I genuinely believe Young Thug is one of the most fascinating artists of our generation. His style is wholly unique, both musically and sartorially. Unfortunately his live shows are absurdly average and it doesn't seem like he has any interest in doing anything to make them special anytime soon. I wrote more about it for the Dallas Observer, which can be read here.
Wiz Khalifa and Co. at Bric's Block Party
Bric's Block Party brought in two of hip-hop's biggest acts to Dallas in Wiz Khalifa and D.R.A.M. but the real treat of the night was the surprise guests. Erykah Badu, Curren$y, Chevy Woods, Lil Flip all made appearances at The Bomb Factory. Surprises like that helped Bric's Block Party go beyond the standard rap show, which I wrote about for the Dallas Observer.
An Oldie But Goodie
This Matt and Kim show at The Bomb Factory in Dallas helped me realize that I've become a jaded music photographer. In general, there's really nothing wrong with Matt and Kim; they make high-energy "party" songs that are easy to listen to and always deliver a stellar live performance but the only problem I have with it all is that their shows are so scripted. It's been the exact same schtick since I saw them in 2012 (I saw them in 2008 but it was different then). Kim jumps on her drum set and dances, Matt stands up and pumps up the crowd, Kim dances atop the crowd, they pop off confetti cannons and there's always balloons. It's cool but it's always the same. This is only something someone has a problem with when they're working every time it happens, so, yes, I've become a little jaded. It's saddening to me but so far Matt and Kim are the only act that I've felt this way about. I've seen Chance The Rapper at least 8 times but I've never been disappointed. Matt and Kim just need to shake it up a little.
YG's Politically-Charged Tour Campaigns In Dallas
YG's FDT Tour rolled through Dallas and he brought a really solid sampling of California hip-hop with him. It's no coincidence either that YG's tour took place at the peak of campaign season and most revolved around denouncing the Republican presidential candidate, much to the crowd's delight. It seemed like they were mostly psyched because they knew YG was going to bring out a Donald Trump piñata and beat the crap out of it. It's cool that YG has taken it upon himself to be a voice for minorities in this election and it just adds a new dimension to one of today's brightest hip-hop talents. A real review of the show can be found here.
The Altar of Saint Pablo
I've been shooting concerts for over three years and sadly it's become rather routine lately. First three songs, no flash then you're out. You do your best to capture something dynamic in that short time but after a while almost every set feels the same, especially if you shoot in the same venue. The only time it gets interesting is if it's a big-time artist or there's something special about the show. Last week, Kanye West's Saint Pablo tour hit both of those marks and I felt genuinely anxious for the first time in a while.
Coming into the show I knew exactly what to expect looking up other photographers' work. On this tour Kanye ditched the traditional stage setup for a floating platform hovering just feet above the GA crowd and I was just hoping our shooting location would make for some decent photos. What I didn't account for was how much smoke/fog he'd be using. Those thick clouds of fog made it nearly impossible for any of the shots to look sharp, which kinda bummed me out. But in retrospect the soft focus only adds to the industrial, Mad Max-esque aesthetic to the show.
The fog was difficult to work with but I also freaked out for a little bit because the first song was played in almost complete darkness. When the shallow spotlights came through he wasn't moving around too much so there wasn't much opportunity to get much variety during the three songs.
It sounds like a lot of complaining but these are just the conditions you have to work through and acknowledge on the fly. Of course it was great and fun to shoot an artist the caliber of Kanye West and these photos are wholly unique to him and this tour. When people who were there see them in the future they'll know exactly when they were taken.