By | Aniyah Davies
Brent Faiyaz is one of the most influential, fast-growing, and fresh voices of our generation with four studio albums, two EPs, and his participation in his band Sonder. His music exudes a sense of calmness and comfort as he discusses the trials and tribulations of dating today, his rockstar, unapologetic lifestyle, and what he wants from this life. However, one thing that sets him apart from other R&B singers in his fold is his fan base. Faiyaz has a cult following that seems underground, but in reality, wears their love for him with pride and support that came from his 2017 song with Gold Link, “Crew” featuring Shy Glizzy. Along with their love for his past music, they have a love for his latest album, Wasteland, which discusses Faiyaz’s journey as a newfound celebrity and the way he navigates fame. The album was a raging success and following the publicity and outcry of the album, came the announcement of the “F**k The World Tour” which is named after his first studio album and last tour, which was cut short due to COVID. The tour dates were limited because Faiyaz has remained an independent artist his entire career and wants to continue to move through the music industry that way. But, even though the dates were limited and the tickets sold fast, I managed to get a ticket to his first tour date in Chicago, IL.
The concert took place on Thursday, July 27th, 2023 at The Salt Shed in Chicago. The Salt Shed used to be a factory but got converted into an outdoor and indoor venue space where artists, comedic acts, bands, etc. can come to perform their craft. Faiyaz had his concert in the indoor section where he sold his merchandise (which was very detailed with items from shirts to tote bags to matchbooks to condoms) and had a bar and a stage. People got to the concert early so they could get a good place to stand. However, the earlier you got there, the longer you had to wait. Everyone anticipated Faiyaz hitting the stage at 8:00, but unexpectedly we were greeted by Faiyaz’s opener Tommy Richman. Tommy Richman was a pleasant surprise because the announcement of the tour had no mention of him, along with that Tommy provided this nostalgic R&B that was needed with samples from nursery rhymes and lyrics that showed the value of a love that is romantic and true. He sang some of his popular songs and then transitioned to his new music, which left the crowd speechless. Once he exited the stage, all Chicago viewers noticed Brent Faiyaz smoking a blunt in the top right balcony cast above that stage. Everyone cheered Brent’s name and all he gave was a sly grin that let us know he was taking his time tonight.
Around 9:00, we all thought that Faiyaz would be coming out and we thought wrong because we continued to wait. During that time fans smoked, listened to R&B music, and just vibed. However, medics were on standby because some people were passing out due to alcohol intake and heat in the space. At 9:30, we heard the fanfare of Faiyaz’s opening song, Villain’s Theme. The crowd roared and I looked at my best friend super excited to see the man that aided our friendship with his music. He came out and everyone screamed with excitement. He traveled around the stage for everyone to get a good view of him. Girls were crying, guys were screaming, and I was staring in awe. Brent continued with his set playing nostalgic music that came from his previous projects, but mostly music from his latest album.
Brent Faiyaz “F**K The World Tour” 2023 Setlist
Villian’s Theme
Loose Change
Clouded
Been Away
What You Heard (Mashup)
F**K The World
Heal Your Heart
All Mine
Gravity
Jackie Brown
Price of Fame
Rolling Stone
Rehab
Bad Luck
Poison
Role Model
Trust
Fell in Love
Lost Souls
Dead Man Walking
Wasting Time
Now, let’s get into my honest review of the concert. I paid $300 for two tickets. The concert was exactly 1 hour. He came on at 9:30 and was off the stage at 10:30. In my opinion, the concert was good, but it wasn’t worth the amount that many people paid to see him. Some people were paying $600 for one ticket, imagining paying that much for a ticket or even paying for multiple and only seeing him for one hour. I also feel like because his last concert was cut short many people have been anticipating seeing him for 5+ years, he should have played more music from his older projects to create a more nostalgic feeling and pay homage to his original fans.
Overall, I genuinely feel like it was a good experience, it meant the world seeing him live, and hearing my favorite songs. I loved the vibe that was created with other fans and I hope that his other concerts have bigger venues and have a setlist that encapsulates everything that we’ve missed from him in the past.
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