ine Feminine Tour
support from his fans since his mixtape days . Five years later , this was my second time seeing Mac Miller live , but it was my first time seeing him perform “ Best Day Ever ” ( which is one of my all-time favorite songs in his catalog ) and K . I . D . S . cut “ Nikes On My Feet .” I was astounded by the fact that I still knew the words , and I was so excited when I heard the beat start for the bonus version of “ Best Day Ever .” Those nostalgic performances rounded off the night perfectly for me , and I could have left The Tabernacle content after singing “ NO MATTER WHERE LIFE TAKES ME , FIND ME WITH A SMILE ! PURSUIT TO BE HAPPY , ONLY LAUGHING LIKE A CHILD ! I NEVER THOUGHT LIFE WOULD BE THIS SWEET ! IT GOT ME CHEESIN FROM CHEEK TO CHEEK AYE ! AND I AINT GET AWAY FROM NOTH- ING , CAUSE THAT JUST AIN ’ T MY STYLE ! LIFE COULDN ’ T GET BETTER , THIS GON ’ BE THE BEST DAY EVER !” And it was .
Mac progressed back to his most recent album by advancing through his discography , performing “ Red Dot Music ” from his sophomore album to “ Cut The Check ” from his third album , which was particularly hilarious and interactive for the audience . I ’ ve never enjoyed yelling “ CUT THE CHECK !” so much in my life . He finally made it back to possibly my favorite song off of The Divine Feminine , “ We .” Hands were in the air , the crowd was swinging , and the vibe was incredible . Every syllable was clear ; it sounded just like his recorded performance . If only Ceelo was there ! It was a performance that was engaging without being out of control or having any choreography ; the music was simply that compelling .
Then to completely counter that beautifully serene moment , he turned The Tabernacle all the way up with “ Loud .” That song , along with “ Frick Park Market ,” was once one of the only songs by Mac Miller that I even considered turnt , so witness him perform it in 2012 with a band at the Lakewood Amphitheater and now in 2016 with just his mic in a more intimate setting , I knew it was about to go down . Pure pandemonium was the result . I think Mac knew he was tip-toeing on thin ice by traveling between different sounds and vibes so suddenly , but I think that it was necessary to truly electrify the audience and get them ready for the finale : “ God Is Fair , Sexy Nasty .”
The Tabernacle jumped when the beat dropped . The concert closer also closed his latest album , and it is a song to pay close attention to just like “ We ,” but it has an incredible beat that is way more lit . We were at the middle ground between “ We ” and “ Loud ,” and it was perfectly set up . As the second verse developed and built up to the chorus , the crowd gave Mac the feedback that he deserved . As he signed off and exited the stage , applause reigned over The Tabernacle for what felt like an eternity . The lights had come back on and the music had stopped , but no one in attendance budged . I had never actually been to a show where an encore was demanded until that night .
“ ENCORE ! ENCORE ! ENCORE ! ENCORE ! ENCORE !” started resounding through the venue .
“ ENCORE ! ENCORE ! ENCORE ! ENCORE ! ENCORE !” continued , so I said screw it and joined in , hoping that maybe we ’ d get one more song .
“ ENCORE ! ENCORE ! ENCORE ! ENCORE ! ENCORE !” persisted and the lights dimmed .
This was officially a lit ass night . His DJ ran back on stage with his laptop and got hooked up , and Mac followed him , gracious of the crowd ’ s love . The instrumental to “ Rush Hour ” filled the venue , and everyone knew that things were about to get even more lit .
“ I GIVE A F-CK LESS AND LESS EVERY DAY !” he began , choosing the perfect song for his encore . As the song winded down , I was glad that he came out for another song and was about to get ready to go , but Mac wasn ’ t done yet . He talked to Clockwork to decide on what to play next , and he continued with “ My Favorite Part ,” which was awkwardly absent from the original set . I ’ m glad that he chose to play it for the encore because it couldn ’ t have truly been The Divine Feminine Tour without it . It was another bonus that I was really grateful for , and it showed Mac Miller ’ s showmanship was unparalleled to any other rapper and actually rivaling Drake ’ s . After “ My Favorite Part ” concluded , he told us that he had one more song for us , and he started the music . “ When In Rome ” was our second finale , and I was all for it . “ I ’ M AT THE TOP OF MY GAME !” proclaimed the Pittsburgh MC , and I couldn ’ t argue with his statement at all . Not as the song came to an end , not as I listened to his music for the next couple of months , and not as I wrote this article . Mac Miller is definitely still at the top of his game , delivering great music and memories for music lovers period . The Divine Feminine Tour was a treat that will last forever in my soul , and it was one of the best times I had all 2016 .
RJ