Rapper G-Eazy brought his Endless Summer Tour to Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre on August 12th and played for a near-capacity crowd of 19,000 fans. With him, he brought along a stacked line-up of some of the biggest names in hip hop, including P-Lo, Murda Beatz, YBN Nahmir, Ty Dolla $ign, and Lil Uzi Vert.
Ty Dolla $ign plays the Endless Summer Tour. Photo © Alyssa Bardol
Infectious energy from Ty Dolla $ign filled the amphitheatre at 7:30 PM and ushered in a night of good fun for the droves of fans in attendance. He played hits like “Or Nah,” “Swalla,” “Wavy,” and “Pineapple.” His demeanor is not one that’s seen in the hip-hop world all that often, as he was all smiles and often engaged with fans throughout the venue, including tossing water over those in the swelteringly hot pit.
After Ty Dolla $ign took the stage, the crowd was at an energy surge in anticipation for Lil Uzi Vert who took the stage shortly thereafter. His set, 45 minutes long full of radio hits like “XO TOUR LliF3” and “Money Longer,” made good use of the already-built energy. However, his stage presence was a bit more withdrawn from the crowd than usual.
Lil Uzi Vert is known for crowd surfing, crowd walking, and even standing in the middle of the audience to perform. In St. Louis, he seemed to play it safe, leaving fans questioning why.
Lil Uzi Vert plays the Endless Summer Tour. Photo © Alyssa Bardol
G-Eazy’s last St. Louis stop was on the same stage in 2016 when he co-headlined with fellow rapper Logic. What a difference two years can make in terms of success: G-Eazy has been on a steady up and up since his last show on the same stage two years ago, with hits like “No Limit,” “Him and I,” and his latest full-length studio release titled The Beautiful and Damned.
G-Eazy headlines his Endless Summer Tour. Photo © Alyssa Bardol
The tour is nothing shy of a testament to this rising success. The Bay Area native kicks off his set with three tracks from his newest release, “Pray For Me,” “Legend,” and “The Plan.” But his set wasn’t all about new music, as later in his set, he gave nods to all of his past albums all the way back to 2012.
With an eclectic 23-song setlist, the rapper was onstage for over an hour and a half and kept the fans singing along until 11 PM when he ended his set with his current smash hit titled “No Limit,” which features Cardi B and A$AP Rocky.
G-Eazy headlines his Endless Summer Tour. Photo © Alyssa Bardol
After endearingly mentioning his first stop in St. Louis in 2011 when he opened for Big K.R.I.T. at The Gramophone, G-Eazy made his appreciation and love for his St. Louis fans apparent by making remarks about how wild our crowds always are and replacing city names in several songs with St. Louis.
G-Eazy headlines his Endless Summer Tour. Photo © Alyssa Bardol
Although his music’s energy was infectious, the massive (and obviously very expensive) production stole the show even from his multiplatinum mega-hits. Some highlights include massive LED screens draped all angles of the stage that flash well-thought-out graphics on them to compliment each song on the setlist and a 1969 Mustang ending up center-stage during the rapper’s set.
In comparison to other hip-hop summer tours from artists like Logic and Post Malone, G-Eazy’s stage production was over-the-top and a refreshing addition to his set.
All in all, the proclaimed “James Dean of rap” G-Eazy is a master of his craft. Compared to similar artists, there is just something about him that sets him apart that can’t be experienced without seeing his live show. Whether it’s the dedicated fans, the obvious appreciation for his success, or his mysterious and dark aura, there’s just no one like G-Eazy.
G-Eazy headlines his Endless Summer Tour. Photo © Alyssa Bardol
Photos © Alyssa Bardol/Alyssa Bardol Photography
