Nashville was pleased to welcome Lily Allen to The Cannery Ballroom
Written By | Walter Lytz
Nashville was pleased to welcome Lily Allen to The Cannery Ballroom Thursday night. Her latest album No Shame was released in June and marks her return after a four year hiatus. Lily, best known for her poppy songs with an edge and her irreverent, nay cheeky attitude, reinvents herself a little bit in her latest offering often dubbed as her “grown-up” album.
S-X (@producerSX) warmed up an already excited crowd. Originally from Wolverhampton, England, S-X has production credits for releases by Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, Childish Gambino, Skepta, Tinie Tempah, Lupe Fiasco and the like. S-X is Grammy nominated for his work on Childish Gambino’s 2013 released album titled “Because The Internet”.
See More Photos of S-X HERE.
Not one for ostentation, S-X donned the stage with little else than a laptop and a
microphone. Adorned in his laundry day best of faded T, gym shorts and moderately worn trainers, S-X dressed more like he was about to do 20 minutes on the elliptical than open for Lily Allen. Attire notwithstanding he delivered a charming performance, raining positivity and communal fellowship as he entreated the audience to hug the nearest stranger. He shared his struggles with bipolar disorder to an empathetic audience and reminded us that his songs are a testament to the good that can come out of superficially bad life events.
See More Photos of Lily Allen HERE.
Lily Allen came out swinging with Come On Then to a relaxed and excited audience.
Garbed in white high rise pants with dalmation spots, red long-sleeve form fitting shirt
patterned with the phrase “Aries Aware,” Brigitte Bardot-esque bouffant and bright orange blacklight-reactive eyeliner that seemingly followed you as you moved throughout the venue.
Three songs in and she greets the audience with cheery “Well hello Nashville!” affecting an endearing southern twang atop her London accent. Always giggling, she admits “I’m not very well tonight, I’m going to be honest. I’m holding back a cold and my voice is fucked up. I apologize in advance for the cat singing you’re about to experience.” Before anyone’s able to demand a refund, she adeptly segues into her next tune proclaiming “This one is about flying around the world and fucking lots of people!” and launches into My One.
If a bad cold could diminished her singing, only the most dedicated Lily Allen-phile would have noticed. She delivered an energetic performance while visibly pounding throat spray between songs. Ever the professional, she delighted with fan favorites Smile, The Fear and Trigger Bang among others. She closed the show with her classic Fuck You, rededicating the song to the sitting Commander In Chief, all the while brandishing erect middle fingers high into the rafters.
If Allen’s dedication to her fans was ever in question, she earned redemption in Nashville. In spite of illness, she proceeded to meet fans by the merch stand following the show. If the length of the queue was any indication, I can imagine she may well have been there into the wee hours.
Photos By | Alma Reed