Kesha, Juicy J and Ludacris performed at Mullins Center Saturday for the first-ever “Bring the Spring” concert.
Juicy J performed a series of songs from his newest album “Stay Trippy.” He performed solo tracks such as “Bounce It” and “Bandz a Make Her Dance.” He also played a variety of songs in which he is the featured artist, including “Dark Horse” by Katy Perry and Usher’s “I Don’t Mind.” These songs brought much delight to the audience, many of whom were less familiar with Juicy J’s solo work.
“The Juice Man,” the self-proclaimed nickname of Jordan Houston, did an excellent job keeping the crowd energized. His kinetic flow and stage presence lent itself to this endeavor. He began small by having audience members sing lyrics back at him but quickly escalated to throwing handfuls of cash into the crowd followed by “pairs of fresh J’s,” or Air Jordan sneakers. After throwing even more money and shoes, including the pair he was wearing, he invited some 20 members of the crowd onto the stage to dance with him for a few songs.
Next up was Ludacris. Assisted by the stellar DJ Infamous providing the beats and his “partner in rhyme,” Lil Fade, Ludacris gave a performance to remember. His excessive levels of energy were notable as soon as he took stage.
Moreover, he held this energy throughout his entire hour-long performance. Ludacris, given name Chris Bridges, performed a career-spanning set. He played songs such as “What’s Your Fantasy,” from his 1999 debut album, “Incognegro” to his more recent hits such as “How Low” from his most recent 2010 album “Battle of the Sexes.” Like Juicy J, Ludacris also performed songs in which he was the featured artist, such as Taio Cruz’s “Break Your Heart” and Usher’s “Yeah.”
Although he performed for longer than expected, Bridges’ segment was met with the most accolades from the audience. His energy and interaction with the crowd was unrivaled.
Finally, Kesha took the stage following a 25 minute intermission. The lights went out, the crowd roared and two figures wielding katanas appeared on stage. From the start, it was obvious her performance would be unique. The two gentlemen dancers assisted Kesha throughout her performance, helping make songs into skits and entertaining the crowd to no end.
Kesha’s repertoire included songs from across her short discography. She performed tracks spanning from her chart-topping single “Tik Tok,” to her most recent collaboration with Pitbull, “Timber.” Each song featured either some new costume, prop or an interesting combination of the two. Fueled by sex and glitter, quickly becoming a staple of Kesha’s on-stage persona, the energy resonated through the crowd.
For a free concert, audience members should have little to complain about. While Kesha’s segment was admittedly short and Ludacris’s perhaps a bit long, the concert was enjoyable and contributed to a quiet “Blarney” weekend at UMass.
Sutton Bradbury-Koster can be reached at [email protected]
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