FROM THE FRONT ROW
// Jack Harlow // O2 Forum Kentish Town // First European Headline Show // 30-08-21 //
On Bank Holiday Monday, Jack Harlow took to the stage at the O2 Forum Kentish Town, for his first-ever headline show in Europe. Casually walking on stage sporting a red silk tracksuit and a wide smile to 2020 release, “Tyler Herro”, the 23-year-old immediately got the crowd going.
Fresh off the stage at his first European festival, where he performed to upwards of 10,000, the Louisville native stated “This is what I was hoping for. I did Reading and Leeds but I said tonight is gonna be the best one”, and for a sold-out show with 2,300 people who all seemed like hardcore fans in attendance, it was hard to disagree.
Performing 21 songs, many of them in part, felt like a huge group singalong, with concertgoers confidently keeping up with Harlow’s older releases, including “Sundown” and “Sylvia”, from the 2018 album, “Loose”. Feeding off the crowd’s energy and using his charm and charisma during frequent interactions provided a sense of intimacy inside the packed-out venue, where many desperately made their way to the front of the stage in hopes to catch the rapper’s attention.
A heavy setlist combined with a crazy light show and perfectly timed CO2 cannons only further added to the incredible energy from the performer, who smoothly rapped verses from recent hits “Industry Baby” and “Already Best Friends”. Jumping from track to track gave the audience no time to slow down and the stamina from the artist seemed effortless as he glided to each end of the venue.
Announcing he will be back soon and exiting the stage was an abrupt ending to the show, which lasted just 45 minutes and was followed swiftly on by the reappearance of an unnamed support act, who shouted over other artist’s songs and confused the audience, who stuck around in hopes of an encore from the headliner. Going from an insane performance of global smash. “What’s Poppin’” to a random guy jumping around on stage was an anticlimactic ending to an otherwise exceptional show.
We hope to see Jack Harlow back on stage in the capital city soon, hopefully for a longer set and without someone trying to steal his spotlight.