Post Malone @ The O2, 13.03.19

by Karen Chen

Karen Chen travelled to the gleaming steel and glass wharfs of the Docklands to catch none other than Mr Rockstar himself, Post Malone, in concert.

Esteemed readers, I have failed you, for I cannot confirm whether the rumours of a Post Malone Musk are true. Otherwise, my journey to the O2 on this mild March evening did not disappoint. Walking through the stadium and seeing a scary amount of tweens, as well as the fact Post wasn’t on stage even as 22:30 was approaching, made my initial impression of this gig daunting. But, once the lights dimmed we were all in for a ride – starting with some downs, and eventually onwards and upwards.

The set was slow-going, but once Post got to ‘Better Now’ (the fourth song of the night, showing how slow the going really was), the crowd went wild and the O2 lit up. Literally, via the light of mobile phones recording him. For me, the real turning point of the night was when ‘Candy Paint’ and ‘Psycho’ came on back to back – with well-timed lighting and, to really treat us, fireworks. As the bass thrummed, I felt the concert in my very core. And from there onwards emerged a more varied and stronger set – with less rap and more pop. ‘I Fall Apart’ brought out the crowd, their phones (again), and a nice sing-along. Then came ‘Stay’. Armed with just a guitar and his iconic, guttural voice, his departure from rap was probably where he shone the most, his unique voice was on show now and it was honestly a powerful performance. The NME reported that in that moment he felt closer to the crowd – and with his solitary figure sat by the edge of the stage, under the spotlight, eyes closed and feeling the music, you might even believe them.

Otherwise, high-energy and more hip-hop-oriented songs like ‘Paranoid’, ‘Go Flex’ and ‘White Iverson’ brought out that High Baller-Cool Rapper vibe, although whether these were convincing performances is debatable. The lack of guest artists at the show meant these performances didn’t feel all that complete, but Post certainly seemed more comfortable when he was singing rather than rapping. This is a common criticism against Post, that he’s mashing up so many genres and that he isn’t a True Rapper – but that’s not for me to decide nor talk about right now – what this concert showed me is that Post has a good sense of musicality, throws himself into performances, and has a very emotive voice, which transcends genre and he knows how to use.

Moving on to the end of the show – and they really do save the best ‘til last. ‘Go Flex’ gave way to ‘White Iverson’. ‘Sunflower’ was a wholesome interlude, but then the opening bars of ‘rockstar’ creeped in, accompanied with fire and some Big Bass. As the arena turned red and the smoke machine worked for its dear life, Post launched into both the song and across the jetty. I knew it, I thought, this is the end. Wavy video effects and haggard, perhaps laborious, movements made him seem like a proper Rockstar™, being messy and carefree – maybe even ‘cool’. Sadly, 21 Savage hadn’t yet been repatriated, but Post was a good sport and kept it going even through his verse. As the song neared its end, he brought out a guitar and did the old razzle dazzle – smashing it on the floor and curb-stomping it just for good measure.

What I didn’t expect was him launching into a soliloquy, right there, on stage, about how he was an underdog in the industry. He came from nothing (he claims), and y’know, good for him. I might even say I was inspired when he told us all to ‘do whatever the fuck you want’ – and it was glimpses of Post like these throughout the show that made it not just a concert but a show. He’s got a low-key sort of charm, and ‘fuck it’ attitude which I think his audience really resonates with, and the screams and cheers serve as good evidence. Finally, and this time it was the real deal, ‘Congratulations’ played to end the show on a high. Who was he congratulating? Perhaps himself, on an alright show.

An obvious note is that there were no guests, no Swae Lee or Ty Dolla $ign, and so songs like ‘Sunflower’ and ‘Psycho’ ended up a little lacklustre. Yet in the same vein, it meant the show was distinctively his. That is to say, when he sang emotionally charged songs like ‘I Fall Apart’ and ‘rockstar’, it was a very “Post Malone” experience – interpret that how you will. Half-shouting and half-singing, you could hear – maybe even feel – his vocal chords straining, and that raw emotion spilling out. Or at least, as raw and emotional as a voice can get when you’ve sipped on, what I presume to be, beer the entire evening and even bringing out a cheeky cigarette before ‘Up There’. He really put on that relaxed persona, maybe milked it a little, but I think that made the concert enjoyable – it was like a chillout with good ol’ ‘Posty’, just swaying along to some chill ones and then some not-so-chill ones.

One criticism I do have is for the crowd, whose recording – with flash(?!) – at the big hits was a little off-putting, but more so was their eerie stillness and lack of energy in the other songs, which did bring down the performance a little. Post tried, he really did, but these 16 year-olds weren’t having it. Let’s also not forget the Cringe of The Night, which goes to when Post asked if anyone smoked weed, and of course, to the disdain of the parents sitting next to them, you’ll bet the crowd went crazy and shouted ‘me!’ in the most convincing way possible! Absolute madness!

Regardless, Post himself was a delightful presence, his relaxed and laid-back demeanour in-between songs easily caught you off-guard after intense, high-energy tunes. The show’s effects, too, were understated, further adding to that relaxed disposition, but extremely effective nonetheless. Simplicity was the watchword. That night, Austin Post was but a small man in a massive arena – but the constant focus on him, on elevating him whether it be through training the camera on him at all times or accentuating his figure amongst the smoke… the show was a true celebration of Post Malone.