Entertainment Value

I'll be honest, I haven't been to very many concerts in my life. Not only am I a broke college kid, but I always felt like I wasn't a big enough fan of too many artists to want to attend their live performances. Despite all this, I've been to quite a few performances, including both big and small name performers. These range from Mos Def and Jay-Z to J.Cole (before he blew up) and my homie KC Tha Killa. What makes these artists successful performers? Is the energy they bring on the stage? The level of hype among fans? The loyalty of the fans? What does a performer have to do for their performance to be considered a "success"?

Before I go any further, I'd like to point out that the BEST concert I've ever been to was the Lupe Fiasco Halloween concert back in 2008. Lupe's energy mixed with the crowd's energy and created a nuclear-like explosion. The performance was being filmed for a DVD that never saw the light of day, so check out this YouTube vid to get a taste of what I'm talking about.



Man. Good times.

Lupe Fiasco draws the crowd in with his energy. He always performs like he drinks 24 cans of Red Bull right before he steps on the stage. From 2008 to the Generation Lasers concert I attended last week, I can say that his level of energy is always at 250%. The crowd feeds off his on-stage energy.

Most performers rely on this effective method. If you're hype, the crowd is hype right? From Lupe Fiasco to cats performing at The Shrine for a chance to make it big, the energy level is always high in hopes of getting the crowd to rock. Sort of like Eminem vs. Papa Doc in 8 Mile. lol.

Speaking of Em, he's slightly different in his style. I've never attended an Eminem concert, but I've seen enough videos on YouTube to understand that he can rock a crowd wherever he goes. His energy isn't at the level of Lupe Fiasco, but it's there. As soon as he steps on the stage, the place is electric. Maybe it's because of his tenure in the game that has the crowd hype before he even does anything. Maybe it's just because his fan base is a lot bigger and therefore more dedicated. Regardless, Eminem can keep his energy level at 100% instead of 250% and still have a wildly successful show.

Then you've got veterans like Jay-Z. This guy can turn his energy level all the way down to 50% and still rock a stadium like no other. I attended a concert of his two years ago and I was amazed at what he was able to do. He wasn't jumping around like Lupe. He wasn't even yelling at the crowd like Eminem. He simply waved his hands and the crowd started to bounce. What about him makes him able to put on a wildly successful show without (seemingly) trying? Is it because he's been in the game forever and he has a strong fanbase worldwide? Is it because the fans are just more dedicated than fans of other artists? Or is it simply because he makes better music in their eyes? Maybe it has something to do with him being in the Illuminati. Just kidding. Maybe.

So I ask again, what makes a successful show? If you actually read everything above then you'd realize there is no clear answer to this question. But if I had to take a guess, I'd say it has to be a balance between the energy of the performer and the crowd. Longevity in the game is important because it would inevitably create a larger, more dedicated fanbase (given you're a good artist in the first place). But of course, I'm not sure what the real answer to this is. I'll let you know once I make it.