Pyro, Guitar-Smashing and Massive Pop Hits: Post Malone’s “Twelve Carat Tour” Is a Spectacle Worth Seeing
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The post Pyro, Guitar-Smashing and Massive Pop Hits: Post Malone’s “Twelve Carat Tour” Is a Spectacle Worth Seeing appeared first on Consequence.
Since last year, Post Malone has performed at a smattering of festivals, but on Saturday (September 10th), the rapper played his first proper arena tour date in more than two years for the “Twelve Carat Tour” kickoff at Omaha’s CHI Health Center. (Grab tickets to upcoming dates here.)
And he was grateful. Every few songs, he’d pause to hoist another red Solo cup filled with beer — dutifully handed to him after nearly every song by a barely seen stagehand — and toast the audience with an f-bomb-filled thank you speech.
“Omaha, how the fuck are you feelin’ tonight? Holy fuck, man. Cheers to each and every single one of y’all motherfuckers,” he said. “I just want y’all to know how fucking grateful I am.”
In jean shorts, white sneakers and a black T-shirt depicting the flaming Eye of Sauron, Post Malone clutched a cigarette in one hand while he crooned the words to “Reputation” in a haze of fog machine smoke lit up by strobing lights.
A sold-out arena filled with 14,000 screaming fans greeted Post Malone as he strutted and shuffled up and down a forked stage, whose three long prongs extended the length of the arena floor. As he did on his last tour, he held the stage alone as he rapped and sang through hit songs such as “Sunflower,” “Rockstar” and “Circles.”
Eight of the night’s 22 songs came from his latest album, twelve carat toothache, and the tortured vibe was a dominant feeling for the night’s festivities. He smoked cigarettes. He played breakup songs. He was, at times, his expected goofy self, dancing and air humping with a broad smile on his face as fans cheered. But the pain and torture was on display, too — just like on the album, which shows Post Malone going through some shit.
Fans were noticeably less enthused about jamming to “Reputation” or “Love/Hate Letter to Alcohol,” but that said, it’s not like they were streaming to the concourse to go to the bathroom or grab another beer, and they howled with appreciation when his pained delivery of “I”m Not Enough” brought him to his knees.
Before “Wrapped Around My Finger,” Post Malone acknowledged the nature of the record. “I have a new album. I had to get some shit off my chest,” he said. “My name is Austin Richard Post, and I came here to play shitty songs.” Cue the raucous applause and screams (and a few bras thrown on stage) in acknowledgement.
Though he’s often simply labeled a rapper, we know Post Malone is a lot more than that. At Saturday’s tour kickoff, he sang pop songs, and rapped like his life depended on it. There weren’t any covers, which he’s been fondly showcasing on TikTok recently, but he played just about everything else you could imagine.
There was even an acoustic segment, where Post Malone took up position at the center of the arena with a stool and an acoustic guitar, strumming his way through “Euthanasia,” “Stay,” “Go Flex” and “Circles.” It was a chance to see his singing voice and pop songwriting shine, and it felt something like witnessing the genesis of those songs. Well, it may not have been as intimate as seeing him write songs on the crapper, but it was the next best thing.
For his best-known songs — the sing-songy earworms he’s known for that have a habit of getting stuck all the way down in there — the crowd absolutely came alive. During “Rockstar,” they shouted every single word while Posty smashed an acoustic guitar and more pyro and flames fired off than at a Mötley Crüe concert. Lit up by yellow strobes, Post Malone was drowned out by the crowd singing.
And the concrete arena floor seemed to shake as fans pogoed up and down with the show-closing “Congratulations,” which included even more pyro, more fireworks, more explosions of flame.
As “Congratulations” waned, Post Malone sent everyone off with a message of positivity, the bright upside to all the down and dark on twelve carat toothache, asking everyone to “reach out to someone” if they’re ever feeling down and sad.
“I can’t think of a better fucking way to start this tour off all around the world. I just want to say thank y’all so much for bringing the energy. It’s been a long time for me and I’m so out of shape it’s not even funny,” he said. “But thank you for bearing with me and thank you for hanging out. Thank you for having us in this beautiful place… thank y’all for kicking this bitch off.”
Post Malone next plays the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN on September 11th. Ticket for that show, and for the rest of tour, are available via Ticketmaster.
Setlist:
Reputation
Wow.
I Like You (A Happier Song)
Wrapped Around Your Finger
Better Now
Psycho
Candy Paint
I Fall Apart
Euthanasia (acoustic)
Stay (acoustic)
Go Flex (acoustic)
Circles (acoustic)
Love/Hate Letter to Alcohol
Take What You Want
When I’m Alone
Over Now
Rockstar
Insane
Cooped Up
Sunflower
One Right Now
Congratulations
Pyro, Guitar-Smashing and Massive Pop Hits: Post Malone’s “Twelve Carat Tour” Is a Spectacle Worth Seeing
Kevin Coffey
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