While most watched the Carolina Panthers get destroyed by the Denver Broncos during the Super Bowl, others preferred to attend Lupe Fiasco’s sold out show at the 9:30 Club Sunday evening.
The opening transformed the blackened room into a crimson red with flashing lights and the crowd began to scream.
I knew this was going to be a show to remember.
The crowd’s energy brought Fiasco’s performance to life and it was difficult to find a fan who didn’t know the lyrics to any of his songs.
While I have heard several of Fiasco’s songs in the past, his message is completely different in person.
The rhythmic flow of his first song of the night, “Mural,” was hypnotizing. The song was performed over a beautiful piano, painting a vivid mental image of his words. He stood there nonchalantly, as if having casual conversation, effortlessly leaving me impressed by his constant wordplay.
Fiasco’s opening acts ZVerse, Billy Blue and The Boy Illinois definitely kept the room on its toes.
I looked up to see Fiasco dancing alongside Billy Blue during his performance of Tetsuo & Youth’s “Chopper.” The crowd became hyped by this sampler of what was to come.
Shortly after performing “Chopper,” Fiasco appeared to be a bit worn out. He then mentioned how he was running on three hours of sleep.
Although Fiasco may have been tired, his lyrics definitely kept the crowd engaged and excited to hear more. Witnessing such emotions from fans, was a truly introspective and amazing experience.
I was also pleasantly surprised by The Boy Illinois’ performance.
Upon first seeing him, I was perplexed by his choice of blazer, fitted slacks and polka dotted socks. His quirky attitude and sound certainly matched his attire. Nonetheless, his energetic performance was overall refreshing to listen to. My ultimate favorites were “Sell Again” and “Hit my Line.”
As Lupe Fiasco performed throwbacks such as “Kick, Push,” “Superstar” and “Words I Never Said,” the older portion of his crowd belted out his songs.
I could feel the passion of the fans and left feeling more appreciative of Fiasco’s music. His flawless flow of poetry and presentation of thoughts into words is captivating and certainly worth experiencing.
Featured Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of Justin Molush’s flickr.
Makayla Johnson is a sophomore journalism major and can be reached at mjohns18@umd.edu.
