Kevin Bronson on April 14th, 2014

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Who: Lorde at the Outdoor Theatre
In 3 or Fewer Words: Windswept wonder
Memorable Because: Golly gee whiz, Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor was happy and humbled and nervous and thrilled to be here. The young, adorable singer thrilled a young, adoring crowd with songs from her debut “Pure Heroine,” her backing-tracks-boosted vocals oozing sincerity and her spasmodic stage moves suggesting those confessionals come from a very deep place. Face it, the 17-year-old from New Zealand is overhyped. But she is 17 and it’s not like she’s the one doing the hyping, so it was best Saturday night to settle in amidst a throng of youngsters and listen for the gasps of delight at the beginning of “Royals.” Her rambling but heartfelt soliloquy near the end – “We’re so lucky to be here, this is mental,” is the abridged version – forced her to cut he set short by a song. But it was just one moment that indicated Lorde is more than just a pretty face.
What I’d Tell My Friend Who Was At Fatboy Slim: The Sahara Tent couldn’t possibly have been more visually striking than the waifish Lorde, in white, spotlighted as she convulsed across the big, darkened stage.
– K.B. (Concert photography by Scott Dudelson)