Prototype Issue
Kanye West Can Glow In The Dark
By Raheem Dawson
(page 1 of 1)There are certain opportunities in life you just don’t turn down. A chance to check out the “Glow in the Dark” tour from the comfort of a box-seat is one such opportunity even if it’s all the way up in Sacramento.
The tour features Lupe Fiasco, N.E.R.D. and Rhianna who are all bona fides stars in their own right and each even had sets that had the crowd up and moving (Rhianna, especially, who killed it by the way), but it’s been clear for a while that this was Kanye’s show.
The buzz has been palpable for months now. Rehearsal pictures of his elaborate set did laps around the internet hours after they were posted. In a comment released on his blog/website, Kanye gushed, “This is not a regular show. I tell people, hey, this show is gonna be crazy and they say, ‘I bet it is,’ BUT THEY HAVE NO IDEA!”
The hour-and-a-half long set presents us with vivid illustrations of the varied incarnations of Kanye West. From the humble and hungry rapper on “Through the Wire” to the cocky egomaniac on “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” to the mildly political on “Diamonds From Sierra Leone” and finally, the heartbroken and grieving son on the reworked “Hey Mama”.
His entire 90-minute set tells a narrative story about a space-based Kanye desperately trying to find his way back home. More impressive than his simple, but elaborate set—which consisted of a moving platform, a huge backdrop, an alien blow-up doll and yes, flashing lights—was the fact that this was pretty much a one-man show. By himself, Kanye held down the complete stage space, zipping back and forth across it and had the entire arena hanging on his every word.
We’ll see how long the euphoria lasts, but as it stands now, this was the best concert experience of my life. Kanye’s ability to ignite and carry the entire building was amazing. His commitment to putting on a spectacle was evident and makes his other outlandish, vain exploits forgivable.
The tour is in town tonight and tomorrow at the Nokia Theater. Get your tickets anyway you can, get downtown and get ready to glow in the dark, LA. The show is so hot, it’s nuclear.
For tour dates, check out www.kanyeuniversecity.com/page.php?content=appearances.
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