Concert Review: Kid Cudi To The Moon Tour
Written by: David Williams
Love was in the air at the United Center as Kid Cudi’s To the Moon Tour crash landed in Chicago Friday night. The crowd was an eclectic mix of ages from Cudi’s day one fans who are now in their mid-30s to his newer teen fans who recently discovered the Lonely Stoner. Fans ran to the merchandise stands with the speed of a speeding bullet enthusiastically lining up for his official NASA x Kid Cudi tour merch before the show which consisted of shirts, hoodies, sweatsuits, and even provocatively sensual tour posters.
There wasn’t a dry seat in the house as the sold-out capacity crowd waited anxiously for their hero to arrive on stage. The lights cut to black for the introduction as a narrator talks through the speakers to tell us we are about to embark on a psychedelic journey through the mind of Kid Cudi. The LED screen on stage is a flashing kaleidoscope mix of colors while a thumping bass of sounds builds to the man of the hour coming through a door grinning from ear to ear basking in the energy as the crowd roars.
“Should we start the show?” Cudi says to his endearing fans seeking approval before he gets started. He donned a red Chicago Blackhawks sweater playing up to the crowd. The show blasted off in a classic fashion blessing the fans with many deep cuts during the night from his extensive catalog with the first being the opening song “Down & Out” from his 2008 debut mixtape A Kid Named Cudi which just hit streaming services officially this summer. Technical difficulties with his earpiece caused the show to stop abruptly as he went backstage to get the problem fixed the crowd rained down chants of “Cudi! Cudi! Cudi!”
He ran back onstage to apologize for the delay as the show started back up. The vibes came in hot and heavy going into his bag of psychedelic space trap songs “Tequila Shots,” “She Knows This,” and “Dive” all from his 2020 critically acclaimed ninth studio solo record Man on the Moon III. If you attended any Cudi concerts in the past then you would perceive that at some point in the night his long-time friend and Cleveland native King Chip would come out on stage to perform. Tonight was no different, he assisted his partner in crime with two songs “Just What I Am” and “Hyyerr” with the second being a track he added to his setlist midway through the tour after getting feedback from the fans.
After the fast-paced flamed inducing start of the show Cudi wanted to slow the tempo down to perform more intimate songs from his catalog with the hidden gem “Ghost!” being one of the standout performances of the night as the jam-packed Chicago crowd sings in unison “Things do come around/But some things still trouble me.” The song “Sept. 16” is significant not only because the concert fell on the same day as the title track, but also because it’s the birthdate of one of his best friends/ex-girlfriend Rocky who the song is dedicated, she also was in attendance at the show. He made a sweet jester having the over 20 thousand fans in attendance wish her a happy birthday.
“Mr. Rager” is a song with a universal connection with his fans. A ballad from Man on the Moon II about him almost overdosing on drugs is more of a warning for people to not try this lifestyle. The biggest cheer of the night was during this performance where the fans took control of the chorus themselves chanting “Hey Mr. Rager, Mr. Rager/Tell me where you’re going, tell me where you’re headed.” Standing on stage like a proud papa Cudi takes in the sea of love being washed over him.
“Let the kids smoke man! Don’t be weird” Kid Cudi tells the security guards in a light comedic tone while sparking up himself. He says we are a part of his ‘stoner choir’ requesting we sing along with him throughout the entire time. Over the course of the night Cudi enjoyed on four separate occasions lighting up his own personal stash of blunts even passing one to a lucky fan demanding that they share the herbs essence with the fans around them. Fans lived in the moment while he performed his cult classic “Marijuana” while the stage was littered with green marijuana leaves which would have made Snoop Dogg proud.
The most loving moment of the night was when Cudi brought his 12-year-old daughter Vada on stage for the first time since 2013. He gave a heartwarming speech from father to daughter for all to hear by telling her how much she means to him, how she saved his life, and how he will always love her. They embrace in a hug as you can feel a personal moment between the two being played out in front of the enormous crowd. She stayed on stage with her dad as the Steve Aoki version of “Pursuit of Happiness” blared over the loudspeakers as they passed out free merch to some lucky fans.
The final song was the 2015 fan favorite song entitled “Love” which is a classic Cudi song that delivers his trademark spiritual uplifting lyrics about preserving during tough times. He closed out the night with a message of self-love, being compassionate to one another, and living in the moment. To the Moon Tour proved to be one small step for Cudi, but one giant leap of love for his fans.
Setlist
- Down & Out
- Tequila Shots
- She Knows This
- Dive
- Just What I Am
- Hyyerr
- Ghost!
- Solo Dolo, Pt III
- Sept. 16
- Man on the Moon (The Anthem)
- Mr. Rager
- Marijuana
- Memories
- Pursuit of Happiness (Steve Aoki version)
Encore
15. The Prayer
16. love.
