Walking into the Minneapolis Armory on a cold/rainy night, you could immediately sense that the atmosphere was different from most big-room pop shows. Fans weren’t just buzzing with excitement—they were vibrating with a kind of emotional anticipation that only Lorde seems to inspire. Her music has always functioned like a soundtrack to quiet moments, late-night drives, complicated friendships, and all the small heartbreaks that shape adulthood. Seeing those songs translated into a multi-act, carefully crafted live performance felt like stepping into the pages of a diary she’s been writing in public for more than a decade.
This tour, in particular, feels like a culmination. The staging, pacing, and thematic divisions show an artist who’s shifted into a new artistic mode—bold enough to reimagine her early songs, confident enough to deliver new material with full force, and self-aware enough to let vulnerability be part of the spectacle. At the Armory, she didn’t just play a concert; she delivered a narrative. Each act flowed into the next with purpose, building emotional arcs before breaking them open with cathartic highs.
From the cover that opened the night to the LCD Soundsystem closer that sent everyone home, the performance captured everything that makes Lorde so compelling: introspection, fire, melancholy, intensity, humor, and the ability to make a packed venue feel strangely intimate.
The Performance
The show kicked off with a surprise: a reinterpretation of Alanis Morissette’s “Crazy” (the James Michael Mix). It was bold, moody, and immediately engaging—an unexpected opener that framed the night with a sense of play and reinvention. As Lorde stepped into the light, the crowd snapped into focus, ready to follow her wherever she planned on taking them.
Act I
The first official act began with the “Intro,” which cleverly wove in elements of “Hammer,” setting a ceremonial tone before the full song landed. The extended build into “Hammer” filled the room with tension, stretching anticipation to its limit before the beat finally dropped. Lorde commanded the stage with a calm intensity, her delivery sharp and deliberate.
Then came “Royals,” unfolding slowly through another extended intro. The entire room felt the weight of recognition as the melody emerged. Instead of leaning on nostalgia, Lorde treated the song like a living piece of her story—something she could reshape, reinterpret, and reclaim.
The rest of Act I—“Broken Glass,” “Buzzcut Season,” “Favourite Daughter,” and “Perfect Places”—provided a beautiful contrast between moody atmospheres and warm emotional hits. “Buzzcut Season” in particular felt like a collective memory activated. People sang along softly, almost reverently.
Act II
Act II shifted gears into a more vibrant, physical energy. “Shapeshifter” hit with fluid, hypnotic movement, followed by “Current Affairs,” which carried a sharp, observational edge. Lorde is at her best when she’s both singing and storytelling, and this stretch delivered exactly that.
“Supercut,” introduced with a long, simmering buildup, erupted into a full singalong once it reached its chorus. It’s one of her most dynamic songs live, mixing heartbreak with dancefloor adrenaline. “GRWM” continued that energy, before she surprised the crowd with the tour debut of “400 Lux.” The cheer that erupted was massive—one of those moments every fan dreams of.
Act II closed with “The Louvre,” which felt cinematic thanks to its extended intro. The song’s lush, obsessive energy filled the Armory, making it feel like a pivotal scene in a coming-of-age film.
Act III
If Act II was the adrenaline rush, Act III brought the emotional core. The opening notes of “Oceanic Feeling” created an immediate sense of stillness. It’s a deeply reflective song, and in a live setting, it becomes even more expansive. “Big Star” extended that emotional landscape, glowing softly in the center of the set.
Then came “Liability,” delivered with an extended intro and a vulnerable, deeply personal speech. This was one of the night’s standout moments. Lorde knows exactly how to speak to a room without sounding rehearsed, and her words about self-worth and loneliness felt sincere.
“Clearblue,” stretched with both an extended intro and outro, moved like a tide—gentle but overwhelming. The act closed with “Man of the Year,” injecting energy back into the crowd and setting the stage for the final act.
Act IV
The fourth act reopened the emotional throttle. “If She Could See Me Now,” with its extended intro, built into a soaring vocal moment that filled the venue. Then the instantly recognizable pulse of “Team” brought the crowd to life. Minneapolis nearly drowned her out.
“What Was That” and “Green Light” drove the show into pure exhilaration. “Green Light,” especially, remains a modern pop masterpiece—explosive, euphoric, and impossible not to shout along to.
Then the tone shifted again with “David,” which Lorde performed while moving through the pit toward the B stage. Fans reached out, some stunned, some crying, as she wove through the crowd in one of the most intimate moments of the night.
Encore
The encore opened with “Ribs,” performed on the B stage with an outro that echoed elements of “Hammer,” tying the night’s motifs together. “Ribs” always lands like a gut punch, and hearing it stripped down—and closer to the audience—made it even more devastating and beautiful.
She ended the night with “All My Friends,” the LCD Soundsystem anthem about aging, chaos, friendship, and survival. It was loose, joyful, and communal, perfectly closing the loop on a show built around emotional arcs.
The Setlist
Crazy (Alanis Morissette song, James Michael Mix)
Act I
Intro (contained elements of “Hammer”)
Hammer (extended intro)
Royals (extended intro)
Broken Glass
Buzzcut Season
Favourite Daughter
Perfect Places
Act II
Shapeshifter
Current Affairs
Supercut (extended intro)
GRWM
400 Lux (tour debut)
The Louvre (extended intro)
Act III
Oceanic Feeling
Big Star
Liability (extended intro with “Liability” speech)
Clearblue (extended intro & outro)
Man of the Year
Act IV
If She Could See Me Now (extended intro)
Team
What Was That
Green Light
David (performed through pit section to B stage)
Encore:
Ribs (performed on B stage; outro contained elements of “Hammer”)
All My Friends (LCD Soundsystem cover)
Conclusion
Lorde’s 2025 Armory performance delivered everything longtime fans hoped for and more. The multi-act structure gave the show a sense of narrative progression, shifting from introspection to electricity to catharsis. Each section had its own emotional temperature, and together they formed a complete portrait of an artist who continues to evolve without losing the qualities that made her compelling in the first place.
Her voice was sharp, her presence grounded, and her emotional range on full display. Whether she was belting through “Green Light,” whispering through “Liability,” or weaving through the crowd during “David,” she connected with Minneapolis in a way that made the night feel unique.
By the time “All My Friends” closed the show, the crowd felt less like an audience and more like participants in a shared moment. Lorde proved again that her concerts aren’t just performances—they’re immersive emotional experiences that linger long after the lights come up.
For many in the Armory, this night won’t just be remembered as one of the best shows of 2025—it’ll be remembered as one of the best shows they’ve ever seen.