Lana Del Rey’s performance at West Palm Beach Amphitheatre on Sept. 23 marked the sixth concert of her 2023 tour, “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd?: Promotional Tour.” The evening brought students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School together for the opportunity to sing their hearts out and create a memorable experience. Since her absence from the stage, Del Rey has managed to release several albums, leaving fans eagerly anticipating her return.
Thousands of fans arrived early to the amphitheater in a rush to get in line to buy merchandise, food and other accessories. The opener was Zella Day, an alternative indie singer, whose opening set began at 7:30 p.m. Considering it was an amphitheater, the concert was set outside with fans crowding on the lawn. People who were closer to the stage were under a roof with seats, whereas people who had lawn seats brought blankets and foldable chairs.
Day started her performance with six songs, the first being “Purple Haze,” “Dance For Love,” “Girls,” “Radio Silence,” “Almost Good” and ending with “Mushroom Punch,” which was a crowd favorite.
After Day left the stage with a final wave of goodbye to the crowd, the fans were left to wait with anticipation and excitement for the main act. Del Rey’s set opened with a piano playing softly, fans cheering loudly and a shortened version of “Norman F*cking Rockwell” playing through the speakers.
Del Rey wore a long white dress with a colorful floral pattern and a pair of brown cowboy boots. Many fans also wore white to match Del Rey’s style.
In total, Del Rey played 19 songs, with one of them being a surprise cover of Tammy Wynette’s “Stand by Your Man.” While the songs played throughout the evening were from different albums, the majority were from one of her most popular albums, “Born to Die.” Hit songs such as “Young and Beautiful” and “Cherry” were crowd favorites. Del Rey often took small breaks in between songs to talk to the thousands of fans cheering her on and to express her heartfelt gratitude for their presence.
“I enjoyed hearing Lana Del Rey’s singing in real life,” sophomore Sophia Ulitovska said. “It sounded ethereal, and the atmosphere created by her fans was so chill and amazing.”
Another beloved song she performed was “Ride,” which left fans on the edge of their seats after a video monologue played on screens above the stage before the song began. The monologue was a minute long and explained the meaning behind the song and the inspiration for the song. Directly following was “Blue Jeans,” which encouraged the entire amphitheater to sing along with Del Rey.
Throughout the show, Del Rey walked around the stage while singing, sitting on stairs and sometimes just standing in place. During “A&W,” she performed a few hand movements with her backup dancers.
Considering it was her first night in the state, fans were under the impression that Del Rey would sing “Florida Kilos,” an upbeat tune about a romance in the Florida Keys. Many fans were disappointed when she did not perform “Florida Kilos” in West Palm Beach because she performed it in Tampa just two days later.
Closing her performance, Del Rey sang “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd.” The last song urged fans to turn on their phone flashlights and wave them in the air. After Del Rey thanked fans one last time, she disappeared off stage.
“I enjoyed the inviting atmosphere her and her fans created,” sophomore Alexa Yale said. “My favorite song by far was ‘Diet Mountain Dew’ because of the remix she added to it.”
Many MSD students who attended the concert paid different prices for the seats they had, even if they were seated in the same section. There were mixed emotions about the drastic difference in prices paid.
“I paid $385 for just regular lawn seats,” Ulitovska said. “I know some people that paid less than $100 for the same seats that I purchased.”
Many students who sat in the lawn section of the amphitheater paid several different prices. Some lawn seat prices ranged from $80-$1200, while those closer to the stage were around $300-$1200. Although prices were high for some students, it is agreed amongst most that the price they paid was worth it in the end.
MSD students enjoyed spending time with friends and family at their favorite artist’s concert, especially with it being so close to home. Her return to the Florida stage was a momentous occasion for some, and it is evident that her absence only amplified the appreciation surrounding her performance.