Alright: Kendrick Lamar at WayHome 2015

To be completely honest with you, I went into Saturday night knowing that I was 100% unprepared for Kendrick Lamar.

I was right.

The sun was down as somewhere around 30,000 people were stretched from the stage as far back as they needed to be – and when the lights came up on the stage and Lamar presented himself to the WayHome audience, it was on. For the next 75 minutes the man rarely stood still, had the crowd in the palm of his hands, and showed us all that he is a top of the game entertainer.

It started with Money Trees, and there was an instant pop as the music started and Kendrick took charge on the microphone. The combination of volume from the stage and from the lawn was outstanding, and in a word – powerful. The 1st half of the set also treated fans to Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst and i. It was a hell of a way to cross into the 10 o’clock hour.

The challenge for the WayHome organizers in 2016 has just become finding an artist that can match the energy Kendrick brought and created. Good luck to them. Over and over again Lamar showed love for the fans who were all in. They echoed his rhymes and waved their hands and flashed their lights and generally did everything that they were asked. It was something special to see all of those hands moving together.

Kendrick Lamar’s set was hot. It was fast. It was incredible. He was in complete control of the situation at all times, and there was no stopping him. Drenched in sweat from head to toe before the halfway point, you’d think the dude would need a break. But he never took one longer than a moment of silence he requested to let the energy sizzle in the crowd.

The 2nd half of the set included The Recipe, A.D.H.D., and closed up with the incredibly powerful and amazing Alright from To Pimp a Butterfly. If you don’t know it, watch the video at the bottom of the post.

Like I said, I was unprepared for Kendrick Lamar on Saturday night. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. In the end, it was a show that I’ll talk about for a long time when conversations about artists who put on great sets, who entertain, and who get out their message with skill and fire.

Stay Awesome!