I think Billboard were spot on calling her show "perplexing and profound." It was filled with symbolism and details; some were instant and shocking like the epic entrance, others were more obscure or thoughtful like a hologram. I see this show as a happy ending to the Ocean Blvd era and everything that came with it, especially its message -- mortality, fame and loneliness. Lana entered the Coachella field with a caravan of motorcycles, bikers and dolled-up dancers while unreleased "Jealous Girl" played as a trap remix. She graced the audience with her freshly auburn hair, sparkly baby blue dress and an overall elegance and glamour that only she can pull off these days. The stage design, a tall and detailed old mansion with staircases, balconies, plants and everything, was very reminiscent of the Gatsby mansion, as others have pointed out. Her ballerinas and choir singers looked straight out of a 1930s movie or spectacle, while her band members were rocking ties and smoking jackets.
Coincidentially, what's also from the 1930s is a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard in California. The "subway" as it was called, went all the way under Ocean Boulevard and conducted straight to the beach. It was connected to the Jergins Trust Building, a commercial building with over 60 shops, fancy restaurants, casino and theaters where music and dance events were held all the time; all of this during the Golden Age of Hollywood. It was a privileged moment and location that only lasted a few decades as the building was demolished and the tunnel sealed. As we know, on Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd, Lana uses this as a metaphor for her fame, beauty, fertility and even her life -- Nothing lasts forever, as she admits in many songs through her discography, but at least she tries to leave a legacy and a purpose behind. She held this big Jazz Age party on the Coachella Stage, where we were all invited to have a great time and appreciate an old-fashioned show; as @yourolllikethunderperfectly stated, "Lana is a star akin to older generations—when musicians didn’t spend months training, both physically and vocally, for a show or tour, but showed up as they were, just to sing, without all of the fanfare." It's all about the beauty and vulnerability of the moment.
"Without You", which Lana hasn't sung in 11 years, was chosen as an unexpected yet gorgeous opener. Describing a life of opulence yet feeling unfulfilled, Lana begins narrating the story of the show. It's followed by "West Coast", a song about having to choose between love and a normal life or pursuing a music career. She chooses the latter, proudly singing California anthem "Doin' Time" and later explores nostalgia and goodbye with "Summertime Sadness". Having to run away and following your intuition is a common theme in Lana's recent music, most particularly "Paris, Texas" from Ocean Blvd or "Bare Feet on Linoleum" from Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass. By the time we finish the first half of the show, we've gotten a great glimpse of Lana's early career, with hits and favorites from Born to Die, Ultraviolence and Lust for Life.
The second half of the show explored her newer LPs, Norman Fucking Rockwell!, Chemtrails Over the Country Club, Blue Banisters and Ocean Blvd. These albums describe a decaying, modern America; the music turns more stripped-back, sometimes only piano and voice, an uncommon decision for bombastic Coachella. She sings "Arcadia" with passion, a song about how fickle an artist's reputation can be and how critics and journalists can shift the public's perception on them. Special guests are always part of a big party, and Jon Batiste, Billie Eilish and Jack Antonoff joined to play and sing.
One of the most out-there things Lana has ever done live, she was absent from the stage during "Hope is a dangerous thing..."; instead, a holographic version of herself was shown singing and spinning, reminiscent of her infamous SNL gig back in 2012. A promotional billboard appeared outside the festival, which read the date of that TV performance as the death of Lana Del Rey. She comes back triumphant with "A&W" and closed with "Young and Beautiful", a very fitting ending to this story. ""Will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful?", an iconic line that still stands to this day. "I know you will/I'm sure that you will."
Gatsby was murdered in the swimming pool of his opulent mansion; you could also say he died for love. Marilyn Monroe, Veronica Lake and Elizabeth Short, whose stories are paid homage to in the "Candy Necklace" music video, all faced the darkness of Hollywood and suffered tragic endings. Lana Del Rey pays homage to them and decides to escape, this time in a caravan of motorcycles, bikers and dolled-up dancers. "Burned into my brain are these stolen images," she sang 100 minutes ago during "Without You". "Nobody warns you before the fall [...] If this is it/I'm signing off," she declared in 2019's "The greatest"; she prefers to keep her memories intact and beautiful, avoiding the decay, the demolishment, the sealing. A jazz rendition of "Young and Beautiful" marks the end of the show and Lana waves the audience while brass players in tuxedos and girls with champagne bottles play and dance over a giant cake. The cherry on top was The Caretaker's "It's just a burning memory" playing the background, making the scene feel somber and thought-provoking, but also dramatic and grand like the end of a movie. The instrumental piece is part of Everywhere at the End of Time, an album about deteriorating mental health and Alzheimer; the fear of being forgotten seems to be a major cause of anxiety for Lana, and I hope she knows she's cementing herself as a legend with each move.
Lina Del K liked a post in a topic by Blossom in Indio, CA @ Coachella: Weekend 2 - April 19th, 2024