Lana Del Rey brings the glamour of Hollywood to a moonlit beach on LA to the Moon Tour

The Lana Del Rey persona was in full effect at Talking Stick Resort Arena Wednesday, bringing the glamour and intrigue of classic Hollywood to a stage made to look like a beach, complete with rock formations, palm trees and dancers in beach chairs.

There were crashing waves projected on the moonlit screen behind her as she hit the beach in her little black dress and thigh-high boots, channeling Brigitte Bardot in fishnet stockings on a melancholy "13 Beaches."

"I'm camera ready," she sang, "almost all the time."

It's an image that's bathed in the comforting glow of nostalgia for the way stars used to shine before Del Rey was born. And she wears it amazingly well.

Even her walk-on music was the product of a bygone era – Henry Mancini's score to 1962's "Experiment in Terror."

This is what pianos were meant for

When she finally took her place on top of a piano, legs kicked up behind her, if felt like that was designed in anticipation of Lana Del Rey’s eventual arrival on the scene. And I'm not saying that's why there are lids on grand pianos but I wouldn't rule it out.

"Pretty When You Cry"

By the second song, she and her dancers were lying on the floor, their images projected on the screen as they made swimming motions as though they were mermaids or sirens on an equally alluring "Pretty When You Cry."

"Cherry" gave way to a haunted rendition of Simon & Garfunkel's "Scarborough Fair." And after strapping on a Flying V guitar, she introduced a solo rendition of "Yayo" as a song about a boy with a snake tattoo.

Then, with a laugh, she confided, "It was actually a dragon, not a snake. But I thought snake sounded better."

It was the first of several times Del Rey broke character, which only added to the charm of her performance. As mysterious as that persona she projects may be, she's not afraid to let you see her having fun. It made her feel more like the femme fatale next door.

"Born to Die"

Coming out of a dramatic "Born to Die," she told the largely female crowd, who seemed to sing along to every line of every song, "That's cool. So you just want to be the best crowd ever?"

Yes, that is exactly what they seemed to want to be.

The tone rarely wavered as the singer made her way through such crowd-pleasing highlights as "Blue Jeans," "White Mustang" and "National Anthem," which followed a set of songs about America and Marilyn Monroe's "Happy Birthday, Mr. President."

"Lust for Life"

The Hollywood sign was projected on the screen behind her as she turned in a suitably lusty "Lust for Life," leading the crowd in a rousing singalong of "Take off, take off, take off all your clothes."

A gorgeous, understated "Change" was performed in a medley with "Black Beauty" and "Young and Beautiful" and her dancers rode swings as Del Rey stared into distance singing "Ride" with all the drama at her disposal.

"Video Games"

Del Rey sat on a swing to sing "Video Games," the bittersweet ballad whose video launched her career, which as expected, touched off yet another massive singalong.

"I just want to take a minute to say that it's because of you," she told crowd, "that we're playing in a f--king arena."

Then, things started going more off script as she fielded requests from the audience, which led to stunning rendition of "Love." Then, she told her bandmate, "I was thinking we should do 'Summertime Sadness.'"

Yes, that is exactly what they should have done. And it sounded amazing, as did the version of "Ultraviolence."

All for the fans

Then, Del Rey did something I have never seen at an arena. She spent the next eight to 10 minutes signing autographs, posing for selfies and accepting flowers, notes and presents from the fans down front, who camped out overnight to score those spots.

It went on way too long, but that just made it more endearing.

Then, she said "What should we do?" and fielded more requests.

After asking her bandmates "Do we remember any of that?," she turned in an abbreviated "Terrence Loves You," singing "Hollywood legends will never grow old."

That was followed by an a cappella "Get Free," also by request.

"I'm gonna remember this show for a really long time," she said before thanking "the very sexy Kali Uchis," whose opening set was a textbook example of why it'd dumb to show up late to concerts.

"Off to the Races"

And with that, she brought the concert to a close with a less impromptu rendition of "Off to the Races," complete with choreographed hand gestures and a breathtaking vocal, fireworks projected on the screen behind her.

She was camera ready, as it turns out. Almost all the time. But it's those moments where she let it go off script and drift a little out of focus that Tuesday's concert felt like something you weren't meant to see in an arena.

And I mean that in the best way possible.

Setlist

13 Beaches

Pretty When You Cry

Cherry / Scarborough Fair

Yayo

Born to Die

Blue Jeans

White Mustang

God Bless America – And All the Beautiful Women In It

When the World Was at War We Kept Dancing

National Anthem

Lust for Life

Change / Black Beauty / Young and Beautiful

Ride

Video Games

Love

Summertime Sadness

Ultraviolence

Terrence Loves You

Get Free

Off to the Races

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