Reviews: Lana Del Rey, Imagine Dragons, Jay Chou & More

Courtesy Honda Center – Imagine Dragons
Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons has the crowd’s attention at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., Nov. 16.

This week, for your reading enjoyment, we have compiled critical reviews of live performances of Lana del Rey in Chicago; Imagine Dragons in Malaysia; Jay Chou in Singapore; St. Vincent in Columbus, Ohio; and The Zombies in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Lana Del Rey @ United Center in Chicago, Ill., Jan. 11 – “Singing at an unhurried pace amid cinematic arrangements, Del Rey crooned about obsession, toxic relationships, mortality and materialism. … Del Rey teased and yearned, her phrasing the aural embodiment of a wagging finger, her profanities arriving with the formality of a conversation overheard at a high tea.” – Bob Gendron / Chicago Tribune

Imagine Dragons @ Stadium Malawati in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, Jan. 6 – “There’s just something about the band’s songs that makes for a spectacular rock concert – full of soaring, fist-pumping, headbanging moments, and with enough raw energy to keep you going on and on till the end. It was hard not to get swept up in the spectacle, and find yourself singing along with the catchy choruses even if you may not be familiar with the songs in the first place.” – Michael Cheang / Star2.Com

Jay Chou @ National Stadium in Singapore, Singapore, Jan. 6 – “While several songs at Saturday’s show – such as ‘Hero,’ ‘Bedtime Stories’ and ‘Extra Large Shoes’ – had already been performed in 2016, I did not mind experiencing them again because of the playful, energetic choreography and impeccable, colourful set design.” – Benson Ang / The Straits Times

St. Vincent @ Express Live! in Columbus, Ohio, Jan. 10 – “The large crowd barely moved, unsure of what to make of a piece of performance art disguised as a rock show. … Not known for her outward emotionalism — her face featured the same bored expression in each stylistic video on the screen behind her — St. Vincent forces her listeners to delve into her lyrics to unmask her robotic shell.” – Julia Oller / The Columbus Dispatch

The Zombies @ Parker Playhouse in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Jan. 9 – “The main event, however—even at a combined duration of 35 minutes—proved worthy of admission by itself. Like in any movie about the walking dead, the Zombies had multiplied while the boomers and vinyl aficionados in attendance refilled their beers.” – John Thomason / Boca