After scaling down her summer tour, Allen dressed up as every pop star’s nightmare: a pox of unsold tickets
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Lily Allen , shameless pop ironist and self-satirist, has never shied from public vitriol—a quality that has come in handy as fans have reacted to her live shows behind West End Girl . Some lamented the format—essentially a full-length rendition of the LP, nothing more; venues were downsized as excitement (and prurient interest in the album’s salacious subject matter ) began to dull. But like any good pop trickster, Allen has turned a potential PR crisis into an opportunity for mischief: in this case, blue-dot fever (the term du jour for a Ticketmaster seat plan full of unsold tickets) made manifest in a spotty blue onesie and jacket.
The initial UK tour behind the album, dubbed Lily Allen Performs West End Girl, was intended for smaller venues and theaters, hinting that fans should expect few bells and whistles.…