It Happened Last Night: Lana Del Rey Weathered a Thunderstorm to Headline Fenway Park
Your favorite artist's artist brought out special guests (Quavo!)—and lots of bows.
After the rain, the one and only Lana Del Rey. / Photo by Cheynie Singleton
Thursday night began the same way it had for the past three days in Boston: swelteringly hot, hardly a cloud in the sky. But despite the ongoing heat wave, Lana Del Rey fans flocked to see the singer perform her first ever stadium show at America’s most beloved ballpark, Fenway Park.
Del Rey’s dreamy downtempo alt-pop reaches people of all ages and backgrounds. But one of the star’s most distinct qualities is a sense of style that, in the last decade-plus, has paid tribute to classic 20th-century American aesthetics. Her Born to Die and Honeymoon albums masterfully referenced old Hollywood and Americana, while 2014’s Ultraviolence evoked a darker, grungier atmosphere of biker gangs and leather jackets. More recently (see 2021’s Chemtrails Over the Country Club and Blue Banisters, along with 2023’s Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Boulevard), her style has elegantly alluded to America’s backroads, rolling hills, and beaches. And last night, not even the nearly 100-degree weather could stop concertgoers from showcasing their passion for fashion.
Pink, red, and blue accents could be seen across the crowd, but black and white were the colors of the night—a contrast that felt parallel to the themes of light and darkness present in Del Rey’s lyrics, many of her songs drawing equally on feelings of bliss, gratitude, melancholia, and nostalgia. White sundresses were the most popular choice of garment, with white lace bloomers coming in at a close second. In anticipation of Rey’s upcoming country album Lasso, many fans add southern touches to their outfits: cowgirl boots, black belts with large buckles, straw cowboy hats with braided pigtails.
The ominous sky right before Fenway Park was evacuated. Note the bow, far right. / Cheynie Singleton
Die-hard fans wore outfits inspired by looks that Rey has worn herself. There were so many bows—bows of all sizes and textures, worn as hair accessories, attached to the backs of dresses, or tied around shoes—fitting for a performer who sells branded bows as merch. There were fans dressed as brides, referencing the singer’s “Ultraviolence” video, in which she plays a moody bride-to-be. Two fans showed up in deer antlers and brown veils—a tribute to Del Rey’s 2024 Met Gala look. Another fan wore a blue sailor outfit, inspired by her 2020 Interview magazine photoshoot. As the night progressed, the costume began to feel even more appropriate for the occasion: As fans waited for Rey to take the stage, a storm brewed in the distance.
Storm clouds began to form and the wind started to pick up. At first, concertgoers rejoiced, grateful for a break from the miserable heat. But as rain began to trickle down and lightning touched down, worry fell over the crowd. As the clock ticked closer to 9 o’clock, and the storm built up, fans began to wonder if Rey would cancel or postpone the show. There were audible gasps when the stadium staff announced a show delay due to the weather.
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Soon, the stadium was evacuated, fans packed into the tight concourse, and what followed was a two-hour wait as thunder and rain beat down on Boston. Rey updated the situation on Instagram stories, explaining that the park had to delay the show 20 minutes each time lightning struck—and it “just keeps striking.” The hour inched closer to ten and fans were still waiting to be told they could go back to their seats. Some ticket holders began to leave, but far more waited, hopeful the singer would perform—many of them having traveled from several states away for the one-off show.
Finally, at around 10:30 pm, Rey took the stage in a glittery red cut-out dress, opening with her 2012 single “Without You” as backup dancers popped bottles of champagne around a waterfall. Rey performed an hour-long set (standout tracks included “West Coast,” “Ride,” “Born To Die,” and the apropos “Summertime Sadness”). The singer was also joined onstage by special guests Mason Ramsey, Stephen Sanchez, and Quavo—debuting their new collaboration “Tough,” which features the rapper.
Around 11:30, Rey closed Fenway with her 2011 viral track “Video Games”—the song most often credited as the singer’s breakthrough hit. Rey then told fans that she had to wrap up and promised to make up the lost time to her Boston fans. But despite the lost time and condensed set-list, Rey delivered on her promise of “one very special show” at Fenway Park.
