Lily Allen has opened up about the decision to move several shows on her North American tour to smaller venues. The singer said the changes were made because 'the ticket sales weren't there' for some of the larger venues.
Allen is currently touring in support of her fifth studio album, West End Girl, which was released in 2025. The 2026 tour has taken a different approach from a traditional greatest-hits concert. Allen has focused heavily on the new album and performs it in full.
In a new interview with The Cut, Allen discussed the changes to the North American leg. She also spoke about how decisions over venues and ticket demand are made.
Lily Allen Explains Why Tour Venues Were Changed
Several of Allen's North American dates were initially scheduled at larger venues. Some were later moved to smaller theatres and other spaces. The changes were announced in July, with a number of arena dates replaced with shows at smaller venues. NME also reported that the Montreal concert was cancelled as part of the changes to the tour.
Chicago was among the cities affected by those changes. It was reported in July that the show, originally planned for the United Centre, had been moved to the smaller Chicago Theatre. Current event listings, however, show Allen performing at the United Centre on 13 September.
Other cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, also saw venue changes. NME reported that the Los Angeles date was moved to the Greek Theatre, while the San Francisco show was moved to the Paramount Theatre in Oakland.
Allen said she had questioned the size of some venues from the beginning. She recalled telling her manager that some of the larger bookings appeared to be a stretch.
According to Allen, she was reassured that promoters believed there was enough demand for the shows. The singer also discussed the role artists play in deciding where they perform. She said promoters have access to data that helps them assess whether they expect to sell enough tickets for a particular venue.
She also spoke about the uncertainty surrounding ticket sales and releases.
'I don't know what the f**k is going on. Someone knows, but it ain't the artist,' Allen said.
Why Lily Allen Chose Smaller Venues Instead of Cancelling
Allen also explained why moving the shows was preferable to cancelling them altogether. The singer said around 50 people were involved in the touring production and had expected to work through October. Instead of cancelling the performances completely, Allen said she and her team asked promoters whether suitable smaller venues were available.
'Our other option was to ask the promoters if there were any other available venues that were more suited to the demand,' she said.
The change allowed the tour to continue while giving the affected shows smaller spaces. The decision has also led to discussion among fans online, with Reddit users discussing the realities of touring, ticket sales and the unusual format of the West End Girl shows.
A Different Kind of Lily Allen Tour
The venue changes come as Allen continues taking West End Girl to audiences internationally. The album draws on Allen's personal experiences surrounding the breakdown of her marriage to actor David Harbour. She has also described the record as 'autofictional', meaning it contains elements of both fact and fiction.
The live show follows the album closely. Rather than focusing on a broad selection of her back catalogue, Allen has made West End Girl the centre of the performance. The album is performed in full and in its original sequence.
Allen's UK and Ireland tour had previously sold out, with additional arena dates added following strong demand. The North American leg has since undergone several venue changes.
Lily Allen Remains Candid About Touring
Allen's comments put the venue changes in the context of the wider business of touring. Moving a concert from an arena to a theatre can affect the venue, promoters, crew, ticket holders and the artist.
For Allen, the decision has allowed the West End Girl tour to continue after ticket sales for some of the originally planned venues were not where they needed to be. Her comments have also prompted wider discussion among fans about how concert tours are planned.
Online interest in an album does not necessarily translate directly into ticket sales. Touring decisions can depend on factors including ticket demand, venue size and information available to promoters.
The North American leg of the West End Girl tour continues with revised venue plans for the affected dates, while Allen remains focused on bringing the album to audiences across the region.
