Photographed by Hallie Hoffman.
It’s the last show of the joint tour of [Young Thug](https://www.instagram.com/thuggerthugger1/) and [Machine Gun Kelly](https://www.instagram.com/machinegunkelly/).
The spinning skull of a devil reads “Hotel Diablo” in juvenile script. Is it meant to be satan or a casual, daily devil?
MGK has been ice blonde for a while now, we’ve come a long way from Cleveland. MGK brings onto stage an eight year old girl from the crowd. “What is an eight year old doing here? Do you know the words to my shit?” She knows and he hands her the microphone. She delivers, a star is born.
Travis Barker joins on the drums for a heartfelt rendition of “I Think I’m OK.”
This crowd KNOWS the lyrics. Like they got through hard times on these words. Lighters came out for “Glass House”. Now it’s 85% smartphone lights and 15% Bics though. Then Machine got on the drums in a montage of drum karaoke. He wasn’t gonna go out soft. For my taste, the compositional highlight of the set was when MGK picked up an electric guitar and the structure of the music devolved into a freeform fusion of rock and trap timbres.
Photographed by Hallie Hoffman.
The crowd is mixed and young. It’s time for Young Thug.
DJ CASH opens up the set. He confirms it with a call and response: we’ve all been smoking and drinking. White bros start jumping over-enthusiastically, I would be punching someone in the face tonight.
Toxic green light shines on the set design of an acid playground. YT emerges in an ensemble a la Joseph’s Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. An acclaimed rapper, but from the first word released it’s clear he sings. Notes are hit with precision. Cascading on minor scales, with party energy powering the brooding melodic riffs. Light auto tune for statement and texture, not out of necessity.
Photographed by Hallie Hoffman.
Cleanly between songs the lights cut out and YT addresses the audience from darkness. The power of Thug’s presence is palpable yet rushes past you, verging on uncomputable in its achievement. The music is transmitted, not performed. Never has Jeffrey been a fool in the court. The pressure of exposure cannot throw him from his axis. He is on the stage, not about the stage. A few tracks into the set the coat comes off to reveal the pure elegance that waited patiently beneath it.
Photographed by Hallie Hoffman.
He brings some girls up, one is crying then they both dance.
Photographed by Hallie Hoffman.
Ti, Quavo, Offset make appearances on Young Thug’s set. The vibe is less “family” and more “professional cooperation of vetted snipers.” There is clearly respect among the men and no signs of petty clamoring. By this point in the set I ran out of water. Had to go.
Photographed by Hallie Hoffman.
.jpg)
.jpg)
