Jack Harlow, You’re Doing Amazing Sweetie! But Maybe a Longer Set Next Time
What’s Jack Harlow’s “Lil Secret” (IYKYK) for success? Strike doesn’t have the answer to the question everyone’s dying to know. Still, we have an inside scoop from the concert he held at FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park while on his “Come Home The Kids Miss You” Tour. Keep reading to know the ins and outs of his performance from last Friday.
Harlow had two opening acts on tour with him this time: The Homies and City Girls. Now, if I’m being completely honest, I didn’t get to the venue in time to see The Homies. Traffic and Miami are not a good mix. I was lucky enough to see City Girls for at least 40 minutes of their set, and it was nothing short of iconic. The amount of ass being shaken on that stage had to have broken some type of world record.
Right before Young Harlow was going to come on, a screen showed him in a white tank top driving a car. Listen, they knew what they were doing, showing that video right before the rapper came on stage. It’s called edging, and I am all for it. Harlow kicks off the night behind a white curtain where only his shadow is visible, and you can hear him rapping along to “Talk Of The Town.” This song is from his recent album, “Come Home The Kids Miss You.” Not my favorite from the album, but I can admit the track did its thing. He performed it so well that I’m actually more fond of it after seeing it live. As the white curtain drops, we see the Kentucky-born rapper sporting baggy denim jeans, a graphic tee, and a black leather jacket. The track “Dua Lipa” starts playing, and the crowd goes wild. The rapper dropped a snippet of this track a few days before the album’s release on his Instagram, but the video has since been deleted.
As the night progressed, the 24-year-old rapper performed oldies like “Sundown” from his mixtape “Loose,” released in 2018. The bar, “New Balance on me while I’m searching for sun,” hits different, knowing that he's been writing about the brand for years and now, has paid partnerships with them. It’s a known fact that Harlow has been vocal about his love and appreciation towards the shoe brand ever since he started his career. “Warsaw,” “Thru The Night,” and “Ghost” follow through by being more oldies that I was very happy he decided to perform. One thing about Jack, he’s gonna perform his favorite deep cuts from the mixtapes only OG fans know about. I don’t consider myself an OG fan because I’ve only been a fan for a little over a year now. Still, I’ve taken the time to dive deep and do my due diligence when it comes to his discography.
Harlow then transitioned back over to the songs from his most recent album, “CHTKMY,” all while changing the stage set up. Remember that video I mentioned that was shown at the beginning of the concert? Well, it was brought back to hold the crowd over while the crew was arranging the new setup for the stage. Hey, we got to see him in that white tank top again. A win is a win; I don’t care what y’all say! As the rapper returned to the stage, there were a few new components to the act. First off, a garage-type setup was added. There was also a basketball hoop, which later on was used to interact with the crowd. Harlow called a couple of fans up onstage to shoot hoops in exchange for concert tickets. There was also a live band. Yes! If you know me, you know that my absolute favorite type of concert is any performer that is a part of a band or performs with one. From having just a DJ with some turntables to an actual live band, it really upgraded the sound of the setlist. “Churchill Downs,” “Nail Tech,” and my personal favorite from the new album, “Like A Blade of Grass,” all came up next after the new stage was set up.
One thing I did realize early on during the concert was how, unfortunately short, the rapper was trimming down the songs. However, I don’t blame the artist for this. It could be a venue situation regarding how much time they gave him or a scheduling issue. In reality, there is no concrete answer as to why the songs were cut short. It was a bummer, though, because the setlist was so good. It was just a letdown when Harlow was in the middle of the song and had to cut it off.
Being the artist that Harlow is, you gotta finish off strong. “Already Best Friends,” “Industry Baby” (Harlow only sings his verse), “What’s Poppin,” and “First Class'' are classic endings to an amazing setlist.
This being my second time seeing the Kentucky-born rapper, I can say he has improved tremendously with his stage presence and vocals. Harlow has been training his voice, and it’s noticeable. Also, tall white mans got moves? Who knew? Harlow was busting subtle dance moves all night. Here are my Ins & Outs of the night:
In:
Basketball Hoop On-Stage
Live band
Jack Harlow dancing
Out:
Shortening songs
Having a hose to get people wet
Bringing people on stage that aren’t me
Strike Out,
Maria Paula Gonzales
Boca Raton
Maria Paula Gonzales is a Content Writer for Strike Magazine Boca. When she’s not writing her way through life, she enjoys thrifting, looking for concerts to attend, and spending as much time in nature as possible. You can reach her at mariapaulag97@gmail.com
