LIVE REVIEW: Juice WRLD put our hearts in a bag
Juice WRLD stopped over in Perth last night on his first leg of his Death Race for Love Australian tour. Walking into Metros we had no expectations - and boy were we blown away.
Upon arriving at 8pm, we were surprised to see the dance floor was nearly filled and the vibes were absolutely pumping. Melbourne’s Lil Jaye held the stage down, getting the crowd moving with the help of his DJ. He was honestly one of the best first support act I've ever seen. It was chill start, but the perfect opener to the night.
Coming out next was Sydney's own Kid Laroi. He had hands down the best stage presence I have ever seen from someone of such a young age. Having debuted his first EP at the ripe age of 14, the now 17-year-old was owning his turf.
Throwing water in the crowd, running and jumping along the stage and even calling for a wall of death, Laroi made sure that everyone was feeling as hyped as he was, and it certainly rubbed off. Although most people were shocked by his youthfulness, he performed better than most people I've seen twice his age and he should get the recognition he deserves. Running through his songs and even playing Lil Tecca’s ‘Out of Luck’, Kid Laroi’s confidence and presence left the crowd’s anticipation of Juice Wrld at an even greater high.
Juice WRLD's DJ Mike P got us hyped, ending with us singing along to Kanye's ‘Ghost Town’ as a retro, mad-max introductory visual emerged. Juice World began with "On My Mind", riding on the high momentum already set up by the previous two acts. This was followed by his collab with Future ‘Fine China’ - the crowd already going crazy.
As you would expect, the vibe in the middle of the set changed as Juice began to play his more melancholic songs, including, ironically enough, his rendition of the late XXXTentacion’s ‘SAD!’. He also played through ‘Empty’ and ‘Lean Wit Me’ with the audience hearing the true emotion he had originally put behind his lyricism.
Juice WRLD had his whole band on stage with him, including a drummer, guitarist, and pianist, but they played together so well you could hardly differentiate from the song’s original trap beats. It was wholesome to watch his entire crew follow him around, and Juice even brought his girl out at multiple times to serenade her and show her off to the crowd.
Following a tribute to the recently fallen rappers (Nipsey Hussle, XXXTentaction and Mac Miller to name a few), Juice ensured that we end the night on a wild note. Bringing out Ski Mask The Slump God’s ‘Take a Step Back and ‘Nuketown’ immediately took the energy to the next level, as well opening a mosh half the size of the dance floor in an already packed venue.
The crowd loved every minute of the night, and all the artists performed way above their expectations. The accompanying visuals, enthusiastic artists and the keen crowd created a crazy atmosphere and an unforgettable night.