Concert Recaps
TAKE MY COIN!
5 Seconds of Summer: Take My Hand World Tour
JUNE 17th, 2022
Set list: Five minutes before 5 Seconds of Summer walked out on stage at The Hollywood Palladium, my bff and PR director Jasmin turned to me and said "I'm scared". Why? Because our favorite band from high school was about to rip our hearts out of our chests without any warning. The set-list was 100% curated by the band from start to finish, which made it even more enjoyable knowing they were putting on a show for us fans with intention. The opened with sleeper bop "No Shame" from their 2020 album Calm, shocked us all with the song that skyrocketed their careers in our joint high school years "She Looks so Perfect", snuck in an unreleased song, a fan favorite deep cut "Disconnected", and closed with their most popular song of all time, "Youngblood". I lost my mind during "Teeth", watched Jasmin's eyes roll to the back of her head when the first chord of "She Looks So Perfect" hit, and almost shed a tear during "Take My Hand". I'm yet to fully recover.
Performance Quality: I didn't know what I was walking into when I arrived at the Palladium one week ago for this show. I knew we'd have a good time, just like I had the past 2 times I have seen the band over their 10 years of making music together and stealing hearts, but their growth was so exponential that it was shocking. 5SOS is a live band. Their confidence in their craft as instrumentalists, performers, and vocalists is something they should be proud of, and something that I am in continued awe of. Proud of you boys!!!
Crowd Reception: 5/5
Venue/Stage Design: 3/5
Over-all rating: 4/5
Charli XCX: Crash World Tour
APRIL 3rd, 2022
Set list: Ate. Miss XCX opened with "Lightning", 80's inspired synth pop anthem that will make you throw it in a circle. And that is what we did. Charli XCX didn't miss with a single song selected from her discography. She played the majority of the discography of her latest album Crash, as well as fan favorites from past projects like "party 4 u" (one of my favorite songs of all time), "Vroom Vroom", "Boys", "1999", and "Unlock It". And yes, Troye Sivan and Kim Petras joined her on stage. I'll let you do the math of how much those performances slapped. My favorite? Hard to say as I write this 3 months later (because it took me that long to recover), but it was great to hear my favorite track from Crash, the sultry "Move Me" live, and "Twice" was sneakily my favorite choreo moment of the night. A stand up performance by the self proclaimed "biggest popstar in the f*cking world"!
Performance Quality: What do you think?! This was Charli XCX is in her popstar era so the performance quality was taken to new heights with her introduction to full choreography for her full set, for the FIRST time! She bodied. I've never been in a more excited crowd in my life, and I've seen Kanye West and One Direction live multiple times, lmao . . .
Crowd Reception: 5/5
Venue/Stage Design: 4.5/5
Over-all rating: 4.75/5
Justin Bieber: JUSTICE Tour
March 7th, 2022
Set list: There are few artists that I would willingly watch on a Monday night, but Justin Bieber is most DEFINITELY one of them. I am, afterall, a Belieber of 12+ years. On the first of the two night stint of his Los Angeles stop on his longawaited post-lockdown tour, JB wowed us all by playing all of his hits from his entire library (minus My World, I know, sadly, no "One Less Lonely Girl"). From "Baby", to "All that Matters", to "Love Yourself", to "Yummy", I could list the whole set-list but I will stop myself there. The special guest list was jam packed, with Leon Bridges, Don Toliver, and Quavo all gracing the stage. The only thing missing was opener JADEN joining him on stage for a rendition of "Never Say Never".
Performance Quality: One thing that is clear when you watch a Justin Bieber show is that he was born to do this. It comes so natural that you can tell he doesn't even have to be there mentally to give a top tier show physically. The choreography, vocals, and Bieber-isms like his signature toddler stomp across the stage during "Anyone" (has definitely graced your fyp on TikTok) were alive and well. I'm a stan until the grave.
Crowd Reception: 4.5/5
Venue/Stage Design: 5/5
Over-all rating: 4.75/5
TGBEAM - Concrete Hills
February 19th, 2022
Set list: We spent a week crafting the perfect 30 minute set. It had to slap and get the crowd going as TGBEAM was opening up for one of his FAVORITE artists growing up, Lil Yachty. He started off with "TEENAGE VICES", a slapper that is the definition of a TGBEAM track, and closed out with his most popular track to date "Day Trip", and a newer song that we believe is going to skyrocket, "kant sleep". Real black boy rockstar sh*t!
Performance Quality: If there's one thing a Gbile knows how to do, it's how to own the stage. Every time TGBEAM steps on a stage, he commands it with a star quality that rivals those of his predecessors. His star shines bright and will only continue to on his rise!
CAN'T RATE LMAO THIS IS MY BABY BROTHER WE ARE TALKING ABOUT!
glaive
February 4th, 2022
Set list: While I'm a fan of a handful of glaive's tracks, (s/o "detest me", "1984", and "prick"), there's a good chunk of songs that I'm not yelling in my car on the 101. However, he was able to transition many of his songs so seamlelessly into the next that distinguishing from fan favorites to hidden joints wasn't jarring. Standout performances included "detest me", and when he broughout out Kid Laroi to perform a track together.
Performance Quality: I gotta give this North Carolina born and bred youngin' a standing O for his crowd interaction skills. He knew how to keep the crowd engaged, and he treated us like his friends. At one point in his set, he chucked his phone into the crowd so his friend and longtime collaborator ericdoa could see him perform.
Crowd Reception: 4/5
Venue/Stage Design: 3.5/5
Over-all rating: 3.75/5
FREE LARRY HOVER BENEFIT CONCERT ft. Ye and Drake
December 9th, 2021
DISCLAIMER: THIS REVIEW WAS WRITTEN PRIOR TO YE'S SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITY THAT TOOK PLACE IN MARCH 2022. PRAYING FOR GROWTH AND HEALING FOR OF ALL OF THOSE INVOLVED!
Set list: This was my second time seeing Ye live. This is my favorite setlist of any show I have ever attanded. When I say he played all the hits, from the jump, I really mean it. Not a single hit was left unperformed. He went back to back and there was not a moment for us to catch our breath. But we didn't care. It was a once in a lifetime experience. Drake, on the other hand . . . while he can and did sing his ass off, left the crowd wanting more out of his set. It might be the fact that a lot of the songs he sang are better in more intimate settings than The Colosseum, the idea that the majority of the fans in the crowd came for Ye, or the fact that he went in between Ye and Ye, but there was a stark difference between my reception of the two performers. Even though we were excited to see their beef squashed.
Performance Quality: I dabbled in this above, but I cannot reiterate enough the show that Ye put on, and the fact that it was able to translate into an enjoyable experience for virtual concert-goers. I was later told by friends closer to the stage that he didn't rap all the way through a lot of his tracks, but I might have to forego that fact due to the positive recpetion of the fans in the stadium. The excitement and the energy were at new heights. Drake was even singing and dancing on the sidelines before his set. And speaking of Aubrey Graham -- I will give him points for a strong vocal performance and crowd enagegment that always leaves his champagne mamis and papis begging for more life.
Crowd Reception: 5/5
Venue/Stage Design: 3/5
Over-all rating: 4/5
A$AP ROCKY: COMPLEXCON 2021
November 7th, 2022
Set list: This is the key reason why this show has one of my lowest ratings. I'm a big A$AP Rocky fan, but mainly because of who he is, and for the handful of songs in his discography that have shaped my taste for years. I also believe that a lot of the fans in a similar demographic to mine felt the same. That's why there was a tad of disappointment due to the lack of key favorites from both him and the A$AP Mob's repertoire on the set list. However, he came through with "Fashion Killa" and newer fan favorite "Praise the Lord".
Performance Quality: A$AP Rocky knows how to put on a show. His bars were unmatched and he kept the crowd interaction on lock. There's no arguing that!
Crowd Reception: 2.5/5
Venue/Stage Design: 4/5
Over-all rating: 3.25/5
BLEACHERS: North American Tour 2021
OCTOBER 24th, 2021
Set list: FIRST CONCERT I ATTENDED DURING COVID!!! The setlist is the only aspect keeping the rating away from a perfect 5/5. One of my co-hosts and BFFs from HS and I have been to every Bleachers tour since their inception. Meaning we know which bangers are expected to find a home on their set-lists. And while they did deliver by playing all of the crowd favorites, their renditions of songs like "Foreign Girls" and "Dream of Mickey Mantle" lost me. I FULLY understand wanting to inject newness into songs you've been playing for years, but tracks like those need to be played in their original flavor in order to have the same magic.
Performance Quality: Bleachers is ALWAYS a 10/10 when it comes to high energy performances with strong vocals and off the wall instrumentation. Their music was written for the stage. 99% of their songs sound better performed live. It's an out of body experience being in the crowd at one of their shows.
Crowd Reception: 5/5
Venue/Stage Design: 3/5
Over-all rating: 4/5
CHARLI XCX - CHARLI EUROPE TOUR
November 9th, 2019
Set list: Miss XCX blessed us with a set list comprised of every song from her latest album, self-titled Charli, fan favorites (that made for great live performances) from her 2017 mixtape Pop 2,, like "Unlock It", popular singles like "Boys", and most importantly, cult classics like the incredible, one of a kind "Vroom Vroom". However, it wouldn't be a Charli XCX concert if she didn't remind us all of how she got here, so she made sure to throw in her iconic track that skyrocketed Icona Pop to fame: "I Love It".
Performance Quality: From the moment Charli stepped on stage, two things were clear: she was born to perform, and it's easy for her to put on a great show. Her vocals, crowd involvement, and stage presence were clearly so easy breezy for her that she not only appeared effortless, but like she was performing in her sleep.
Crowd Reception: 5/5
Venue/Stage Design: 4/5
Over-all rating: 4.5/5
SHECK WES: Die Lit Tour
August 3rd, 2018
Set list: Now THIS is how you open a show. Nearly every show that I went to last fall, I skipped the opener, but I'm so happy that my brother, his friends and I decided to pull up in time to see Sheck Wes completely MURDER his set. To be honest, homeboy played maybe 4 songs, but they all delivered two things: pure hype, and energy.
Performance Quality: Through the roof. Sheck Wes proved that he not only understands the musical quality of his tracks, but how to perform them on stage. He delivered at all the right moments, and left it all on the stage. If you didn't feel like either moshing or jumping on stage during "Mo Bamba", IDK you. That performance might have changed my concert life. Honestly, mad respect to Carti, but performance wise, Wes might have outshone his main act.
Crowd Reception: 4.5/5
Venue/Stage Design: 2/5
Over-all rating: 4/5
PLAYBOI CARTI: Die Lit Tour
August 3rd, 2018
Set list: Pretty much a compilation of songs from his latest fire release, Die Lit, and some of his greatest hits from his debut album. No complaints here.
Performance Quality: All hype. I was gonna insert another "no complaints here", but I'm going to refrain myself, because I do believe that it is possible to deliver a balls to the wall concert and also rap your ass off, Exhibit A & B: Travis Scott and A$AP Ferg. While I commend Carti for hyping up the crowd to the point where the energy of the audience was unlike anything I have ever seen before, I would be quicker to rate the show higher had he done more than rap a few bars over his tracks and let us rap the rest.
Crowd Reception: 5/5
Venue/Stage Design: 3/5
Over-all rating: 3.5/5
2 Chainz: Pretty Girls Like Trap Music Tour
August 19th, 2017
Set list: Banger after banger. While Chainz did make sure to play songs off his latest release, he made sure to pay much needed homage to all of the fan-favorites.
Performance Quality: Have to give it to Chainz for still putting on a hell of a hype show while sitting in a wheelchair, when he very well could have cancelled the remainder of his tour.
Crowd Reception: 4/5
Venue/Stage Design: 5/5
Over-all rating: 3.5/5
Zedd: Echo Tour
October 13th, 2017
Set list: Zedd made sure to keep the crowd dancing with smooth transitions and most of his most popular hits like "Beautiful Now" and "Clarity".
Performance Quality: In order to keep the crowd engaged, Zedd made sure to engage with the Chicago audience through short spurts of hype dialogue, turning the Aragon Ballroom into a rave.
Crowd Reception: 3/5
Venue/Stage Design: 4/5
Over-all rating: 3/5
Snakehips
November 3rd, 2017
Set list: Hate to say that I was extremely disappointed with the lack of original content in Snakehips' set list. Instead of playing their original songs, the majority of the set consisted of remixes. We get it, you can remix rap tracks on your laptop, so can my 17 year old brother.
Performance Quality: I'm going to start this off by saying that only one member of the DUO that is Snakehips was present. Even though there isn't much DJ's can really do in terms of solo "performances", I don't think we should give them a free pass. This was the worst DJ performance I have seen in awhile. Sorry.
Crowd Reception: 3/5
Venue/Stage Design: 2/5
Over-all rating: 2/5
Bleachers: Gone Now Era, Pt. 2 Tour
November 11th, 2017
Set list: Easily the best set-list of the season. Not only did Bleachers seamlessly connect the storyline of their latest release Gone Now, but they also made sure to include plenty of favorites from their OG album. Couldn't have been better.
Performance Quality: I repeat: couldn't have been better. If anyone knows how to put on a show, it is Jack Antonoff. The group's energy and charisma was through the roof, and Antonoff's live vocals partnered with the plethora of instruments was literal music to the ears. It shouldn't come as a shock that I couldn't give the group anything less than perfect scores across the board.
Crowd Reception: 5/5
Venue/Stage Design: 5/5
Over-all rating: 5/5
Bishop Briggs: Gone Now Era, Pt. 2 Tour
November 11th, 2017
Set list: As the opening act for Bleachers, Briggs stunned with a half hour set featuring her hit "River" and her new single "Dream".
Performance Quality: Bishop Brigg's energy is absolutely contagious, and she brought unexpected life to her dark pop songs.
Crowd Reception: 3/5
Venue/Stage Design: 2.5/5
Over-all rating: 3.5/5
Mura Masa (Red Bull Sound Select)
November 16th, 2017
Set list: Composed entirely of tracks from Mura Masa's stand out debut album.
Performance Quality: While Mura Masa might not be the most outgoing MC on the planet, teaming up with a background singer to sing (AND rap) all of the tracks on the album raised the entertainment factor.
Crowd Reception: 4/5
Venue/Stage Design: 2.5/5
Over-all rating: 3.5/5
Dua Lipa: The Self Titled Tour
November 26th, 201 7
Set list: Composed nearly entirely of tracks from her US debut album, and her closing number "New Rules" turned everyone in the crowd into a pop star.
Performance Quality: Although Lipa announced early in the show that she was sick, she still gave the performance her all, and her voice was of recording quality throughout.
Crowd Reception: 4/5
Venue/Stage Design: 3/5
Over-all rating: 3.5/5
AJR: The Night the Buzz Stole XMAS
December 16th, 2017
Set list: Even though AJR was technically an opening act, they made it near impossible to sleep on their set-list. They played fan favorites from their debut album coupled with Kansas City specific remixes that the crowd ate up.
Performance Quality: I was ready to roast the hell out of this group for their quirky demeanor, but their energy was through the roof and they performed the hell out of every song in their set.
Crowd Reception: 4.5/5
Venue/Stage Design: 2.5/5
Over-all rating: 4/5
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