Shortly, we descended to the main stage and joined thousands of others who were eagerly waiting with many chanting her name. The sun had set and an almost full moon acted as the perfect backdrop for what was about to unfold.
In true Lana fashion, she was late to her set but regardless the atmosphere was electric with the excitement almost palpable. The setlist combined many old favourites with her more recent releases, curating a perfect and diverse blend for both old and new fans alike. She opened with Body Electric, allowing her haunting vocals to set the tone for the evening. The entire set radiated old-school movie-star glamour, with each detail carefully curated. During Doin’ Time, the addition of backup dancers and guitar riffs energised the crowd, while Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd saw Lana seated with gospel singers, adding a soulful layer to the performance. All songs she performed, already beloved by so many, took on a new life when performed live. The crowd echoed every lyric, it was as if we were all part of one collective voice united by our love for her music.
Despite being in a sea of thousands of people, Lana’s performance had an intimate and personal feel to it which is rare in such a large setting. She closed with Video Games, a sweet and nostalgic ballad that was truly special to see live, especially with one of my best friends by my side. As Lana sang ‘heaven is a place on earth with you’ it rang true as I looked to my side and was flooded with gratitude and love for my friend beside me.
The decision to buy festival tickets and fly to Paris was impulsive but so worth it, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.