Venue: Gwinnett Arena Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway Duluth, Georgia 30097
Performers: Lupe Fiasco, N.E.R.D., Rihanna, and Kanye West
The Glow in the Dark Tour is a glowing example of hip-hop outside the box.
Something For Everyone
Each act in the Glow in the Dark Tour had something for everyone: hip-hop purists - Lupe Fiasco; rock revelers - N.E.R.D., pop partiers - Rihanna; and futuristic new-school junkies - Kanye West. In a show where each artist is a star in their own right, no one shined quite as brightly as Mr. West himself. The evening kicked-off with Lupe Fiasco, the most minimalist performer of all, backed by only a D.J. He moved the crowd with his hits including the sing-along "Superstar" and skaters' anthem, "Kick Push." Fans who attended his January 25th headliner in Atlanta, would not be disappointed by his Glow in the Dark encore. Next was the Pharrell Williams-led N.E.R.D., who funked-up the scene with punk-driven sounds. Though their songs were arguably the least known, their sheer energy was enough to engage all in attendance. A brief dance from special guests, Chris Brown and Bow Wow gave them an even bigger boost. They closed their set with a blend of rhyme and song over the hard-thumping beat of the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army."
Rounding out the three was Rihanna, the lone woman on the tour. She sizzled with her black and hot pink leather bodysuit, but that's where the fire ended. Her performance lacked the characteristic movement fans crave from her award show appearances. Vocally, she was strongest not on one of her songs, but a cover of Beenie Man's "Who Am I?" Even her biggest hit, "Umbrella" left something to be desired. Still, her dedicated fans were pleased.
Scene and Heard
The fans were almost as entertaining as the performers on stage. The super-spirited concert goers -- from schoolkids anticipating summer break to mature professionals going to work on Monday -- reciprocated every ounce of energy from the artists. There was scarcely a moment without call-and-response singing, shouts, claps and screams. Needless to say, the diversity was dazzling: all ages, all races, and styles of dress. There was more florescent rainbow attire than a Skittles factory explosion - and that was on the guys. Retro 80's styles, a la Dookie rope chains and straight-legged jeans for the fellas were seen along with leggings under wide-belted tops for the ladies. The only thing missing was mullet haircuts. I'm sure they'll make their appearance at another stop on the tour. Stunna shades, of course, were the requisite eyewear.
A Star Trek All His Own
Kanye West's spaced-out intro immediately lifted the crowd to its feet. He eschewed a one-time hip-hop staple - the hype man - in favor of bold video graphics and blazing pyrotechnics. The set was incredibly unique. 'Ye stood on a center platform which was raised or lowered, depending on the song. "Stronger" hoisted him in the air, while "Jesus Walks," brought him back closer to earth. The background singers and band were located below in an orchestra pit. A computerized female voice and the sound of his "spaceship's crash" on an unknown planet gave way to Kanye lying supine in the center of the stage reciting the lyrics to Graduation's opener, "Good Morning." He launched into "I Wonder," "Through the Wire," "Champion," and "The Good Life," where he repeated "It feels like A-Town/it feels like A-Town," to add to the already super-hyped feel of the show.
Throughout his nearly hour-long set, Kanye leaped across the stage as though he'd consumed a Starbucks double-shot laced with Red Bull. It was not apparent if Madonna's choreographer, (whom he'd hired for the tour) coached him with carefully plotted steps or just overall theatrics, but boy did he move. He strutted Diddy-style across the stage with no dancers present. If there was a low point at all, it came with a cheesy, plastic robot female lowered from the ceiling before his performance of "Gold Digger." The excitement of the song quickly made up for that mistake.
An Evening Well Spent
For the closing number, Lupe Fiasco joined Kanye with a rendition of "Touch the Sky," the only time another artist joined him on stage. Lupe matched Kanye's energy step by step as in the song that boosted Lupe's career.
The theme of the Glow in the Dark tour was to highlight Kanye's presence as "the brightest star in the universe." Truly finding a more exciting star in hip-hop today is unlikely.
