Review: Lorde at Belvoir Amphitheatre

Lorde at Belvoir Amphitheatre
w/ Laura Jean
Saturday, March 18, 2023

The star of Lorde shone brightly under the starry sky of the open-aired Belvoir Amphitheatre in a spectacular performance that confirmed her status as one of the hottest acts in the current pop universe. 

It was Lorde's first visit since 2021’s Solar Power, a record that polarised both critics and the public with its change in artistic direction. The characteristic synth and dance beats were gone, replaced with a more psychedelic, sun-drenched polished indie-pop. However, there remained a rather obvious thread between the Royals singer and the Solar Power-era artist; that of Lorde’s unflinching desire to be her authentic self. And this what Perth fans got to see first-hand as Lorde basked in the live arena, imbuing a buoyant energy into the sold-out crowd, while also having the time of her life herself.

On the night, Melbourne based singer-songwriter Laura Jean was the first to take the stage and after receiving a very warm reception from the expectant crowd had to jokingly check that “you know it's not Lorde yet?" Highlights of the set included Too Much To Do and Amateurs, which allowed the band’s orchestral side to shine, while the synth-pop groove of Girls on the TV got the standing area moving.

After a short wait between acts, the curtains were drawn back to reveal Lorde’s minimalist set. At its centre was a gigantic wooden sundial balanced atop an opaque disc, both of which were flanked by double staircases that led to a second tier at the rear of the stage. Emerging from the disc, Lorde said a quick hello, and entered into Leader of a New Regime before asking if the crowd was ready to dance and exploding into Homemade Dynamite.

The slower numbers Buzzcut Season and Stoned at the Nail Salon followed, which the crowded standing room responded too by singing ever lyric. The latter’s self-reflective line “cause all the music you loved at 16 you'll grow out of" was screamed as if Lorde’s fans were in a competition to outdo Harry Styles’ stans and their screaming of “Leave America" line from As It Was on his recent Love On Tour. 

Lorde and her band were in constant motion throughout the show, utilising the stage as it revolved and its various configurations to their full extent. One of the most creative tricks of the set was the staircase built into the side of the sundial, which Lorde climbed to perform, to literally take the show to new heights. 

The middle of the show proved the night’s most intimate. Between the stark beauty of Big Star and Liability, Lorde opened up about her life post 2017’s Melodrama and how she spent time amongst nature in an effort to recalibrate herself, which was the origin for the Solar Power record she was now so happily able to share.

On the home stretch, Mood Ring shone with its good-time feel, while the fast Supercut and Solar Power had the entire amphitheatre up and bouncing before set finale Green Light had the audience once again finding their voice and singing along to every lyric. 

Returning for an encore, Lorde dove into her Pure Heroine treasure chest. Starting with 400 lux, mega hit Royals quickly followed, which despite the uproarious reception it received, felt more addendum than necessity. The night then ended with Team, which felt very fitting, with its lyric “you know we're on each other's team” a most fitting summation of the positive vibes and connection that Lorde had established between herself and the audience.

MICHAEL HOLLICK

Photos by Adrian Thomson