Concert Review: Lana Del Rey Live at Wembley Stadium 4th July 2024
A dreamlike night of porch-front poetry, Southern Gothic, and TikTok sparkle.
I’ve been intrigued by Lana Del Rey for years. Not just the hits — though Video Games, Ride, and Hope Is a Dangerous Thing… still cut through — but the whole mythology. The voice, the lyrics, the woman who made Glastonbury headlines in 2023 for missing curfew because her hair wasn’t right. It only added to the allure. So when she announced Wembley Stadium for July 2025, I knew I had to see the spectacle for myself.
The Warm-Up: Addison Rae in a Tight Space
Support came from Addison Rae — not really my target market, but credit where it’s due. Her short set was bright, energetic, and delivered with style despite obvious constraints. Most of Lana’s elaborate stage set was still under wraps, covered in black, leaving Addison Rae little room to work with. Even so, she kept the crowd entertained, closing with her TikTok-famous Diet Pepsi, a song that would make a surprise return later in the evening.
A House on Stage and a Witch in the Wings
Lana’s set design was pure theatre. The centrepiece: a porch-fronted house straight out of The Wizard of Oz. Lana emerged from its door like a character stepping into her own dreamscape. Backed by dancers on the roof and hazy, cinematic visuals, the stage became a living painting. I would not have been surprised to see a witch fly overhead, or a twister come crashing through the set!
She opened with Henry, Come On and then took us on a twisting, torch-lit tour through Ultraviolence, Ride, A&W, Video Games, Summertime Sadness and more. Yes, Did You Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Boulevard made its appearance — surreal and spectral, like much of the set. I was fascinated to hear thousands of fans singing along to lyrics that either they don’t understand or don’t care about (you will have to Google them!)
Nearing the end of the set, Addison Rae came on to duet with herDiet Pepsi hit “I just live Diet Pepsi said Lana’ and Lana’s 57.5.
Not Just a Concert — A Lana Experience
There wasn’t much small talk from Lana, but what she did say felt genuine. She spoke about how much she’d wanted to play Wembley, and shared some frustration with the sound in her in-ear monitors — a reminder that this wasn’t a pop product on autopilot. She was present. Her fans were, too — singing every word, even the ones you might hesitate to say aloud in polite company.
As the night drew in and the lights came down, things clicked into place. The songs hit harder. The visuals deepened. It was part poetry reading, part Southern séance, with just enough pop polish to keep it stadium-worthy.
So, Was It Worth It?
Yes. Whether you were up in the gods or in one of the fancy seats, Lana delivered a complete show — 17 tracks, a few interludes, and a clear creative vision. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t polished, and it wasn’t a three hour juggernaut like Springsteen. But it was Lana — thoughtful, theatrical, and a little unpredictable.
Some critics might have preferred a bit more crowd interaction or clearer vocals. But those of us who were there for the mood, the music, and the melancholy? We got exactly what we came for.
And for the younger fans, it was clearly a moment: hair flicks, glitter, selfies — a full evening of performative fandom. Perhaps if some of the TikTok crowd looked up from their phones, they’d have seen a genuinely beautiful concert unfolding on stage. But that might be a little churlish.
Some of the content may have gone over their heads. The holographic section where she read poetry by Ginsberg (Howl) was new to me.
I loved it and thanked my daughter for buying the tickets and joining me for the concert!
Lana Del Ray Concert Set List - Wembley Stadium 4th July 2024
Stars Fell on Alabama
Henry, come on
Stand by Your Man (Tammy Wynette cover)
Chemtrails Over the Country Club (Extended intro)
Ultraviolence (Extended intro)
Ride Monologue (with string accompaniment)
Ride
Video Games
Norman Fucking Rockwell (recorded version with projection)
Arcadia (recorded version with projection)
Interlude (Hey Long Beach sample)
Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd (extended choir outro)
If You Lie Down With Me (live debut)
Country instrumental interlude
Quiet in the South
Vertigo: Scène d’amour (Bernard Herrmann)
Tropico / Body Electric
Howl (Allen Ginsberg – hologram interlude)
Young and Beautiful (extended)
Summertime Sadness
Born to Die
Venice Bitch (Taco Truck x VB version)
Diet Pepsi (with Addison Rae)
57.5 (with Addison Rae)
Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver cover)
Lana Del Ray marked another date in a great year of concerts. From witnessing the first ever gig of Marshall, Gilmour, Webbs in a piano bar to the Boss in Berlin’s Olympiastadion and Robbie Williams at the Royal Crescent they have all been different and memorable. But can I get a ticket for Oasis?