Su 6/2/24
Martin Klunder (no gummies)
Jiffy Lube Live show 3/3
70℉
Est Atd 21k (ironic, ik)
Ticket 43$
Music 1/10
Show 2/10
Overall Enjoyment 3/10
21! 21! 21! 21! Presents ....THE AMERICAN DREAM TOUR!!
Absolute garbage show. Let me say right away and save all the time and effort. This show sucked ass. Now before you start yapping this and that at me. I went to a 50 c show. As well as a Post Malone show at this same venue last year. Those shows were amazing. So don’t start saying I don’t like rap or hip hop or use some lame excuse. I’m not hating on 21 Savage at all. I don’t boo the artists like Parks did the week before during Kenny Chesney. I’m not a dic* I'm just being honest to everyone and giving you my review as it is.
Let me tell you why…You know my criteria. I need instruments. There was none the
entire time. 50 c and Post Malone each had full bands. Whether or not the performer actually plays an instrument I really don’t care. I just need something. Literally a drum or a piano even for just one song. I’m not asking for too much. So there was none of this. Really hate to see that. It was cool when Post played acoustic guitar for like 2 songs. As long as there are literal instruments on stage (being played) I’m a happy guy. So this show was a big thumbs down.
I base my criteria off 3 things. The music, the show, and my enjoyment. I actually do
like some of his songs. When you’re listening to the radio or at a party or blasting them in the car, 21 Savage has songs that I like, ex Jimmy Crooks. The problem is with (most) Rap SHOWS is that I find them very boring. As I said there were no instruments for his entire set. Your lucky I'm not doing a review of Lil Uzi Vert (again who I like personally and their music) of his November 2023 show in Hampton during his #PinkTapeTour that Parks Ray and I went to together. That show sucked even more ass than the 21 show. Uzi played for 55 mins, no cap my g so hop of my nards playa.
My word! 21 also didn’t even rap/sing/talk into the mic for half of it. He held the mic down at his waist for half the show. So its just pre recordings being played and he’s just standing up there. I don’t understand how people find that amusing. It’s so dumb man. He wasn’t even lip syncing or anything. I don’t have a problem with pre recordings etc. Even some of my favorite and best bands in the world (GnR) do this. But what is the point of the guy even being there if he’s not saying anything in the mic and just letting the music play. Might as well be a hologram concert of 2pac or Biggie. (RIP)
Extremely lame. The only reason I’m not giving the music a score of a 0 is as least because the sound system sounded decant at the amphitheater. There was no static or any disruption in the “sound”. If you were also there you just can’t tell me there was anything musical about this. Now for those people saying well what about a cappella , your absolutely right. Glad you brought that topic up. Because me & my mom went and saw Pentatonix back last year at this same venue. For those not aware a cappella is a term for basically music without accompaniment. Basically, just singing. Think Pitch Perfect, The Barden Bellas with Anna Kendrick etc.
Now there were parts of the Pentatonix show where instruments were being played. But for the most part they are a singing only group. So again, I’m not just limiting to there has to be instruments. But man 21 Savage show really was terrible. Sorry mate, facts.
2 years ago Ray, Dawit & Me saw Nas open for Wu Tang Clan at this same venue. Along with Busta. Nas had a drummer performing alongside him. I loved his performance. I’m not trying to blast on 21 Savage. But just getting this known to people when I’m writing these. I saw Wiz and Logic two years ago @ Jiffy Lube Live. It was Parky’s first time being at JLL. Wiz had a drummer, bass, and keyboard player…Excellent show. Last year I saw Wiz open for Snoop at this same venue again. Wiz didn’t have any musicians. I didn’t like his performance. I saw Post in Oct 2022 in an arena. No band…He still played the acoustic guitar for 2 songs. But the show a couple months later with the full band was way better.
I’ve saw Bad Bunny back in April. He had a full orchestra for like
2 songs then they packed up and left. Then later he had a grand piano that someone played while he performed with for a song or two. So ya see where I stand and why 21 Savage deserved such a low score on the Music aspect of things.
Now the show part I thought was a little better. This literally means the performance,
separate from the music. His lineup of other artists looked decent. I hate to say it, but I just don’t make the entire shows sometimes anymore. I go to so many shows all over, I have to make adjustments. I went to Pretty Lights Friday in Hampton. Little Big Town, Chris Stapleton, & George Straight Saturday in Charlote. Then 21 Savage Sunday in Bristow (Northern Va). But my rule that I almost never break is this. *I don’t miss the headliner come on, and I don’t leave till after their done and house lights come on. I made sure I saw the entire of 21 Savage’s set.
It said he was supposed to come on at 21:30 (9:30). He didn’t come on till like 9:35 and then played for like 75 minutes. So after an hour and a quarter it came out to him ending about 10:50. Check setlist.fm. It’s usually pretty accurate in what the set was and the start and end times. Always allow plus or minus 5 minutes from what’s shown. But I got up there on the top of the lawn to the rock on the left side where the ramp is by 9:30 and he hadn’t come on yet. I wasn’t high so I didn’t get minded and wander around. I sat there locked observing the entire time so I could give you the best and most honest review.
I didn’t leave till after the final song RedRum had finished, 21 said his thanks and goodbyes and the house lights came on. You know my rule. Headliner HAS to perform for 90 minutes. Anything under an hour and a half that’s a thumbs down. So another thumbs down here. I’m not asking for Eras tour over 3 hours. But its your tour! You’re the final act. Ya gotta give me more time man. So really disappointing and only adding to why this show was trash.
Now he was the only act I saw. Simply the most important one. Parky got there earlier
and saw the performances before 21. Perhaps they were better, idk. As long as I see the headliner that’s respect. But this is important to note because he did have 2 other openers before him. Little Uzi Vert had nobody open before him back in November on his Pink Tape tour. That might have been the worst show I’ve ever seen. The review for that would be 2 paragraphs. Uzi didn’t even play for an hour. Haha joke.
I did enjoy the videos showing before the show and then in-between the 3 acts. The
theme of the tour American Dream had fun elements in the videos. Which I did like. It wasn’t a lot but enough to tickle my excitement. There was some smoke and flames and then fireworks at the very end. Yall know I love that stuff but that always comes second to the actual music. But I did enjoy those aspects of his show.
Just in case your thinking I’m hating on the guy, I’m not. I was before the show just like
how I used to feel about Pitbull. But I saw him perform and I was turned. Same Sunday night with 21. I thought 21 was a good guy. He was grateful for us being there. He said thank you to the fans etc multiple times. He was showing heavy respect to BRISTOW! He even at the very end ask the name of a girl in the pit who had been singing the entire time. He recognized her fandom and asked us to all thank her haha. So that was pretty chill of him. I can't remember the girls name, but respect for the acknowledgement! Thx 21 <3
Finally my enjoyment. I told you I went to a show the two days before. I had been doing
a lot of driving and I had to get on a plane to California the next day, So I was beat man. Our last day of school was May 31 st which was crazy. So if I had school the next day, no way I woulda gone to the show. But we got out earlier this year so it worked out. I’m glad I could attend the show. Now you really can’t say I don’t observe. I go to all types of shows. Usually bigger ones at arenas, amphitheaters, or stadiums. “If you wanna be big, you have to live big” -Taylor Kent. I actually don’t remember him saying that but Ray told me he said that so I’ll trust him.
But from Rap to Latin to Rock to Country to Electronic and everything else. I see them all and respect all types of music genres. Some genres I enjoy more than others. I just love going to shows. But there isn’t a more diverse person out there than me. That’s truth and yall know it. To finish on the enjoyment. I have to say it was clean for the show to be part of the livenation special sale they do in May. I have the Lawnie Pass so I don’t care. I'm good for like 95% of the season shows anyway. But for 25$ ticket total all in (used to be 20 for those who remember) can’t argue. So that might be a good reason why it was
so crowded. For a Sunday as well. Its June so the college kids and probably the high schoolers are out as well. At least the seniors idk. Richmond Public Schools got out early this year. Not sure about Fairfax County Public Schools. I think they were still in session. But there was a shit ton of high schoolers and college kids. Which I’m not hating at all on. I went there in high school and college for shows. But it might have actually been 21 thousand people in the crowd total. That’s a good joke but also pretty accurate. I try to ask the guest services or someone each show what attendance was roughly. I didn’t this time. Sorry. But when the venue posts that its heavy crowd expected. Which they don’t do often you know its gona be packed. Like 80% + full. It wasn’t sold out but close to it.
Depending on the stage and how the front(pit) is set up are the two factors that will determine the max crowd. He used the stage that was at the venue. Meaning nothing extra coming out into the crowd. It was also GA standing room only for the pit/orchestra. So the two most effective ways to get big numbers. Jiffy Lube Live says it’s a max capacity is 25k people. 10k under the roof, 15k in the lawn. For Parks who keeps thinking about the arenas, like the one in DC. Even a show where the entire arena is open. And the floor is standing room only. Like Drake, or Bad Bunny. Your getting 21k maybe 22k. Jiffy Lube is getting 3 thousand more people than the arenas man. 3 k is a lot! Think about it. It's just bigger. And Capital One Arena is top 5 in the NBA and NHL for highest capacity in the league. So Jiffy Lube is just bigger. But again Parks is to minded over this one arena saying “21 could be headlining Cap One.” No Shit he could Parks. That’s why he’s playing the bigger amphitheaters you fool!
A lot of artists will play both I’ve noticed. Maybe one in the winter and then the outdoor
one in the summer. Or this year they play the amphitheater the next year they play the arena. I’ve seen that plenty of times. Both are good, but obviously I choose the amphitheater. (free parking, outside, and I can use my pass) Depending on when and which way you come to Jiffy Lube the traffic can suck ass. I know that better than anybody. Sunday show should be lightest day of the 7 when accounting traffic. But when it’s a bigger crowd that’s pretty indicative of heavier traffic. It's also hard to judge just based off of cars alone. What if one time everyone came by themselves in a car. What if the next show every car had two people in it. Very unlikely circumstances but it is important to
think about the number of people and car ratio.
I come in the backway and almost always go to Lot F. Easier for me the way I’m going and it’s a little longer walk to the venue but less shit to deal with. I came so late that there wasn’t even any parking attendants. I slid right in easily. Got a great spot. I also had a supper easy drive from my parents’ house to Jiffy Lube. No traffic or issues at all. Like less then 35 minutes which is about the best its ever been getting there. Going home is usually a little faster cause its late night but alas, I can’t complain. Excellent time. No line at the gate, just scanned my pass and I’m in. Now for Parks haha boy a different story. He can tell you but he got fuc*ed coming in to the lot, going through the gate, and leaving. Sorry Parks
#LawniesOnly Parks ended up finding me at my spot on the rock during the show so it
was cool to meet up with him. I had the American Nikki Manaj flag and my light up cowboy hat on so I was an easy target to see. I also was wearing my custom 2024 season JLL red shirt. It was like 69/70 degrees F out that evening. Around 9 pm when I got there, so it was a very pleasant late spring/early June evening. Gemini shi*, you know Will Arther?!?! Yea June! Not May! But that's respect also!!
There were so many underage kids there. And most of them were drinking (alcohol). Not that I really care, but just be careful people. Especially when your around other patrons who are under 21 (21, 21,21) and more importantly under 18. Ya know what I mean… There were kids coming up to me asking where my shoes were, asking to take a picture
with my cowboy hat, asking what school I went too. Again, I'm sober here... I tried to politely as possible tell them to shoo away. I was locked in and didn’t want to miss any of 21’s performances, which again I didn’t. I’m all for hanging out with friends and getting fuc*ed up or not. You can still be sober and vibe with you friends etc at a show. These High Schoolers and College kids were just a little too silly. It’s all good, we’ve all been there before so I’m not gona hate. I tried to just mind my own business and enjoy the show.
So overall, still a low score for enjoyment but the highest of the 3! That score was affected by other factors outside the show as well. But still, it wasn’t an AMZING NIGHT. Finally, after the show ended, I booked it (like running as fast as I can) to Lot F. Got in my car quick and was already back at my parents house in fantastic time. 30 minutes is about the best it ever is returning home or getting there. By time I was home Parky was still in the lot trying to get out. Usually, I take my sweet ass time, not Sunday night. I had to be out...
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