concert
Page: 19
Just a few weeks ago, the Jonas Brothers announced an upcoming performance at a very special venue: Yankee Stadium. Dubbed âOne Night Only,â the demand soon forced a second show, both scheduled for August.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
But tonight, the band is keeping its promise: one and only one incredible night in Los Angeles. At least, for now. Nick teased at the end of the show the band would return in September, which was met with sky-high shrieks.
For the trioâs second show on this unofficial trek, which started in London earlier this month, the brothers came out swinging â perhaps practice for playing at a baseball stadium soon, with hits old and new receiving home-fun worthy roars.
After opening with current The Album single âWaffle House,â Joe addressed the crowd through deafening screams. âWeâve only done this one other time,â he cautioned before teasing, âWeâre playing a good amount of songs from the new album.â Another promise kept.Â
The band performed several unreleased songs off its forthcoming 12-track project, including âSummer Baby,â âMontana Sky,â âSail Away,â âVacation Eyes,â âCelebrateâ âLittle Birdâ and âWallsâ (the lattermost earned a live debut during the bandâs recent gig on Saturday Night Live.) And while that material made up the entire first act, following a brief intermission the Jonas Brothers returned for a hits-filled second set, treating the intimate 1,600-capacity room just the same as it would â and will â a 46,000-plus person stadium.Â
Check out the seven best moments from the show below.
Nickâs Early (and Epic) Tease
âItâs so good to be back,â Nick told the crowd while taking in the space. âWeâre playing tonight at a venue weâve never played in. This whole mini tour is just trying to check off bucket list items.â
âIt brings me back to how this whole journey for this album started about a year-and-a-half ago,â he continued. âWe were home, at our respective homes [in L.A.], and Jon Bellion walked us through a few songs,â all of which, he says, centered on what matters most to the brothers right now: family, fatherhood and love.
And finally, he delivered one final message before diving into the music. âWe have a very special audience here tonight,â Nick said before delivering the best tease of the night. âWeâre going to play some more songs from the album and then weâre going to step offstage and let you guys have a few drinks â looks like some of you already have â then weâre going to come back and play all the fâing hits.â
The Brothersâ âReal Sexyâ Moment
âThis next song is a very special one to me,â said Kevin, introducing the sultry âVacation Eyes.â âI know what it feels like to be in love, and it feels like youâre on vacation every single day â so this one is all about that.â
âItâs about to get real sexy in here, câmon now,â added Nick before opening the track in his forceful falsetto over a groovy bass guitar lick. And later, fans are treated to a guttural growl from Joe, making the song even more unforgettable â and securing its status as a potential fan favorite off The Album.
Addressing Uncharted Territory
Three stools are placed on stage as Nick and Kevin took their seats on either end of Joe with their guitars in tow. âNow this is the moment in the show where we talk about something weâve never talked about in our music before,â started Nick, which was met with whispered gasps. âFatherhood.â He then dedicated âLittle Bird,â the second-to-last song on The Album to âevery parent in the room⌠and every child in the room.â
The Mind-Blowing Harmonies
Itâs no secret Kevin, Nick and Joe can sing â and sound their best when harmonizing with one another. There was no stronger proof of this than on the setâs first-half closer, âWalls.â After live-debuting the song on SNL, it sounded even stronger now. Backed by a six-person chorus, the songâs powerful ending seemed to electrify the room, feeling much like a long-loved classic â thus serving as a perfect connector between the new album and the upcoming second hits-filled half.Â
The Seamless Transitions
The showâs second half, of course, operated like a well-oiled machine as the brothers churned out hit after hit, oftentimes without the music ever really ending or the stage lights fully dimming. Yet one of the best transitions occurred between the bandâs 2020 single âWhat a Man Gotta Doâ and its 2007-released âThatâs Just the Way We Roll.â A pivot so seamless it managed to jump entire decades.
Nick and Joeâs Sing-Off
Much to the surprise of many, Nick suddenly appeared alone on stage. He then took it by storm to deliver his stirring solo single âClose,â making a strong claim for it to be a set closer. But not if Joe has anything to say about it.
As Nick took a seat to the side of the stage, Joe came out to perform the DNCE hit âToothbrushâ (backed by DNCE bandmates and Jonas Brothers touring musicians Jack Lawless on drums and JinJoo Lee on guitar). All the while, Nick howls along to the âawhoooâ filled chorus as Lee later shreds during a solo of her own.
But wait â thereâs more. Nick then stands to perform âJealousâ as Joe took a seat and Kevin returned to play and sing harmonies alongside Nick. Soon enough, Joe was back on his feet so the three can close out the song together before ending the sing-off with DNCEâs defining song, âCake By the Ocean.â
The Time-Traveling Ending
âWeâre gonna take it back a few years for ya,â Joe told the crowd before the brothers dig into âLovebugâ off its 2008 album A Little Bit Longer. With a quick head nod from Joe, they then go right into âYear 3000â (from the year 2006) and âBurninâ Upâ before closing the night with âSuckerâ off Happiness Begins, the bandâs last studio album that marked the end of an unofficial 10-years-long hiatus.Â
Thankfully, with The Album around the corner, fans went home certain of more on the way â and soon.
Sam Smithâs shows in Glasgow and Birmingham have been pushed back due to illness. The singer announced to fans on Monday (April 24) that the Birmingham show â which was originally slated for tonight (April 25) at Birmingham Resort World Arena â will be bumped to May 27; tickets for the original date will be honored at the rescheduled one.
Smith wrote to their fans about the postponements in a statement shared by Resorts World Arena in which they said, âI am so sorry to let you know that my team and I are still really not well, so unfortunately we need to reschedule our Birmingham show to the 27th May 2023.â
The statement continued, âItâs so important to me that we give you the very best version of Gloria. I donât want you to experience it at anything less. Thank you so much for understanding, I know how excited everyone is to see the show, and I feel the same about seeing all of you.â
On Friday (April 21), Glasgowâs OVO Hydro announced the rescheduling of Smithâs planned Saturday night show at the arena, also due to an unspecified illness; that show will now take place on May 25. In a Facebook post last week Smith revealed that the Glasgow show was off after they and âa lot of my team have been hit with a virus thatâs made us really unwell.â Smith has not specified what illness befell the team.
The most recent gig on Smithâs Gloria tour was in London on April 19 at The O2, where the singer took time out to pay tribute to Brianna Ghey, a 16-year-old transgender girl who was stabbed to death earlier this year in Warrington, England. Smith wore a halo-shaped headband emblazoned with Gheyâs name during the tribute. Smithâs next scheduled show is slated for Saturday (April 29) at the Royal Arena in Copenhagen.
See the statement about the Birmingham show below.
Morgan Wallen fans had already entered Vaught Hemingway Stadium on Sunday night (April 23) when they were unexpectedly informed that the country singer would not be able to perform. According to WTVA, video boards inside the Ole Miss football stadium displayed a message informing attendees that Wallen had lost his voice and would be unable to play his show.
WLBT reported that the message on screens read: âLadies and gentlemen, unfortunately, Morgan has lost his voice and is unable to perform tonight. Therefore, tonightâs show has been canceled. Please make your way safely to the stadium exits. Refunds for tonightâs event will be available at point of purchase.â The news came after a number of fans had already entered the stadium, including a number who posted pictures in which they eagerly awaited Wallen taking the stage.
The surprise cancellation came one night after Wallen played a show at the same stadium on Saturday night, the first major concert in the venueâs history. It reportedly also left some attendees who sat through the opening acts feeling aggrieved, with a number venting their anger on social media. âCompletely disappointed in @MorganWallen!!â wrote one. âBeen sitting in this stadium for 3 hrs and he just announced the show is cancelled!!! COMPLETE BULLSâT!!!â
At press time it did not appear that Wallen had posted about the cancellation of the show on his social media accounts. The scotched gig came just days after Wallen laughed off an onstage tumble during his Thursday night gig in Louisville, KY, when fog effects clouded his view and caused him to trip and fall.
The singer made history last week when he became the first artist with three songs in the Country Airplay top 10 when âLast Nightâ jumped to No. 8, right in between âThough You Should Knowâ at No. 7 and âOne Thing at a Timeâ at No. 9.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Prince Williams / Radio One Digital
One of the biggest names in the culture is going on the road. Lil Baby has announced the âItâs Only Usâ tour.
As spotted on Blavity the Atlanta, Georgia native is about to bring his discography to life like never before. This week the MC revealed that he will be headlining his own tour this year. On Monday, April 10 he released a promotional trailer of him contacting his supporting cast. âItâs Only Us Tour 2023đĽđĽđĽđĽ This Fasho Gone Be A Highlight Of The Summer !! Iâm Bringing @thekidlaroi @rylorodriguez @glorillapimp @glittergirlgloss @hunxho !! Tickets on sale Thursday âŚ.. #staytuned #IOU #newmusicotwâ the caption read. The concert run will feature some of the gameâs most exciting new talent including GloRilla, The Kid LAROI, Rylo Rodriguez, Hunxho and more.
Related Stories
Soon after the announcement his fans were to quick to point out that a tour date in Atlanta was missing. In response he took to Twitter and requested his followers vote on what he should do. âAtlanta Yâall Want A Tour Date ? Or Baby Bash Like We Been Having The Last 3 Years ???â he wrote.
The current Lil Baby âItâs Only Usâ tour dates can be found below.
May 19: Metro Metro Festival â Montreal
June 10: Governors Ball Music Festival â New York, N.Y.
July 26: Toyota Center â Houston, Texas
July 28: Moody Center â Austin, Texas
July 29: American Airlines Center â Dallas, Texas
Aug. 1: Footprint Center â Phoenix, Ariz.
Aug. 2: Pechanga Arena^* â San Diego, Calif.
Aug. 4: T-Mobile Arena â Las Vegas, Nev.
Aug. 5: Crypto.com Arena^* â Los Angeles, Calif.
Aug. 6: Oakland Arena â Oakland, Calif
Aug. 9: Golden 1 Center â Sacramento, Calif.
Aug. 12: Climate Pledge Arena â Seattle, Wash.
Aug. 14: Delta Center â Salt Lake City, Utah
Aug. 15: Ball Arena â Denver, Colo.
Aug. 17: Enterprise Center^ â St. Louis, Mo.
Aug. 18: Fiserv Forum^ â Milwaukee, Wisc.
Aug. 19: Target Center^ â Minneapolis, Minn.
Aug. 23: Little Caesars Arena â Detroit, Mich.
Aug. 24: United Center â Chicago, Ill.
Aug. 26: Nationwide Arena â Columbus, Ohio
Aug. 31: Capital One Arena â Washington, D.C.
Sept. 2: TD Garden â Boston, Mass.
Sept. 3: CFG Bank Arena â Baltimore, MD
Sept. 5: PPG Paints Arena â Pittsburgh, Penn.
Sept. 6: Gainbridge Fieldhouse â Indianapolis, Ind.
Sept. 7: FedExForum* â Memphis, Tenn.
Sept. 8: KFC Yum! Center â Louisville, Ky.
Sept. 9: Bridgestone Arena* â Nashville, Tenn.
Sept. 11: PNC Arena â Raleigh, N.C.
Sept. 12: Spectrum Center â Charlotte, N.C.
Sept. 15: Amalie Arena â Tampa, Fla.
Sept. 16: Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena â Jacksonville, Fla.
Sept. 19: Smoothie King Center â New Orleans, La.
Sept. 22: FLA Live Arena â Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Photo: Prince Williams
It took about one minute for R&B singer-songwriter Victoria MonĂŠt to sell out her first-ever headlining concert. In 2016, she served as one of the opening acts for tours by Fifth Harmony and Ariana Grande â the latter of whom she has written a number of hits for, including Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s âThank U, Nextâ and â7 Ringsâ â and performed her first solo festival gig at Day N Vegas just two years ago. But for about one hour at Los Angelesâ El Rey Theatre on Friday night (March 31) , MonĂŠt took her âmotherfâinâ momentâ and never let go.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
From the âMomentâ the curtains pulled back on the 33-year-old performer, who appeared in a shimmering bronze and green bikini and mesh pants, she instantly blew her fans away. MonĂŠtâs windswept, wavy blond hair framed the face of a tried-and-true performer who was somehow just getting her start. The singerâs monumental show kicked off Spotifyâs âR&B First Nightsâ campaign, which aims to amplify the genreâs rising stars by supporting their first live show across select U.S. markets. The campaign, which is financially backed by Spotifyâs Creator Equity Fund, will also support U.K. R&B trio FLOâs Atlanta show next month as part of their first North American tour. Funny enough, when Billboard asked FLO in a recent interview who they were dying to collaborate with, the girl group named MonĂŠt.
And it comes as no surprise, considering MonĂŠt bodies being a triple threat. She continuously accentuated her assets during her âAss Like Thatâ performance, singing about her personal fitness journey and a guy whoâs absolutely enamored by her results. The subject matter hits close to home, as her partner and the father of her 2-year-old daughter Hazel, John Gaines, is a personal trainer, who fans were introduced to in the whimsical, breath-taking âMomentâ music video from early 2020. Both proudly watched MonĂŠt in awe among the eveningâs star-studded audience, which included Lauren Jauregui, AmbrĂŠ, Muni Long, Joyce Wrice, Kelela, Ty Dolla $ign, Ravyn Lenae and more.
She not only earned respect from her industry peers and family, but also her fans, who got audibly excited at the sight of her viral dance routine to Trillville featuring Cutty Cartelâs 2004 hit âSome Cut.â The famed squeaky bed frame sounds provided a seamless transition into her 2020 Jaguar cut âDive,â but MonĂŠt wanted to slow things down even more for âTouch Me.â
Scattering spotlights showered the now-perched singer, who basked in it â a rather rare moment for someone who has spent years behind a pen, tucked away in a studio and nowhere near a stage that would give her her own shine apart from any superstar sheâs ever worked with in her storied career.
MonĂŠt made sure the crowd never forgot who she is, seducing one of her female backup dancers to flaunt her bisexual identity during âF.ââ as glowing pink lights filled the 771-capacity venue with lust. She treated her day one fans with touches of nostalgia, playing songs off her 2018 albums, Life After Love, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2. And for one very special fan named Aubrey, MonĂŠt brought her up on stage to personally thank her for supporting her all of these years and gifted her a signed vinyl. She later brought up her longtime photographer Alfredo Flores to capture the moment, with the entire audience unpromptedly throwing up a peace sign for the camera, potentially in reference to her upcoming Jaguar II era.
âTake your phones out and light this biâ up, cause you canât smoke in here!â MonĂŠt yelled before diving into her latest, Lucky Daye-assisted single âSmoke.â Once it cleared, she payed homage to her first Jaguar project by giving the audience a truly groovy âExperienceâ with technicolor lighting that mimicked a disco ball in efforts to transport them straight to the â70s. But she (literally) snapped everyone back into reality with the same celestial keys that played at the start of the show, but this time, for âJaguar.â If another Austin Powers movie were to be made today, MonĂŠt made her case for why she would be his foxy sidekick (the way BeyoncĂŠ once played) with her razor sharp, yet incredibly fluid movements and overall awe-inspiring, superstar presence.
Triumphant trumpets blared for her grand finale and later replayed once MonĂŠt returned to the stage, with an adorably stunned baby Hazel in her arms, to bask in this moment just once more. âI just wanted to say thank you to my team. Thank you guys all for coming. This is a team effort. I have the name Victoria MonĂŠt, but that name is plural. Itâs my team that got me here,â she said above bouts of roaring applause, with her team standing all around her, including her manager Rachelle Jean-Louis and producer DâMile. âAnd thank you Spotify for believing in me to have this moment and to kick off your â[R&B] First Nights.â
âI wanted to make this night extra special for you guys, too. I know you guys have been waiting for Jaguar II for a really long time,â she teased. âAnd because you guys sold this show out in one minute, I just wanted to give you a little sneak peek.â While taking a hefty sip from a Veuve Clicquot champagne bottle (if you know, you know), MonĂŠt played a snippet of a new slinky, hip-hop-leaning track that featured her signature funky trumpets signaling her victory lap.
Victoria MonĂŠtâs El Rey setlist:
âMomentâ
âBig Boss (Interlude)â
âAss Like Thatâ
âDiveâ
âTouch Meâ
âF.U.C.K.â
âWe Might Even Be Falling in Love (Interlude)â
âDo You Like Itâ
âNew Loveâ
âFreakâ
âMonopolyâ
âSmokeâ
âCoastin’â
âExperienceâ
âJaguarâ
With one of the most eclectic albums in reggaeton-pop, filled with â1980s and â1990s freestyle, house, and Miami bass, Rauw Alejandro delivered an electrifying performance at Brooklynâs Barclays Center on Friday (March 24).
The concert, part of his Saturno World Tour, began with hype from the get-go. Earlier in the day, the Puerto Rican hitmaker dropped his joint EP, RR, with new fiance RosalĂa. Fridayâs show marked the first time fans would see another shade of the performer rock out jams from his experimental reggaeton-pop 2022 album, Saturno.
At 9:00 p.m. ET, a womanâs voice on the speakers queued the audience to prepare for take-off, and the arena began bumping â90s golden era of dance music like âPump Up the Jamâ by Technotronic and âRhythm Is a Passionâ by SNAP! They also embraced old school reggaeton from legends like Wisin y Yandelâs âRakatĂĄâ and Daddy Yankeeâs âMachete,â including âP FNK Râ by Bad Bunny â giving concert-goers a taste of the vibe of what was to come.Â
Alejandroâs space odyssey opened up with none other than âSaturno,â the freestyle-driven party jam that instantly invigorated the scene with acrobatic dancers flipping across the stage. Then, from the center view, all lights focused on our dance-reggaeton voyager Alejandro, as he elevated slowly to meet his thousands of screaming fans surrounding the stage.Â
Rocking a silver metallic trench coat and pants combo, with alien-like sunglasses that held over his head, the song transitioned to the hard-hitting âPunto 40,â where the superstar showcased moves for days, joining his dance crew with fancy footwork, bumpinâ and grinding and plenty of throwback styles. A bevy of attendees also set the intergalactic vibe, donning Matrix-like costumes, alien-antenna headbands, and some in full-blown extraterrestrial costumes. This was his eleventh gig which kicked off earlier this month in Tampa, Fla.Â
Amid neon pink lights decorating the stage Ă la Black Mirrorâs San Junipero, he proceeded to belt out the sweltering, R&B-laden âNostĂĄlgico,â which usually features Rvssian and Chris Brown. He also performed his latest cut which originally features Dominican upstart Ăngel Dior. The space cadent then introduced urbano singer/rapper Chris Palace to the stage to sing the upbeat âGatas.â The rising star sported a colorful set of hair designed like flames, and the crowd welcomed him with a roar of excitement.
âItâs my time in New York City,â he exclaimed. Meanwhile, a gigantic screen hovered over the stage showing an array of retro-styled images like planets, palm trees, and binary numbers.Â
Hip-hop dance crew Jabbawockeez, who never missed a beat, provided plenty of thrills and chills with their b-boy style moves that went perfectly with the throwback theme of the night.Â
Although the performer just announced his engagement with the Spanish superstar, the former reggaeton lothario still flirted with the audience, as hordes of screaming females threw their thongs and bras towards him. He picked them up and swung them around to further arouse them. Never forget âPanties y Brasieres.âÂ
Alejandro spanned through numerous smash hits, including bangers âTe Felicito,â âDesesperados,â âDesenfocaoâ.â His global breakout âTodo de Tiâ was remixed to a slower, more electronic-focused beat. But on âDime Quien????â El FĂłkin Zorro continued to bring his insatiable vigor and howling vocals to the spotlight. The high-energy banger got every single person in attendance on their feet instantly, with a rhythm accentuated by analog synth-pop and thumping bass that harkened back to 1984âs Footloose. âPartyâ by Bad Bunny featuring Rauw also built for a triumphant moment, and the romantic and simmering âMuseoâ revealed one of the most beautiful choreography with statuesque poses â there was even a scene where the Puerto Rican and his backup dancers pulled off a seemingly impossible lean Ă la Michael Jacksonâs âSmooth Criminal.âÂ
The night came to an end by Alejandro teasing the arrival of another guest star, and while screaming fans shouted âRosalĂa!â none other than Dominican dembow purveyor El Alfa arrived. The screams got louder to deafening as the two proceeded to sing the high-energy cut âBĂŠsalo,â which was followed by El Alfaâs own mega hit âLos Aparatos.âÂ
âI donât know if everyone knows but today I released an EP along with the love of my life,â he said and began to croon the words to âBeso,â taking turns with RosalĂaâs which resonated from the speakers. Elated cheers filled the arena throughout the evening at Barclays.
With a wide-ranging mosaic of sounds that span across generations and sonic configurations, Rauw Alejandro is truly a musical omnivore who is unafraid to try something different, and that makes him one of the most exhilarating artists of modern Latin pop.Â
BLACKPINK will have some serious back-up when they take the stage at the BST Hyde Park concert series in London this summer. The official poster for the K-pop groupâs headlining slot on July 2 in London revealed that theyâll share the stage with âNonsenseâ singer Sabrina Carpenter, as well as South Korean indie rockers The Rose and up-and-coming English pop singers Caity Baser and Mae Stephens.
The poster for the event revealed on Thursday (March 23) promised âmany moreâ support act to be announced.
The massive summer series has already announced a a special edition of P!nkâs Summer Carnival outing with Gwen Stefani (and more guests to be announced soon) on June 24 and 25, a June 30 show with Guns Nâ Roses (and special guests to be announced), beloved British boy band Take That with The Script and Sugarbabes on July 1, Billy Joel and Daryl Hall on July 7 and Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band on July 6 and 8.
BLACKPINKâs members have been making plenty of news outside the group lately, with Jisoo teasing her upcoming solo album, ME, with a second teaser in which the singer poses in a black crop top and billowing skirt and gazes intently at the camera until the title of the album and its release date pop up in red text. Earlier this week, RosĂŠ shared some footage of her and bandmate Jennie enjoying Harry Stylesâ Love n Tour stop at Seoulâs KSPO Dome and singing along to Harryâs âAs It Wasâ before grabbing some snaps with Styles backstage after the show.
Check out the poster for BLACKPINKâs BST Hyde Park show below.
By the time SZA reached the last stop on her sensational arena tour â performing two final shows at Los Angelesâ The Forum on March 22 and 23 â most fans in attendance knew what to expect.Â
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Opener Omar Apollo has been consistently filling venues across the country â proving heâs the kind of act worth showing up on time for by delivering a headline-worthy show himself. Meanwhile, SZA first revealed to Billboard in her Women In Music cover story that she wanted her concert to feel like a Broadway show, saying âI am deeply excited to pop ass and cry and give theater.â
She (almost) did all three.
On Wednesday (March 22), SZA delivered one of the most compelling and detailed live shows in recent memory â and with the energy and conviction of opening night. Plus, she did so with a star-studded crowd watching, which included everyone from Justin and Hailey Bieber to Adele and Kim Kardashian (who earlier in the day revealed a new âSZA for SKIMSâ campaign) and many more.Â
Itâs hard to pinpoint what aspect of SZAâs show is most impressive, and thatâs likely what makes it so strong. Throughout the near 90-minute set, the chart-topper served a series of looks with the speed of a quick-change artist (the set seemed to shift just as rapidly), performed intricate and interpretative choreography, sailed over the crowd in a lifeboat and all the while perfectly blended her two albums â CTRL and SOS â into one cohesive setlist that guided her introspective story from one act to the next.Â
From the moment the show began â with SZA recreating the SOS album art â it was clear that water was just as much a main character as she. As such, it became a metaphor throughout, mirroring the rocky waves that too often accompany love or oneâs career (particularly in the music industry) but ultimately proving an artist like SZA can survive any storm. Â
After performing âBroken Clocksâ from a makeshift loading dock, SZA boards a weathered boat that reads CTRL FISHING CO for âAll the Stars,â her collaboration with former TDE labelmate Kendrick Lamar. Itâs smooth sailing on songs like âGarden (Say It Like Dat)â but then, during the assertive âLow,â lightning breaks out as the boat begins to rock, during which SZA falls into an epic split with impressive ease.Â
The now iconic rescue boat â as seen on social media â is then unveiled as a lighthouse emerges from the center of the arenaâs floor, becoming a beacon as SZA sails above the crowd singing âSupermodelâ and âNobody Gets Me.â She introduces the latter as a song about starting her life over, during which Kim K sings along while recording a selfie video with sister Kylie.Â
A new act is revealed when SZA returns to the stage, and this one takes place underwater, with a giant anchor taking the spotlight. She performs the Grammy-awarded Doja Cat hit âKiss Me More,â on which she features, and soon after an alarm blares as a strobe flashes â leaving viewers uncertain if sheâs being rescued or sinking deeper into trouble.Â
The next song makes it a bit more clear. The stage is reset yet again as SZA emerges with a deadly flail for âKill Bill,â which leads into âI Hate Uâ and âThe Weekendâ (all of which Hailey Bieber passionately sings along to without missing a word).Â
SZA pulls off a final quick change for her one-song encore, the melodic âGood Days,â which she performs much like how she started the show, with her feet dangling over a ledge. And just like that, a screen descends that reads âThe Endâ written in stars, followed by rolling credits that begin with, in all caps: CREATIVE DIRECTION BY SOLANA ROWE.
And as fans float to the exits, much like a director would following a screening, Solana herself appears one last time to deliver a humbled message of gratitude. âGenuinely, thank you,â she says so casually it almost goes unnoticed. âI never thought I would be here.â
From the outside looking in, though, the path here has been nothing short of a perfect storm, one that SZA survived by being in the eye of. And as her victorious headlining tour proved, no matter how much time passes, she will forever remain the center of it all.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Paul R. Giunta / Getty
On Saturday night (March 18), the New York City stop of Key Glockâs Glockoma 32-city tour celebrated the February release of his highly anticipated Glockcoma 2 album, but it wasnât without flaws. Pain-staking patience was required to enjoy the show at the the Knockdown Center in Queens as the crew battled massive wait times switching between show openers Tia Corine, Jay Fizzle, Kenny Muney, and the headliner.
However, it wasnât enough to ruin the overall experience. Each artist dazzled fans with high-energy performances, showcasing why they were handpicked to join the late, great Young Dolphâs independent label Paper Route Empire.
First up to hit the stage was Jay Fizzle, a cousin to the late Dolph, who appeared 40 minutes earlier than expected from the promoted 8:00 pm showtime. Those interested in watching the performance saw the ski-mask-wearing rapper perform âStandin On Top Of Sh*tâ and âHood Rich.â
By this point, plumes of weed smoke filled the air as the crowd waited 30 minutes for Kenny Muney to arrive. Dressed in a purple puffer, the rapper kicked off his set with âAshtrayâ before flinging a wad of cash into the air during âBig Muney Sh*t.â He took off his coat to jump in the crowd for a more intimate performance of âLowkey.â
Tia Corine also performed while fashionably dressed in a gothic outfit with a blonde mullet. Her set started with the hit single âFreakyT,â a fan favorite. Her voice energetically bellowed through the speakers with âFYKâ until her DJ ruined her set on âDipset.â By this time, she was noticeably annoyed but powered through during âBoogie,â âPancake,â and âLotto.â The set wrapped with an encore of her opener.
Key Glockâs set was a painful 40-minute wait that involved a complicated stage breakdown as a hypeman repeatedly promised he was âon his wayâ to the show. Just as the complaints of leg pain echoed across the crowd, the houselights dimmed, and stage lights suddenly turned on, when a focused Glizzock emerged. It was showtime.
His performance formula is simple: donât talk too much and just let the music do all the work. To say it was a clever strategy is an understatement.
Glockoma 2âs âChromosomesâ opened the show, the first of 20 songs carefully selected from his vast catalog while cleverly themed video graphics flashed in the background. The crowd remained invested as he performed âWork,â âBottom of the Pot,â and âOn My Soul,â but pure fandom erupted when âJigsawâ dropped. The crowd pushed closer to the stage as a giant white head darted laser beams out of its eyes with smoke. At this point, the audience joined in tandem with Key Glock as both rapped in the chorus for the remainder of his show, including on standouts âIâm Just Sayin,â âLike Key,â âJuicemane,â and âDough.â
To hear these songs and not see Young Dolph beside him to recite his parts left a void that was felt all night. This cued Glock to take a well-timed break to pay homage to his mentor with âGet Paid,â âPreachâ and âWater on Water on Water.â It was the closest anyone could get to experiencing the fallen rapper live on stage again. The crowd celebrated to pay their respects.
Finally, the show was nearing its end as âMr. Glockâ and âWhite Russianâ whiplashed the audience back to high-energy mode, before wrapping with a closer from âFrozoneâ by the late Big Scarr. The crowd was pleased, proving that Paper Route Empire remains dedicated to upholding Young Dolphâs legacy by delivering high-quality performances. And they did just that.
Itâs nearly 9:30 p.m. in Austin, Texas and Kx5 â the electronic dance music supergroup of Kaskade and deadmau5 â quietly take the stage. They hardly go unnoticed, though, as the fans packed on the lawn at the Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park begin to scream for the legends.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
âAustin!â Kaskade yells into his mic, showing the city some love before returning his full attention back to his deck, as he and deadmau5 perform with precision a steady stream of syrupy and hypnotic hits beginning with set opener âBright Lights.â
With lyrics like, âThereâs a place⌠we can go⌠for a feelingâŚâ the pair set the tone for the third and final night (Saturday, March 18) of Billboardâs South By Southwest concert series. And together, the two deliver a much-needed communal dance party to cap off what was, for most, a nonstop week.
The headlining set could not come at a better time for Kaskade and deadmau5, either, as just 24 hours earlier Kx5 released its self-titled debut album â over a decade after the two first partnered up. Rightfully so, the night is a celebratory culmination of all of the above.
Throughout the set â which clocks in at just over an hour long and utilizes over 50 lights and frequent fog blasts â Kaskade and deadmau5 deliver sky-high drops tailor made for roller coaster enthusiasts â especially on new track âEat Sleep,â which blends into a snippet of an industrial, deconstructed remix of âHarder, Better, Faster, Stronger.â
Later, during the atmospheric album cut âWhen I Talkâ deadmau5 lights up â creating his own personal mini fog machine â while âSacrifice,â which features Sofi Tukker, prompts Kaskade to yell âCâmon!â while reclining his upper body into a small standing backbend.Â
As the show reaches its halfway point, the soaring drops and bursts of fog seem to occur in more rapid succession as the show builds, The crowd reacts accordingly, with one devoted fan dancing along holding two circular press-down night lights that in this environment more resemble floating orbs.Â
To prepare for the setâs peak, the pair dive into âEscape,â a melodic daydream off Kx5 on which British singer-songwriter Hayla questions: âWhat if I escape?â For most in attendance, this show offered just that â even if only for a brief while.
During the song, deadmau5 shows Kaskade something on his phone, to which the two react with wide eyes and jaws dropped before honing in with laser focus for their final minutes on stage. And just then, the Kx5 logo that opened the show reappears onscreen, indicating they are indeed coming full circle.
The ride is ending.Â
But not before one final hit. The one, of course, that started it all: âI Remember.â
âThis song is old enough to vote!â deadmau5 declares with a wide smile. He then hops down from the platform which has housed him and Kaskade for the last 60-plus minutes, bringing his beer with him, to take a well-deserved bow and applaud his partner, who stays glued to his deck until the last resounding note reaches the final row of fans.
And as the two begin to walk off the stage, the anticipated chant for an encore begins. But after a closer like that, Kx5 made sure to give a performance no one will forget.
Even so, one bawling fan could be heard telling friends: âI need to see this again.â
State Champ Radio
