By: Gavin Clark –
Future. (Photo: Gavin Clark/Aesthetic Magazine Toronto)
Atlanta-based rapper Future invaded Toronto’s Sound Academy on July 11th with his “I’m Just Being Honest” tour in support of his sophomore album Honest. With a catalogue that consists of some of hip-hop’s biggest bangers and a reputation for high-energy performances, there was a strong expectation to be met.
The opening act, Rico Love, played a soulfully smooth R&B set to start the night out. Love has spent a large part of his career writing and producing hit songs for artists like Usher and French Montana, but got a good reaction with his own tracks “Bitches Be Like” and “They Don’t Know”. Despite the love shown to Rico, there was no mistaking that the crowd was here for Future
This was a hip-hop crowd. They sang along to the DJ’s set of Lil’ Wayne and Kanye West songs, a girl fight broke out, and there was a thick cloud of smoke in the air that wasn’t coming from the fog machines.
From the time Future opening his with his first track, the objective of the concert was plain and simple: sell copies of Honest. Of course every artist on tour is looking to make new fans and sell albums, but Future came across more like a young rapper who might be hustling CD’s from his trunk after the show.
Future’s stage presence was a bit lacking. Much of his crowd interaction was lazy and you could tell he was a man on the home stretch of a long tour. When mumbling about “his number one fan being in the building” and how “this is the best crowd on the tour” it was obvious he had done the same thing the night before, and the one before that, just filling in the blanks with appropriate city names.
The vigor from Future’s albums may not have translated as strongly to his live performance but his hit songs were more than enough to win the crowd over. “Itchin” and “Karate Chop” had the entire building moving; while “Turn on the lights” made the ladies in the audience scream and sing along. When his 2012 smash hit “Same Damn Time” dropped, the venue turned into a dancing riot.
Perhaps the most interesting takeaway from the night was how strongly the audience reacted for some of Future’s material off the new album. Songs like “Covered ‘n Money”, “Tapout” and “Move that Dope” had the young partygoers turning up just as hard as the classics. Overall the set lasted about 50 minutes, leaving some of Future’s more dedicated fans complaining about its length. But, less is more in this case, as Future covered the essentials in that time.
Overall the 44th stop on the “I’m Just Being Honest” tour made a successful stop in Toronto. The fanatical crowd made up for any lack of energy on Future’s part, they were the best part of the show.
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Future
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Rico Love
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