By Thomas Cottingham
Features Assignment Editor
Back in February, Chicago rapper Kanye West rolled out three title changes, 40 notepad signatures and constant anticipation to finally release his new album, The Life of Pablo. Despite the delays, changes and updates to his first stream-only album, Pablo was a collective of Yeezy’s new and old styles.
In June, West announced The Saint Pablo Tour to unite his new music with the big stage. On Saturday, Aug. 27, Kanye West visited the First Niagara Arena for the first time in his music career. This was the first time West performed in Buffalo since 2005, where he played at the University at Buffalo’s Fall Fest. As expected, there was a huge manifestation of Yeezy fans in downtown Buffalo.
The line to get in the door wrapped around the whole arena. The merchandise table was swarmed by fans. Kanye was two hours late to the show. The First Niagara Center was, as one of the security guards said, “chaos.”
Before the show started, the arena was dim with a huge smoke machine puffing out a thick layer of fog. There were two platforms hanging in the middle of the arena, and there was no traditional stage.
After a long wait, the lights finally went off and the beginning to “Father Stretch My Hands” started to play. Once the bass and the Metro Boomin trademark “If Young Metro don’t trust ya” tag dropped, the crowd erupted as if the Bills won a playoff game.
The large, rectangular platform moved out of the smoke, and Kanye was right on top of it, rapping his songs on a floating stage.
At the front of the arena was a large screen that showed different camera angles of the stage. Below the light platforms and Kanye’s own personal moving platform was the floor and general admission section. Everyone underneath was moshing, moving, dancing and singing while Kanye performed above them. One thing unique about his stage is that the show was able to move all around the arena and could cater to almost everybody.
Of course, Yeezy played almost all of Pablo during the show. He played most of his hits as well, including “Famous,” “Mercy,” “All of the Lights,” “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” and “Blood on the Leaves.” He even played his verse from other artists’ songs including Drake’s “Pop Style” and Schoolboy Q’s “That Part.”
His overall performance was raw, energetic and lively. Kanye moved, danced and interacted with all of his fans like they were family.
At one point during the concert, one fan was sitting down on the floor below him. After noticing it, Yeezy made everyone in the arena take a seat while singing the outro to “Runaway.”
The production of the whole show was magnificent.
The lighting enhanced the show strongly by having different visuals that blended into each song perfectly. The heavy bass during all the songs were so forceful that audience members could feel the vibrations inside. The crowd interaction was also one of the best parts of the show. During his performance of “Flashing Lights,” the whole crowd raised their smartphones with the flashes on. West also allowed the entire audience to sing his “I Love Kanye” freestyle.
The Saint Pablo concert was one for the books. With a good mixture of West’s new material and fan favorites, this night was one to remember.
cottintf14@bonaventure.edu
