lyrics in an 85-minute show for a sell-out crowd of around 22,000 at the Pavilion at Star Lake in Burgettstown. The 38-year-old singer, who burst into the mainstream in 2011, performed her first concert in the Pittsburgh area — “We’ve waited a really long time to be here,” she told the crowd.

She wasted little time, strolling onto the stage to start the show with “Norman (expletive) Rockwell” off her 2019 album of the same name. An excitable crowd offered a higher-pitched roar, one of many on the night. The audience took wardrobe cues from Del Rey’s career — with tons of heart-shaped sunglasses, flower crowns and vintage dresses. There were also several American flags emblazoned with an image of her saluting, as well as at least one wedding dress in the crowd.

After two more abbreviated songs — “Arcadia” and “A&W” — Del Rey played “Young and Beautiful,” her reflection on the future, which was one of the night’s highlights.

There isn’t a ton of showmanship to Del Rey’s performance, with her songs and singing taking the spotlight. For “Blue Jeans,” she leaned on her guitar player, with her back to the crowd, for at least a minute, and she wasn’t visible for the majority of “Ultraviolence,” hidden behind a curtain stage prop while she sang. On others, like “Bartender,” she sat and sang the entire time. But a group of six female and three male dancers, and three backup singers, helped boost the style of the stage show.

On another of her biggest hits, “Pretty When You Cry,” Del Rey and the dancers spent the majority of the song on the floor, performing for an overhead camera and the giant video screen. However, she did pull off some light dance moves on “Cherry” that drew quite a response, as did the slightest hike of her skirt on “Born to Die.”

The concert covered seven of her nine studio albums, from 2012’s “Born to Die” to this year’s “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd,” as well as a cover of Tammy Wynette’s “Stand By Your Man.” Other highlights of the night included the a cappella opening to “The Grants” and an upbeat “Summertime Sadness.”

Del Rey’s dancers used a pair of swings to glide above the closest fans on “Ride,” another standout. Later, Del Rey used it herself on her breakout hit, “Video Games.” She looked quite comfortable, leaning far back and staying momentarily silent as the crowd belted out the lyrics.

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Before her final song, after noting she’s a woman of few words, Del Rey took a few minutes to shower her band and dancers — and the crowd — with gratitude.

“I thought we could take a minute to put our wishes on the table, just for a second, each person’s individual wish, keep it in mind and put it out there because 22,000 heads are better than one,” she said. “I just wanted to say a quick little blessing to the powers that be that every single person who has their own individual dream, may they know every person’s heart desire is a God-given desire, and it’s not selfish to want to live it.

“I’m living mine now, 20 years later than I thought I would, and it’s all on God’s time, it’s all on somebody’s time.”

That last song, “Did You Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd,” includes a lyric of “Love me until I love myself,” and the crowd did just that with a stunning display of phone flashlights masquerading as lighters to close the night.

Cool scene on the lawn at Star Lake for Lana Del Rey’s last song pic.twitter.com/nSH04CyDK6

— Mike Palm (@MikePalmMedia) October 4, 2023

Country singer Nikki Lane, who explained that she’s made her career writing about ex-husbands and ex-boyfriends, opened the show with a gritty, smoky performance.