Advertisement
The Student Newspaper of DePaul University

The DePaulia

The Student Newspaper of DePaul University

The DePaulia

The Student Newspaper of DePaul University

The DePaulia

Enter the Void tour hits the House of Blues

[slideshow_deploy id=’8206′]

Chill vibes, warm sounds and psychedelic visuals were all in effect as the Enter The Void Tour made its stop in Chicago this weekend. Headlined by R&B singer-songwriter Jhené Aiko, the lineup featured other new wave soul artists SZA and The Internet, an Odd Future-affiliated band.

From twenty-somethings donning their best dresses and heels to younger teenagers with hoodies and backpacks, the crowd proved to be one of the most diverse for the sold-out show.

Luckily, the frantic fans did not have to wait long for the soulful adventure to begin. Syd The Kid, The Internet’s lead singer, slowly shuffled her way to center stage and immediately removed her shoes to get more comfortable. Though she was able to maintain the crowd’s attention for the first few minutes of their performance, the band’s music ultimately fell to the background as chatter from the crowd began to overpower her vocals. Faces in the audience either looked at one another in confusion or titled down to look at their phone screens. For a brief moment, the crowd engaged in a call and response with Syd The Kid as she chanted “Smoke Weed!” during the end of their set. A dull applause followed, and a sense of anxiousness could be felt for the next act to come out.

Belting vocals to “Ur”, the opening track on her EP “Z”, SZA casually walked on stage with a cup of liquor in her hand, proving that she was here to have a good time. Despite the down-tempo, jazz songs released on “Z,” SZA turned up the energy during songs like “HiiiJack”, a Toro Y Moi produced track, and “Child’s Play”, a woozy record featuring an XXYYXX sample and a rap verse from Chicago’s own Chance The Rapper.  SZA never lost control of the crowd as their eyes followed her rapid slides across the stage and intense hair flips. Closing her set with the bass-heavy, trippy track “Babylon,” SZA kept the crowd on their toes with their hands reaching out towards her as she made her exit.

With all the opening acts complete, a lull fell over the audience as some shifted stances from standing to sitting in the nearest open corner. After about twenty minutes of waiting, the lights dimmed and the curtains lifted to show a small Aiko sitting cross-legged in the middle of the stage. The applause that followed was deafening, as Aiko flashed a charming smile that triggered several shrieks from enthusiastic fans. Wearing a silver silky floral robe over a black top in conjunction with an equally silky skirt, Aiko’s aesthetic proved appropriate as it allowed her to gracefully twist her body in sync with the music. Crowd favorites included “The Worst” and “Bed Peace,” which featured a verse from former FEST headliner Childish Gambino. As Aiko closed her set, she left more to be desired from the comfort of fans’ own homes.

More to Discover