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Five thoughts: Lorde’s April 15 Cosmo show

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1. I already knew Lorde wouldn’t have a full band with her on Tuesday night—video of her recent gigs show she’s been touring only with a drummer and synth player—but that didn’t mean I wasn’t hoping for a live setup. The 17-year-old singer walked out onto the stage in a black suit and cropped top, standing quiet and composed as the first bassy notes of “Glory and Gore” filled the air.

2. She followed with “Better Biting Down,” a track from the Pure Heroine extended version, which she revisited later in her set for “Bravado.” Fluorescent gold lights were synched to the strongest beats, casting her face aglow before circling to dark purple, leaving her to dance violently in the shadows.

3. Unlike a number of her pop contemporaries, Lorde has the pipes to carry her show. Unfortunately, the current setup allows the singer to take zero risks, and she sang along to prerecorded vocals for the entire set. While I thoroughly enjoy Pure Heroine, the live show was so similar it actually felt dull.

4. “I have never played by a pool before, nor have I played looking at the Eiffel Tower,” she said after addressing the crowd. The Boulevard Pool helped set the scene, but I couldn’t help but wonder why the giant LED screen didn’t play live footage of the show. It was already difficult to see, and not having the marquee for reference made the show feel even less intimate.

5. Save for a few roaring rounds of applause, the audience hardly moved the entire night. And while I sang along to nearly every song, it seemed everyone’s lips were sealed for most of the evening. What gives, Vegas? I know you’ve memorized the words to “Royals,” too.

Stay tuned for more Lorde coverage in the April 24-30 issue of the Las Vegas Weekly.

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