“Welcome to Saint Pablo.” I doubt four words have ever been met with such a response at any show of any sorts before. Kanye emphatically said this after finishing out his opener “Father Stretch My Hands Pt 1.” The Verizon Center had been just about boiling over before the telltale “Beautiful morning!” sounded. A rowdy mosh pit promptly formed underneath Yeezy’s floating apparatus, while the rest of the stadium got as lit as any Verizon Center crowd really can be. Saving his trademark “talk” for later on in the night, Kanye got right into a diverse set of classic bangers, personal favorites, and hits off his latest record, “The Life of Pablo.” This show made me believe in magic again- I didn’t know it before I went in, but it was just what I needed to bring my stress levels down in my cowboy junior year.

In all seriousness, this tour will change how concerts are run forever. Kanye West is often attacked by the press. They accuse him of being some sort egotistical monster, but being in his presence it was clear to me that this tour is all about the fans. The nearly thirty song set made me feel an incredibly wide range of emotions in one night. From the intensely brooding and minimalist “Blood on the Leaves” to a flawless and clever transition from “All of the Lights” to “Good Life,” the age old classic “Jesus Walk,” or the melancholy that comes with 808’s “Heartless,” whatever Kanye was feeling that night the rest of us were feeling too. Say what you want about Kanye’s ego or his wife, but the guy can really put on a show. Saint Pablo was without a doubt the best concert I have ever seen in my life.

IMAGE COURTESY OF FLICKR