1 Broken Leg, 2 Chainz, 3 Dancers, 4 Gospel Singers– 2 Chainz Puts On Amazing Performance at Palace Theatre

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2 Chainz didn’t let anything stop him from putting on a truly amazing show Friday night at The Palace Theatre— not even a broken leg. I have to be honest, when walking into the show last night I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I knew of his music and knew it wasn’t quite my style but I had also heard of his passion filled live shows and that is definitely my style. Throw in a broken foot and I just had to go and see it for myself.

After a couple of opening DJ sets, Young Dolph took the stage. Unlike 2 Chainz, I had never heard of Young Dolph (or so I thought but I ended up recognizing one song) but I seemed to be alone on that boat. As soon as he took the stage, the audience exploded into a sweaty mess with arms in the air and phones being held high. The 32 year old from Tennessee had a sense of fun about him that fit perfectly with what was to come from 2 Chainz. His set was short but he was able to pack a punch with his words. After talking to a couple of people outside after the show, I came to find out that Young Dolph is not new to the scene but he seems to just now be getting the recognition that he deserves. It also looks like there’s no stopping him so come jump on the boat with me and check him out!

After a longer than usual set changeover that was filled with more music flowing from the turntables, computers and DJs, it was finally time for 2 Chainz. It would have been so easy for 2 Chainz to cancel this current tour. I mean, he broke his leg and is confined to a wheelchair right now… most people would just cancel and reschedule… but not 2 Chainz. He was rolled out on stage in his custom pink wheelchair (complete with gold rims) by a scantily clad “nurse” who would proceed to roll him all across the stage throughout the set in the most seductive way possible. He could have cancelled but instead, he turned his misfortune into a truly amazing element of an already great show. I thought the wheelchair would be distracting but it quickly just became part of the show and a good part at that.

Friday night’s show was in support of 2 Chainz’s newest album “Pretty Girls Like Trap Music” which came out earlier this month. His sound is of the trap music subgenre (hence the name of the album).  Trap music is a kind of southern hip-hop/rap that has some EDM tendencies. It has driving bass lines, quick lines of lyrics, and an undeniable feeling that makes you want to get up and move. 2 Chainz’s brand of music is upbeat and a bit harsher than what I typically like but the energy and passion that radiated from the stage was more than enough to have me smiling like a freak and dancing around a bit like a loser.

2 Chainz had a sense of power about him even though he was sitting in his wheelchair. He commanded the huge crowd’s attention but he wasn’t the only one. The three dancers (well two dancers and then the “nurse” he had with him) on stage were a force to be reckoned with. They were more than just accessories to his show- they were truly talented dancers that were impossible to ignore. You could see the talent they each possessed as they danced their way through the set. Sure, there was plenty of twerking, but it was so much more than that. My friend and I couldn’t get over the technical training that they each had obviously had and that perfection added a whole other layer to the show.

As if 2 Chainz and the dancers weren’t enough, there was also a group of four gospel singers that joined in on multiple songs. It added a southern flare to the music and is a reason why 2 Chainz’s music stands out in an over saturated scene. It added a sense of realness and conviction to the passionate performance and yet another layer to the music. The singers swayed and clapped to the music as they added powerful vocal punches to the music.

I went into Friday night’s show thinking it was just going to be another night of a couple drinks, hanging out with friends and having some music going on in the background but it quickly turned into so much more. I was thrown into a world that I knew very little about but instantly became comfortable with my surroundings. The actual performance was impossible to ignore and having a couple of drinks and chatting with friends turned quickly became a non-option as I couldn’t stop watching 2 Chainz.

Last night was hands down one of the better shows I have been to lately. Definitely was not expecting that.

 

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