Sam Adams opened the show – a wise move by concert organizers. Though he blew up on the college scene, most fans attending the show probably did not want nor expect the 22 year old Wayland native to headline the show. Adams brought an intense energy, playing fan favorites such as “Driving Me Crazy” and the song that launched him onto the scene, “I Hate College.” The crowd also appreciated Sam’s “F**k the Lakers” chant to close out his set.
The show continued on with two lackluster performances from Kevin Rudolf and Clinton Sparks. Rudolf did relatively nothing to pump up the crowd and stood in one place behind his guitar, which was a little weird for a rap concert. Though he played his two hits, “I Made It” and “Let It Rock,” the rest of his songs are virtually unknown. Clinton Sparks, a new DJ on the scene, seemed nervous and failed to interact much with the crowd.
The audience was soon regaled by newcomer and instant sensation B.o.B., a rapper with an incredible stage presence. Also supporting the Celtics by wearing a green and white jumpsuit, the rapper also known as Bobby Ray attracted the spotlight, and if anyone in the crowded stadium wasn’t already a fan, they should have been by the end of his set. Fellow newcomer and lone female performer Nicki Minaj, clad in a hot pink dress and stiletto heels, added some woman power and sex appeal to the show. She was a sure hit with male audience members. Her set included some slow and fast-paced raps, yet most of her songs were virtually unknown, so it was rather hard to sing along to. Minaj made her performance interesting when she brought a six-year-old boy up on stage.
“Any boy I date needs to stay in school. Promise me you’ll stay in school,” she said to him.
As dusk set in, the heavy hitters of the show began pouring out. Former Degrassi star Drake played the longest of any set up to that point, pausing every few songs to shout out to the audience and thank them all for their support. He also paused to shout out and remind the crowd to continue their support to “Free Weezy.” Though Drake’s sound quality was horrible (barely audible from the lawn section), he played all his hits and welcomed Minaj back onstage for a rendition of Young Money’s hit single “Bed Rock.”
Trey Songz, known for his sensual lyrics and voice, did nothing to disappoint female fans. Singing a string of ballads that drove women in the audience crazy, Songz literally re-enacted what it would be like to go home with him. Women went mad over “I Invented Sex,” and males envied the man that their girlfriend probably wished she were dating. Songz invited Drake back on stage, a showing of two beautiful, talented men who sang a duet that was unique and unforgettable. To close out his set, he invited one lucky lady from the audience on stage for a kiss before finishing with smash-hit “Say Ahh.”
During the finale, Ludacris had all eyes on him ‘til the end of the show. Even during Taio Cruz’s cameo for “Break Your Heart,” audience members were clinging to Luda’s energy and vivacity. While performing old and new tracks, audience members danced and sang. Though the set list wasn’t much different from his show at the University of Massachusetts’ 2010 Spring Concert, everyone appreciated old favorites such as “What’s Your Fantasy,” “Area Codes,” and “Stand Up.“ Luda also played fan favorites such as “All I Do Is Win” and “Yeah!” – arguably two of the best songs he could have chosen. Minaj was again welcomed back on for a spectacular duet of “My Chick Bad.” Ludacris closed out the all-day event with his signature song, “Move B*tch,” a tune which fans proceeded to sing in the parking lot while trying to fight their way from the concert.
Ashley Berger can be reached at [email protected].
