Scattered storms set the tone for the chaos that was to ensue at Chicago’s newly-build Salt Shed; Ken Carson was in town looking to rage.
Throughout his sold-out “CHAOS TOUR,” the Opium hitmaker has crafted a slew of viral moments off the back of the deluxe to his latest album, A GREAT CHAOS—which is meant to be taken in live. Built for performances, AGC has uplifted Ken to new mainstream heights without the aid of 00 members Playboi Carti and Destroy Lonely. This—including his sold-out tour—is all off his own muscle, and Chicago was sure to reciprocate the die-hard dedication Carson holds to his own standard.
Opened by 2hollis, who was born in Chicago and performed at Lollapalooza just days prior, the energy the EDM-adjacent artist conjures is purely raw and immense. Elements of hyperpop, EDM and rap mix their way into Hollis’ sound, and yet, it feels like an aura-maxed underground rave. The crowd roars when Hollis appears from behind the curtain, covered in his electric blond hair and donning all-black. A small sea of fans plant themselves in the center of the Salt Shed’s spacious pit, as Hollis performs budding tracks like “lie,” “sister,” “crush” and “trauma” to get the crowd dripping in sweat as Ken enters stage right.
Smoke bellows from front-of-stage, as Ken’s signature rasp (screeching “What The F*ck!?”) booms as the lights bleed red. He appears on top of a platform, jumping, shouting and most of all celebrating the accomplishment of his sold-out solo headlining trek.
Phone lights look like fireflies in an open field, where my VIP vantage point looks below the crowd and directly to the right of Carson on top of the raised stage. Strobes and smoke pulsate in between fiery shouts from Carson, who performed a handful of AGC tracks like “Succubus,” “SS,” “Fighting My Demons” and longtime an-favorites like “Rock N Roll.” The energy was simply off the charts; Ken’s live shows are a different animal. His music is made for the mosh, as fans crash like waves at the top of the stage, submitting to the pit’s ebbs, flows and throes.
But that’s the point, isn’t it? Let the chaos consume you on Ken Carson’s CHAOS TOUR.
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