Category Archives: Concert Photos

Photos: Chris Brown Brings The Party to Chicago’s Allstate Arena

BY TER STAFF

Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

Minutes ago, singer Chris Brown brought the party to Chicago, as Breezy brought “The Party Tour” to the Allstate Arena in Rosement, IL. And while the bill was 50 cents short (as rapper 50 Cent was originally slated to support the tour), Chris Brown still brought some major talent to the Windy City, as rap veteran, Fabolous, and newcomers, Kap G and O.T. Genasis, helped warm up the crowd.

First up for the night was College Park, GA native, Kap G. Representing for all the Mexican-American hip-hop heads in the world, the Atlantic Records artist got the night started right with a couple of his best tracks, including his addictive single ‘Girlfriend’.

Kap G was followed by rapper O.T. Genasis, who continued to keep the gears moving, especially with his hit track, ‘Cut It’, a single that was no stranger to the packed arena. With three supporting acts on the bill, it’s no surprise that Kap G and O.T. Genasis’ sets were short lived, but fans were certainly left wanting more.

With one more supporting performance left on the night, a familiar face from the last couple decades hit the stage. As “F-A-B-O-L-O-U-S” greeted the Chicago crowd, the energy levels throughout the Allstate reached a high. With years of hit singles to choose from, including ‘Can’t Deny It’, ‘Breathe’ and Tamia’s ‘I’m So Into You’, Fabolous may be removed from his biggest years in rap, but you wouldn’t have guessed it from tonight. Fabolous can still get a crowd moving and rapping along word-for-word.

Last, but definitely not least, it was time for the tour’s headliner to bless the stage. And while you either disagree with his off-stage antics or strongly disagree with his off-stage antics, there is no denying that Chris Brown is one of the best entertainers around. Whether its his singing, dancing or anything else, Chris Brown is the definition of talent. And tonight he put that talent on an all-out showcase for his Illinois fans.

Brown started his 90-minute set on a high note with performances of ‘Wrist’, ‘Poppin” and ‘Love More’. With more hits than all the openers before him, it was no surprise that the 20+ song setlist was full of classics and fan favorites. But while a stellar setlist was to be expected, it was everything extra that made the night one that fans will not soon forget.

A huge stage, set to reach to as many fans possible, and Brown’s elaborate acrobatics stole the show and make this tour a standout. While fans across the country should be happy that Brown took his Party Tour to the road, you would have guessed that it was tailored for a long-standing Vegas residency with its exceptional production value. If you’re a big Chris Brown fan, this tour is for you, but if you’re even just a fan of great entertainment, then you won’t want to miss this one as well.

Check out our photos from tonight’s performance below, and be sure to get tickets for one of the remaining dates of the The Party Tour at LiveNation.com.

Continue reading Photos: Chris Brown Brings The Party to Chicago’s Allstate Arena →

Lil Wayne & Cyhi The Prynce Perform at The Orpheum Theatre in Madison, WI

BY TER STAFF

Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

Last night Lil Wayne brought his Kloser 2 U Tour with GOOD Music’s Cyhi The Prynce to a packed house at the Orpheum Theatre in Madison, Wisconsin. While the night had its highs and lows, the night certainly got off to an amazing start with Cyhi’s supporting performance, but Lil Wayne’s shortened set (although great while it lasted) left his college fans wanting more.

Up first for the night was Kanye West’s GOOD Music artist and writer, the Grammy-nominated Cyhi The Prynce. The Stone Mountain native instantly got the crowd energized, showcasing his untouchable lyrics and amazing wordplay. Cyhi opened his set with some of his tracks like ‘No Dope’ and ‘Legend’, but it was his melody of GOOD Music features (mostly from the label’s Cruel Summer LP) that got the night started on a high note.

Fans rapped along as Cyhi spit his memorable verses from ‘So Appalled’ and ‘Sin City’, before Cyhi closed his set with 2017 single, ‘Nu Africa’. While Cyhi The Prynce came into the scene with his show-stealing guest verses, it’s his new solo records that will help him rise in the ranks of rap. Cyhi The Prynce definitely picked up some new fans in Madison tonight.

After a brief intermission, as crew set up for the night’s headlining performance, it was time for Lil Wayne to hit the stage. As Weezy emerged in his custom Brett Favre jersey, the Young Money MC could have started his set off in a better way. The Packer fans throughout the crowd screamed, as Wayne performed hit track after hit track.

Lil Wayne’s performance began to lose momentum though as he brought a number of guest performers onto the stage. While many of Wayne’s Young Money rappers were pleasant surprises, fans would soon learn that these emerging artists were taking time from Wayne’s set. After Lil Wayne dedicated about 15 minutes of his performance to guest performers, the rap legend only performed a few more songs before saying his goodbyes. Wayne’s performance was memorable and energetic while it lasted; however it only lasted for about 40 minutes. When it was clear that Wayne would not return for an encore, some (of the more drunk) fans began to throw their drinks at the falling curtain.

Twice during his performance Lil Wayne detailed three things to the crowd. 1. We all are nothing without the man upstairs. 2. Wayne is nothing without his fans. And 3. (again) he is nothing without his fans. However many of his fans last night were left scratching their heads, wondering if number 2 and 3 are nothing more than lip service after the short headlining performance.

Check out our photos of Cyhi The Prynce’s performance below, and be sure to get your tickets to one of the remaining dates of the Kloser 2 U Tour here.

Continue reading Lil Wayne & Cyhi The Prynce Perform at The Orpheum Theatre in Madison, WI →

John Mayer Brings The Search For Everything Tour to the United Center in Chicago

BY TER STAFF

Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

Moments ago, Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter John Mayer brought his The Search For Everything Tour to a packed United Center in Chicago, IL. Performing for a diverse audience, mixed with fans who either lust over his smooth vocals and good looks or those who can’t help but applaud Mayer’s remarkable skills on the blues guitar (or perhaps all of the above), Mayer brought in everyone tonight.

And almost as diverse as his fan base tonight was his setlist and performance. Mayer’s Search For Everything Tour, which is named after his seventh LP (due out on Friday), is comprised of three different parts, separated by several different chapters. Mayer not only performs with a full band for a third of his set, after a couple brief set changes, John returns for a solo acoustic set and a John Mayer Trio set to cap off the night.

If there was anything to critique about tonight’s performance, it’s that Mayer kept fans wanting more and taking time for the crew to set up between the portions of the show delayed the energy of the crowd. While Mayer performed a large setlist of 20+ tracks, splitting the night into several portions (including an encore) made the performance appear shorter than it actually was. But with seven albums to perform, including some covers (like an awesome cover of Tom Petty’s ‘Free Fallin’), Mayer was able to deliver a little bit of everything to Chicago, even with a huge catalog.

If you weren’t in attendance, you certainly missed out, however lucky for you John Mayer will return to Chicago as part of Dead & Company on June 30th and July 1st, and again on September 2nd as his Search For Everything Tour returns to the area for a second night.

Check out our photos from tonight’s performance below, and be sure to get tickets for one of the remaining dates of the The Search For Everything Tour here.

Continue reading John Mayer Brings The Search For Everything Tour to the United Center in Chicago →

Photos: Green Day Invades Green Bay For a Matchup Meant To Be On Their Revolution Radio Tour

BY TER STAFF

Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

“And for the first time ever, Green Day is in Green Bay“, Billie Joe Armstrong announced to the Wisconsin crowd, which was instantly met by cheers throughout the arena, as the band opened their performance with their hit track, ‘Know Your Enemy’. Just a block away from the historic Lambeau Field at the Resch Center, the punk rock legends made history of their own as they made their first every stop in Green Bay, WI.

Although Green Bay is only the third largest market in Wisconsin, a state that often gets overlooked on many bands’ arena tours, tonight’s matchup was one that was long since written in the stars, a combination that truly needed to happen. Not Milwaukee, Not Madison… but Green Day made a stop in Green Bay tonight on their big Revolution Radio Tour, and the American Idiots wouldn’t have had it any other way.

The night instantly went off to a great start the Laura Jane Grace led punk rock band, Against Me!, got the crowd warmed up as the night’s special guest performance. The band played a number of songs from their catalog, including ‘Black Me Out’, ‘I Was A Teenage Anarchist’ and tracks from their 2016 LP, Shape Shift with Me.

Then, as crew begin to set the stage for the night’s headlining performance, the anticipation built up as the house played classic songs, including Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and the Ramones’ ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’, with thousands of Packer fans singing along word-for-word. But then, after a rocking Easter Bunny began to toss treats from his basket into the GA pit, it was time for Green Day to bless the stage.

Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

The California natives got the night started on a high note, as Armstrong made friends with the audience, running from stage left to stage right to up and down the catwalk. As the band played behind him, Armstrong searched for a fan to come on stage and sing along. As the young lady joined him on the catwalk, her sing-a-long ended in the best way possible as she jumped into the audience to crowd surf while Billie Joe picked up where she left off.

And while the night started with high amounts of energy, things never came down, as Green Day’s entire setlist was full of hits and a number of cuts from the band’s newest album, Revolution Radio. With memorable performances of tracks like ‘Holiday’, ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ and ‘Basket Case’, the night’s performance was one that Green Bay will not soon forget.

Green Day made sure to squeeze is as much music as possible, not knowing the next time that they’ll find themselves in Northeastern Wisconsin. The band performed two great encores for the crowd, which included songs like ‘Ordinary World’, ‘Jesus of Suburbia’ and of course everyone’s favorite, ‘American Idiot’. “Green Day” is just one letter removed from the city that gave host to its tour tonight, but no one in attendance was removed from having one hell of a night.

Check out our photos from tonight’s performance below, and be sure to get tickets for one of the remaining dates on the Revolution Radio Tour here.

Continue reading Photos: Green Day Invades Green Bay For a Matchup Meant To Be On Their Revolution Radio Tour →

Photos: Bebe Rexha Brings Her “All Your Fault” Tour to The Metro in Chicago

BY TER STAFF

Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

Last night, pop singer/songwriter Bebe Rexha brought her “All Your Fault” Tour to The Metro in Chicago, IL. Although Rexha is currently traveling the country on her first ever headlining tour, in support of her debut studio album of the same name. However, tonight was far from Rexha’s first performance for a Windy City crowd. In the past few years Rexha has performed at Lollapalooza, iHeartRadio‘s Jingle Ball, the Allstate Arena for Ellie Goulding’s Delirium Tour, the House of Blues in support of Nick Jonas and more. However tonight’s performance at The Metro was special, as Bebe got to perform for her biggest fans with her headlining set.

Up first for the night was Los Angeles singer, songwriter and trumpeter, Spencer Ludwig. Instantly Ludwig won the crowd over with his infectious energy and diverse talent. Jumping back and forth between vocals and the trumpet, Ludwig puts the brass family at center stage with his entertaining performance. Although Ludwig is still awaiting the release of his debut album, currently set for this summer, the talented artist has already performed with Foster The People, Portugal. The Man, St. Lucia, RAC, and Fitz and the Tantrum, to name a few. While the crowd didn’t want his performance to end, Spencer Ludwig ended his set with a great performance of his single ‘Diggy’, a track heard by many with Target‘s Vibes campaign. Last night was Ludwig’s first show in Chicago, but if he continues to make addicting songs like ‘Diggy’, Ludwig will be back before you now it.

Next up, the crowd’s teenage fans began to scream as singer Daniel Skye stepped on stage. Performing a number of covers, as well as some original tracks, the 16-year-old singer catered to a younger audience but still showcased a voice that the entire audience could appreciated.

After a brief set change, Bebe’s Rexha band began to take their places for the night’s headlining act. As the fog began to fill the stage, Rexha emerged to her All Your Fault track ‘Bad Bitch’. The crowd went wild as Bebe owned the stage, only taking breaks from her vocals to drop it low, which only made the packed crowd more wild.

Throughout the night Rexha bounced back and forth between records from her debut LP and some of her biggest hits and collaborations. Perhaps the most live moment of the night though came with Rexha’s back-to-back performances of ‘In The Name of Love’ and ‘Take Me Home’. Another highlight of the night came with Rexha’s performance of her original version of ‘Monster’, a track which helped jumpstart her career after she sold the track to Eminem for his mega-Rihanna collaboration. ‘Monster’ is a constant reminder of what makes Bebe Rexha so great, her amazing songwriting. However in 2017, Bebe gets the credit and glory for her pen, and it’s all well deserved.

Last night’s show was all for the fans and those in attendance at The Metro got a night that they won’t soon forget, so our apologies if you missed out. But if history is any indicator, Bebe Rexha will be back in the Windy City real soon.

Check out our photos from last night’s performance below, and be sure to get tickets for one of the remaining dates on Bebe Rexha’s “All Your Fault” Tour here.

Continue reading Photos: Bebe Rexha Brings Her “All Your Fault” Tour to The Metro in Chicago →

Photos: Hey Violet Performs for a Sold-Out Crowd at Chicago’s Sub-T

BY TER STAFF

Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

Moments ago, Los Angeles pop-punk band Hey Violet performed for a sold-out crowd at Chicago’s Subterranean. Currently on their first headlining tour in North America, after touring the country last summer with 5 Seconds of Summer, the emerging artists have been enjoying the success of their breakout single ‘Guys My Age’, while taking their music on the road before Ren Lovelis and company bless fans with their debut release.

Getting things started for the night was singer Jessarae, performing for a Windy City audience for the first time in his young career. The LA native opened with his track ‘Stand In The Rain’, and he was instantly met with screams throughout the crowd, from his new fans who quickly lusted after his voice, bleach-blonde hair and his Ed Sheeran-esk talents on the loop pedal. Jessarae delivered a half-hour set, which includes his songs ‘No Warning’, his new track ‘Don’t Honey Me’ and a cover of Drake’s ‘One Dance’. Jessarae certainly made friends with his audience, taking time to greet the crowd, give backstory to his songs and he even stopped his performance to sing Happy Birthday to two fans celebrating their 16th and 20th birthdays. Needless to say tonight will likely not be Jessarae’s last performance in Chicago.

Soon after Jessarae stepped off stage, the crowd began to cheer as Hey Violet descended from the Subterranean’s notorious spiral staircase. As Rena, Miranda, Casey, Nia and Iain took their positions, fans raised their hands to the sky, making a sea of sharpie X’s throughout the all ages crowd. Hey Violet opened with their 2016 track ‘Brand New Moves’, and although the SubT is certainly not Chicago’s largest venue, Hey Violet sold-out the intimate club with their biggest fans, who could recite the lyrics throughout the band’s entire set.

Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

Following up with performances of ‘Pure’, a brand new track ‘Consequence’ and ‘I’m Holy’, Ren took time to give a special introduction to the band’s track ‘Odd (O.D.D.)’. Lovelis told fans that the track is one of the band’s most important songs and that everyone should learn to embrace their differences, a message that ‘Odd’ captures.  Throughout the night Hey Violet performed a collection of their songs, which are all relatively new, since the band is still on the verge of their debut album, which has yet to be announced.

Hey Violet also paid homage to Chicago by taking notice of its great food. While previously mentioning that she had never had a bad time in Chicago, Lovelis corrected herself by saying she once has a bad time in Chicago because she ate so much great food that she “food coma-ed out”, which the rest of the band added really isn’t a bad time at all. Throughout the night Lovelis was more than personable while interacting with her audience.

The highlight of the night though came towards the end of Hey Violet’s set. After a cover performance of Katy Perry’s new single ‘Chained To The Rhythm”, Hey Violet performed their huge breakout single, ‘Guys My Age’, a track which still is getting a ton of play on the radio with no signs of slowing down. Soon followed by a performance of a fan favorite, ‘fuqboi’, Hey Violet closed the show on a high note and left the crowd wanting more in the best way possible. Although the band’s roughly 45-minute set made the night go by quick, no one left the Sub-T without their money’s worth, and when Hey Violet returns with a new album or EP to perform, you can surely expect tonight’s crowd to return as well.

Check out our photos from tonight’s performance below, and be sure to catch one of the remaining dates on Hey Violet’s North American tour here.

Continue reading Photos: Hey Violet Performs for a Sold-Out Crowd at Chicago’s Sub-T →

Photos: Ben Folds Brings His Piano To The Riverside Theatre in Milwaukee

BY TER STAFF

Photo by Halley Shaw/The Early Registration
Photo by Halley Shaw/The Early Registration

Ben Folds kicked it old school tonight as he jammed solo, bringing his Ben Folds And A Piano Tour to the historic Riverside Theatre in Milwaukee, WI. With an audience packed full of true Ben Folds fans, the Wisconsin crowd was excited to hear a variety of Ben Folds’ newest tracks, and equally ecstatic to hear his classics as well.

What made this performance so special, was its simplicity and creative level of audience participation. Whether Folds is accompanied by the Ben Folds Five, a live orchestra or just himself, the North Carolina singer/songwriter always delivers; but there is something beautiful about stripping things down to just a man and his piano. And more so than other shows, this one was all about the fans. In fact, halfway through the performance, Folds had his audience write song requests on a piece of paper, form their requests into a paper airplane, and fly the songs to the stage.

For the rest of the concert, Folds constructed his setlist from the paper airplane requests, making for a unique experience for fans. By pure chance and probability, and the diversity of fans’ requests, Milwaukee and all other tour stops had a special setlist that only fans in attendance for that particular will ever experience. By definition, Milwaukee received a performance from Ben Folds unlike all others.

Check out our photos from last night’s performance below and peep the remaining dates on the Ben Folds And A Piano Tour here.

Continue reading Photos: Ben Folds Brings His Piano To The Riverside Theatre in Milwaukee →

Photos: Run The Jewels Run Madison, WI for a Sold-Out Show at The Orpheum

BY TER STAFF

Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration
Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

Run The Jewels are in the middle of their huge tour, dubbed the Run The Jewels: Run The World Tour, and tonight El-P and Killer Mike ran Madison, WI. Selling out the historic Orpheum Theatre, located on the city’s historic State Street, which connects the University of Wisconsin campus to the Wisconsin State Capitol Building, one of the most political and consequence duos in music performed for one of the Midwest’s most political cities.

But tonight wasn’t about politics or dwelling on the election or primary results, it was about great rap music and making sure that no fan left without having a memorable night. Kicking things off, Gangsta Boo, Cuz & Nick Hook warmed up the Wisconsin crowd, each bringing something different to the tour. With a former member of the Three 6 Mafia, a talented electronic artist to get the crowd moving and one of Little Rock’s most exciting emerging rappers, the night instantly started on a high note.

Next up was the wildely entertaining alternative hip-hop producer, The Gaslamp Killer, who delivered a great half-hour set for the sold-out Orpheum Theatre. The Brainfeeder signed artist, a label founded by producer Flying Lotus, has performed on big stages before, including Coachella and New Orlean’s Voodoo Festival, but his supporting performances for packed crowds on Run The Jewel’s 2017 tour will continue to be great exposure for DJ/producer. Despite being the supporting artist for a rap concert, Gaslamp Killer’s impressive mixes extended well beyond rap and hip-hop, also mixing rock, trap, electronic and more into his 30-minutes.

After a brief intermission, it was time for Run The Jewels to hit the stage in Madison. Entering to Queen’s legendary hit ‘We Are The Champions’, Killer Mike and El-P sang along to the record’s chorus, greeted the sold-out college crowd, and quickly transitioned into a bass-heavy live performance of their RTJ3 track, ‘Talk To Me’…and the crowd erupted. Run The Jewels then continued with more performances from Run The Jewels 3, including their songs ‘Legend Has It’ and ‘Call Ticketron’.

Run The Jewels
Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

Throughout the night Killer Mike and El-P kept the crowd engaged with performances from all of the duo’s collaborative and self-titled projects, but certainly with focus on their most recent tracks, especially their most recent LP. As the crowd chanted “R-T-J” and Killer Mike & El-P bounced from stage left to stage right while the tour production’s light show strobed to the beat, the energy was vibrating throughout the venue for the entire night.

Highlights of the night included RTJ’s performance of their RTJ2 track, ‘Love Again’, where Gangsta Boo returned to the stage and joined Killer Mike & El-P to assist the performance, as well as RTJ’s performance of DJ Shadow’s track ‘Nobody Speak’, but for the most part the energy was at a high level throughout the whole set. One memorable moment from the night had nothing to do with the music either, as Killer Mike stopped the show after he noticed that a fan was being removed from the concert. After some investigation, noticing that the fan was being tossed for weed, Killer Mike instructed the venue that Run The Jewels would not continue to perform if their fans were being thrown out for having weed. Security had to bite their tongue for the rest of the night and the show went on. And after Run The Jewels ended their set with their self-titled track, fans benefited from some free live music as the rap duo returned for encore performances of ‘Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)’ and ‘Down’.

While many are still late to the party when it comes to Run The Jewels, hip-hop’s biggest fans don’t just like RTJ, they love RTJ, and for good reason. During the entire performance fans were rapping along, word-for-word, putting their hands in the air and throwing up the famed gun and fist Run The Jewels logo. And even in the middle of a long and likely draining tour, Killer Mike and El-P matched the crowd’s energy from start to finish, playing off the other with their impressive tag-team style of rap, leaving very little time for the other to catch their breath. Two things are for sure, (1) all fans left happy tonight and (2) Run The Jewels gave their all for Madison’s sold-out crowd.

Check out our photos from tonight’s performance below, and be sure to catch one of the remaining dates on the Run The Jewels: Run The World Tour.

Continue reading Photos: Run The Jewels Run Madison, WI for a Sold-Out Show at The Orpheum →

Our 10 Favorite Concert Tours of 2016

BY TER STAFF

Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration
Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

Less than a month removed from 2016, we have compiled our list of our favorite concert tours from the past year, before we drop our list of our “Most Anticipated Tours of 2017”. And from huge grossing tours like Beyonce’s Formation Tour, Drake & Future’s record breaking Summer Sixteen Tour and of course Kanye’s Saint Pablo Tour, to some of the more (but equally entertaining) B-side tours, 2016 was a great year for live music.

Hit the jump and check out our list of our 10 Favorite Concert Tours of 2016!

GET STARTED

Photos: WGCI’s Big Jam Brings Chris Brown, Young Thug, Lil Yatchy & More to Chicago

BY TER STAFF

Photo by Jesus Montero/The Early Registration
Photo by Jesus Montero/The Early Registration

WGCI’s Big Jam returned this year to the United Center with featured performances of the biggest names in business. The sold out show continued.

Chicago natives came in strive with performances from G-Herbo, Lil Bibby, and Dreezy. The Chicago fans came to represent with an early crowd to support the local talent. G-Herbo and Lil Bibby joined forces sharing the stage starting off Big Jam. Dreezy wasted no time showing love to the hometown crowd. The only female artist on the lineup made sure she dominated her performance.

The strict time schedule was a definite mood killer with sets being cut short, but with so many big names on just one lineup, what else can you do? Without proper goodbyes from the artist though, it created some confusing moments in the energy filled night.

Fan favorite Lil Yatchy added his personal flare to the star-studded event. Hit records like “Night”, “Minnesota”, and “Broccoli” had the sold out crowd wanting more.

Definitely one of the most talked about performance of the evening came from Desiigner. Desiigner from start to finish left Big Jam fans in awe. His adrenaline filled set was a spectacle, you couldn’t look away.

A true crowd pleasure, a.k.a. Mr. Steal Your Girl, Trey Songz had the sold out crowd in a complete frenzy. The roaring was matched with Songz’ charismatic performance. With some speculation to whether or not Songz was going to perform due to an onstage breakdown of stage equipment last week. Songz didn’t disappoint the United Center with his stellar performance.

Co-heading Big Jam was R&B juggernaut Chris Brown. Brown a true showman used every inch of the platform to dance every single of his signature hits. Brown led the United Center in the ultimate dance party. Without skipping a beat Brown didn’t stop giving one second of a showstopper performance.

Young Thug ended the night with some of his crowd favorites. Young Thug’s performance was unfortunately cut short due to his allotted set time. Regardless of the awkward transitions and premature ending sets Big Jam was one big Chicago house party. There wasn’t a better way to close off 2016 then seeing some of the best is hip-hop and R&B.

Check out photos from last night’s Big Jam below!

Continue reading Photos: WGCI’s Big Jam Brings Chris Brown, Young Thug, Lil Yatchy & More to Chicago →