Lily Allen Downsized Her Arena Tour Because Tickets Weren't Selling — Here's Why She Kept the Shows Anyway

Lily Allen’s“West End Girl”North American tour was booked for arenas, and then the ticket sales didn’t match the plan. In a new interview with The Cut, Allen confirmed that several dates were moved to smaller venues, including Chicago, where the show shifted from the 23,500-capacity United Center to the roughly 3,500-capacity Chicago Theatre. Los Angeles and San Francisco were also downsized, and a Montreal date was cancelled altogether.

Allen said promoters’own data initially suggested arena shows were viable, and she was upfront that the live industry is a machine she doesn’t fully understand. What she did understand: cancelling would have put her crew of about 50 people out of work. So she downsized instead, keeping the tour running through October so everyone behind the scenes still had a paycheck.

The shows themselves are anything but standard. Allen performs alone on stage, singing to backing tracks with no crowd interaction, a format that’s divided reviewers and fans alike. Whether you love it or not, this is one of the most transparent looks at concert economics an artist has given in years. Would you rather see a show in a half-empty arena or a sold-out theater? Sound off in the comments.