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Concert Review: Lily Allen at The Music Box 2/5/07
Topics: Lily Allen, Coachella, Perez Hilton, Jenny Lewis, LA, Fonda, Music Box, Review, blog, Podcast, Munoz, Bakersfield, Bakotopia, music, Bakotunes, entertainment, Events, art, 2007
Posted by matt Wed Feb 7, 2007 16:28:21 PST
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-2-5-07, Lily Allen @ The Music Box at The Henry Fonda Theater, Los Angeles, CA

<<Check out Lily Allen videos for "Smile," "LDN," "Alfie," and "Littlest Things. PLUS "Friday Night" captured live at the show by an audience member!

Gwen who?

Watching British pop export Lily Allen perform is like a vacation in the Bahamas wearing bovver boots.

Making her U.S. rounds to promote her stateside debut and new CD, "Alright, Still," Allen sold-out her only LA appearance at The Music Box at The Henry Fonda Theater, on Monday, February 5th, as part of MTV's Discover or Download Tour.

Allen, who also happens to be the daughter of actor / producer Keith Allen, and goddaughter to late-Clash frontman, Joe Strummer, is another internet promo phenom.

Showcasing her songs on the popular MySpace, and building a fan base in the UK, it was only a matter of time before she would reach the US underground scene and ultimately MTV, where her message of female empowerment has struck a chord with fans, looking to wipe Spice "Girl Power" from memory.

Outside the Fonda, fans lined up, scalpers harrassed, and security was tight for the 21 year-old singer, whose sound is reminiscent of the Two-Tone days of ska music by bands like The Specials, and Madness, but with a hip-hop element similar to fellow Brit / Sri Lankan rapper, M.I.A., and a dash of Cibo Matto added for good measure.

With a lone DJ as an opening act onstage, Allen took the stage on schedule as the clock struck 10pm. LA crowds tend to get restless quickly, and Blackberry's were in full-effect throughout a crowd that can best be described as, "Silverlake arthouse meets Beverly Hills couture." Not that it should be a surprise to anyone. Allen is rumored to be the next face of Chanel, and her music is in constant rotation on LA's independent music champion, Indie 103.1FM, where Allen's song "Smile," was premiered on DJ Sal Bisla's syndicated radio show, Passport Approved. 

Spotted in the crowd was a "semi-drunk," but very fab, blogger Perez Hilton, and musician / actress Jenny Lewis, who much to my delight informed me that she, "Also drives a Ford Focus."

Heavy on the upbeat, and even thicker on groove thanks to her excellent back-up band, that included a 3-piece horn section, a booming bass player, guitar, and keys, Allen entered the stage wearing a short, white dress making quite the classy fashion statement rarely seen on a popster, unless you're Christina Aguilera (lately.) Like a reluctant diva, Allen's easy-going demeanor surfaced immediately.

"Hello, LA!," shouted Allen, before quickly jumping into her latest single, "LDN," followed by other strong cuts off "Alright, Still," including "Knock 'Em Out," "Shame For You," adapting the melody of Dawn Penn's "No, no, no," "Nan You're A Window Shopper," and "Not Big," about and dedicated to, according to Allen, "guys with small penises."

Vocally strong and with warm, confident enthusiasm, Allen isn't the most energetic live performer; however, what she lacks in energy, she clearly makes up for in charm.

Flirting with fans, Allen is the girl you'd like to down pints with at the pub, with a spliff while throwing F-bombs at annoying mugs.

As a follow-up to Gwen Stefani's "lovers reggae / ska chick," original style, Allen is no imitator. Where Stefani's style exudes a baby-doll innocence, Allen's look is rough, but refined. Think 60's model Twiggy meets Marianne Faithfull during her best Mick Jagger days.

Mid-way through her set, Allen performed a duo of covers by Keane "Everybody's Changing," and The Kooks, "Naive," both to a reggae beat, then soonafter announced she was back to her own music, which was "better than theirs," according the singer.

Closing her 60 min. set with the breakout hit, "Smile," a song not to be confused with the classic Charlie Chaplin song of the same name about looking at the brighter side of life, Allen's "Smile," is an ode to the art of a jilted lover's revenge.

"At first when I see you cry, yeah it makes me smile, yeah it makes me smile," the crowd sang along in unison, hands waving side to side in unison.

Leaving the stage, but returning for an encore to perform "Blank Expression," by The Specials, and the hilarious "Alfie," about a lazy brother who spends all his time smoking weed and playing video games, it was the perfect ending to a show that lived up to its hype, further establishing Allen as the soundtrack to summer.

-Matt Munoz, Bakotopia

Pick up, "Alright, Still," by Lily Allen


**Lily Allen will be appearing at Coachella 2007, on Sunday April 29th, with Rage Against The Machine and others:

www.coachella.com

Lily Allen Official Website:
www.lilyallenmusic.com

Lily Allen Official MySpace:
www.myspace.com/lilyallen

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Comment From: Thesilenceclub

Awesome! You met Jenny Lewis. Comment From: hookituprob

I'm in love with this girls voice