Strong blue lights filled the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom on Chicago’s North Side on Oct. 13 as the crowd of teenagers excitedly waited for rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie to take the stage for the latest stop on his Better Off Alone Tour.
After being dulled by the lackluster opening acts, the energy in the venue finally increased as DJ Ominaya announced that A Boogie would soon take the stage. At 8 p.m., after nearly an hour of opening performances, his entrance was met with cheers of both relief and excitement as he started the spirited performance with the fan-favorite song, “Jungle.”
The concert had opened at 7 p.m. sharp with a performance from rapper TheARTI$st. Despite having captivating visuals, the set failed to excite the crowd, leaving many in the audience restless for the main act. As complaints about A Boogie’s absence began spreading through the crowd, fans became increasingly eager for him to take the stage.
Stunna Gambino, the second opener, also failed to excite the audience. Despite the performance’s lively music, the crowd’s energy remained low as unfamiliar tracks continued to play.
At 8 p.m. the lights finally dimmed as a wave of excitement washed over the venue. As his music began to play, A Boogie took the stage, greeted by shouts of enthusiasm for the impending performance. Despite the standard entrance, the crowd’s energy was reignited as people began jumping up and down, setting the tone for the rest of the night.
However, this enthusiasm began to dip as A Boogie performed some of his lesser-known songs. The crowd quieted down as people soon began standing still, even talking among themselves. Here, you could hear murmurs about what songs people hoped to hear as they swayed to some much less popular tracks.
It wasn’t until A Boogie circled back to many of his iconic songs such as “Drowning,” “Look Back At It” and “Still Think About You” that enthusiasm returned. At this point in the concert, nearly every person began singing along, seemingly forgetting their initial boredom. The energy in the venue seemed to peak, ending the night on a strong note.
Visually, the show was stunning, despite being slightly overwhelming. Intense colored lights and loud music enhanced the atmosphere but at times felt a little too stimulating. Still, these effects added a captivating visual layer to the performance.
In terms of his overall performance, A Boogie gave his fans a decent show. His stage presence could have been much stronger, with moments where the music and visuals did much of the heavy lifting. More interaction and enthusiasm from the star of the show would have allowed for a more consistent experience, but despite its slow start and short lulls in energy, the concert left fans in good spirits and provided fans with an exciting night.
