Lorde's between-song giggles and banter proved she has grown remarkably in confidence since her first Auckland show in May last year. Photo/Richard Robinson
Lorde's between-song giggles and banter proved she has grown remarkably in confidence since her first Auckland show in May last year. Photo/Richard Robinson
Lorde didn't hold back on the surprises - or the f-bombs - at her Laneway make-up show. Chris Schulz was there.
She could have rolled in, played the hits, flicked her hair and gone home.
Because let's face it: when you've got two Grammy awards to your name, you've been partying with Beyonce, Paul McCartney and Daft Punk, and you're still only 17 years old, the world is your oyster.
ALaneway make-up show on a Wednesday night in little old Auckland must feel like a blip when more than 28 million people watched you perform at the Grammys.
But Lorde, who had only walked off the plane from Los Angeles the morning of the show, had plenty of surprises in store for the nearly sold out crowd of 10,000 at Auckland's Silo Park.
Image 1 of 7: Lorde performs at her first post-Grammy show on home soil at a special Laneway Festival gig at Silo Park Auckland. Photo / Richard Robinson
For starters, she dropped an f-bomb while introducing her Grammy-winning hit Royals, telling the crowd: "I'm sorry for swearing but I f****** won two Grammys."
The cascade of glowsticks flying around the venue after her rapturous and slightly reworked performance of that world conquering No. 1 hit meant she may have regretted the decision to give out so many free boxes of them.
Lorde proved she was ready to party along with the crowd, showing no sign of fatigue as she performed under a bank of spotlights during the husky and celebratory opening tones of Bravado, and rocking across the stage with those trademark twitches of hers while flinging her hair around during grimy early highlight Glory and Gore.
The surprises kept coming: she played a cover of Son Lux's Easy that came with a loping hip-hop beat and rollicking horn section, and gave a slightly underdone rendition of her Laneway-skipping buddy James Blake's spooky single Retrograde - both of which she's never performed live before.
Compared to her last show here in September, she was brimming with confidence, giggling between songs and joking with the crowd - which was full of parents, teens, kids and leftover Laneway hipsters - while repeatedly telling them: "This is insane."
at New Zealand's media following a scuffle at Auckland Airport earlier in the day - was the 20-minute delayed start time and a couple of extra f-bombs in front of those kids.
But she made up for it with an electric version of Tennis Court, the bouncy swing of White Teeth Teens, the rave-pop festival feel of Buzzcut Season and the subtle throb of Ribs - songs from her debut album Pure Heroine which pushed the show just over the hour mark.
By the time delicate closer A World Alone rolled around, Lorde had proved this was more than just a make-up show: it was a celebration party for a homecoming heroine who deserves every accolade - and Grammy award - that she's getting.
wow thankyou for that, auckland! you made my day brilliant. so glad we could make this happen #Laneway2014
Setlist:
Bravado Glory and Gore Biting Down Tennis Court Easy (Son Lux cover) Buzzcut Season Swingin' Party 400 Lux White Teeth Teens Royals (Grammy version) Team Retrograde (James Blake cover) Ribs A World Alone
Lorde
Where: Silo Park, Wynyard Quarter When: Wednesday, January 29
