Kendrick Lamar Concert Review 11/12/15 The Observatory
“We gonna be alright,” the crowd chanted. Throughout the night fans held onto this anthem as they let themselves groove to the energetic environment around them. At the onset of his performance, Kendrick Lamar proclaimed that the he would give the crowd the livest show they would ever see. Every song, from “For Free?” to “Backseat Freestyle,” and Lamar’s own ferocious delivery was determined to accomplish that very promise. Added as an extra show to the mini tour, “Kunta’s Groove Sessions,” The Observatory was the perfect place to see Kendrick Lamar because of the venue’s intimate setting. The show was emotional and direct.
When he embarked on stage, Kendrick Lamar had a presence all of his own and the crowd went insane as they laid their eyes upon perhaps the greatest rapper of their generation. His hour and a half set encompassed tracks from both
good kid, m.a.a.d city and his recently critically acclaimed
To Pimp A Butterfly. When “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe,” “M.A.A.D City,” and “Blacker the Berry” blasted through the speakers the tightly packed crowd went insane, jumping to the beat, shouting along to the lyrics and the moshpit rumbling at full force.
At one point, Kendrick Lamar took a moment to ask if any females wanted to exit the moshpit. Then he jumped into “Swimming Pools” causing the same excitement. Never once where was there a drop in intensity or energy.
Backed by a live band, the songs being performed, especially those off
To Pimp a Butterfly were given an extra layer of intricate musicianship along the insane performance of Lamar. The band unlocked unheard parts of the music not readily apparent just listening to it on headphones. Funky baselines and shredding guitar riffs pierced through the crowd. It also heightened the impact of sonic explosions like the dreaminess of “For Sale?”
With all this, there was Kendrick Lamar himself, rapping at light speed, his body in tune with the electricity in the air. His lyrics of social consciousness and personal tribulations were perfectly translated for the fun of the crowd, rallying cries for everyone. It was more than just a concert or show; it was a genuinely unique experiencing. It was pure art, the special kind of magic that happens when the musician connects totally with his audience.
Kendrick accomplished this. It was a show that epitomized exactly how concerts should transpire.
Maybe the most impassioned moment of the night occurred during the speech Lamar gave, thanking the crowd for always sticking by him, especially the day ones who have been listening since the days of mixtape hustle all the way to the critical acclaim the rest of the world knows him by. From southern California, Kendrick is not only a local hero but also an almost a mythical persona within the rap industry. He admonished he was glad to be back home. Under the strobe lights and smoke in the air colliding into a purple haze, the bass kicked back in and the crowd gave themselves back to the groove.
