Neon red lasers shot across the venue in a parallel fashion, cutting off Kanye West’s head as he performed “Fade” from his album The Life of Pablo (TLOP).
On Sept. 25, rapper and entertainer Kanye West’s Saint Pablo Tour stopped at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio. Approximately 40 Kenyon students attended the concert.
Named after West’s son with Kim Kardashian, Saint, the Saint Pablo tour is promoting West’s eighth studio album, The Life of Pablo, released on the streaming website Tidal in February 2016. Critically acclaimed and well-received by his fans, TLOP explores West’s complexities as he navigates his life through different identities: a husband, a father, a fashion designer and an A-list celebrity with a larger-than-life ego.
Known for his narcissism, West lived up to his reputation during the concert which began close to an hour and a half late. Unlike most concerts, it featured no opening act.
Although the tour focused on TLOP, West performed many of his beloved classics, including “Stronger” and “All of the Lights.” West was energized as he performed on a moving platform, at one point allowing his legs to dangle off in mid-air. He performed with an impressive amount of vigor for an entertainer pushing 40 years old.
The show created a sense of the divine: The stage was suspended over a mosh pit and glided through the venue. West’s face was shielded by smoke machines for the entirety of the concert. Often, the songs would cut out to allow the audience to shout out the lyrics.
The most striking visual was the orange and red lights, flashing erratically to create vivid patterns. For the non-general-admission audience, the mosh pit became an element in itself. Seated audience members watched a crowd of wild fans, illuminated by the lights and worshipping West at his very feet, a representation of his immense fame. In the last couple verses of “Ultralight Beam,” a particularly entranced fan yelled “Faith!” with such intensity and arms outstretched to West, as if he really were a religious figure: “I’m tryna keep my faith. But I’m looking for more. Somewhere I can feel safe. And end my holy war.”