by Mateo Peralta
Ken Carson was back in town earlier this month on his “Chaos Tour”, and the show did not let down. Once again, this show took place at one of my favorite venues, The Fillmore, in downtown Minneapolis. Ken Carson was last in Minnesota in 2022, for “THE X MAN TOUR”, but that was at an even smaller venue in St. Paul, Amsterdam Bar & Hall. Anticipation has continued to grow for each tour as Ken Carson’s fanbase has grown exponentially over the last several years. The same can be said for Opium affiliate Destroy Lonely, as the two have stuck together and seen massive success since Destroy Lonely signed to Playboi Carti’s Opium Label a few years ago. The line for this show was the longest line I have seen at The Fillmore, which makes sense as this show sold out months before the tour date. Similar to the last few shows I have covered, I was fortunate to receive unique access to cover the show from the photo pit for the first three songs.
Although 2hollis had been opening for some of the tour, he was not present at the Minneapolis show, so there were no openers. Instead, a DJ took the duties of getting the crowd warmed up, and did just that by playing a mix of popular underground rap and similar artists. As the DJ wrapped up, I watched as the set was prepared. A large, metal stage with railings would be Ken Carson’s stomping grounds for the night. An elevated platform gave a better viewing experience for those towards the back half of the venue.
After a long wait came the most anticipated moment of the night: the entrance. A current phenomenon at rap shows is to give an extended intro to songs throughout the show to build hype and anticipation for the drop. Some examples of other artists who I have witnessed take part in this include Destroy Lonely and Playboi Carti, but many more are following suit. One of the benefits to doing this on your entrance song is that it ensures you have captivated your entire crowd’s attention ahead of your walk (or run) onto stage. It gives people in the crowd time to wrap up their conversation, move to a new place to view, and get their phones out. Anyways, the lights went out, strobes came on, and an extended intro for Hardcore started as Ken yelled “WTF?” repeatedly, one of his signature sounds at shows. Click here to watch an example and fully understand what I mean.
Overall, Ken focused on songs from his recent album, “A Great Chaos”, but didn’t forget to perform his classic crowd favorites, like Yale, Freestyle 2, and Rock N Roll. There is no doubt that many of the songs Ken records are made with a performance aspect in mind. In general, most of his songs are high-tempo, fast-paced, and have a thrilling beat behind the track. I find that the best environment to listen to his music is somewhere you can play it loud, like outside or in the car, or of course, live at shows. Ken closed the show with a song fans were certain he would perform, “Fighting My Demons”, which has amassed over 115 million streams on Spotify, making it the most streamed song on A Great Chaos, enough to qualify for a Lyrical Lemonade video produced by Cole Bennett.
As the show drew to a close, the energy in The Fillmore never faltered. From start to finish, Ken Carson kept the audience locked into his world of chaos. His performance showcased just how far he has come since not only his earlier stop here in Minnesota, but since I first saw him perform in 2021. He boasts an incredible stage presence and it leaves no question as to why he has garnered the loyal and passionate fanbase that he currently has. As always, The Fillmore played a significant role in amplifying the intensity of the night, offering a more intimate setting with accessible viewing for everyone. That being said, I think that Ken Carson could sell out an even bigger venue here, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him at The Armory next time he stops here on tour. Ultimately, the Chaos Tour is a testament to his rise in the rap scene, and if his trajectory continues on this path, we can only expect his next tour to be even bigger and bolder.
