A Beautiful Night at Stir Cove
Outside of Harrah’s Hotel and Casino sits Stir Cove, a venue I would describe as a mini amphitheater. It has the feel of an outdoor concert venue without being quite as massive as some of the larger amphitheaters around the country. The layout gives concertgoers several different ways to experience a show, from grassy areas where guests can sit in their chairs to standing room only areas closer to the stage where chairs aren’t allowed. There’re also multiple upper level areas that provide a different perspective of the performance for those who want to get away from the main crowd.
For my first experience at Stir Cove, I couldn’t have asked for much better circumstances.
The weather throughout the week had been rainy and full of cloud cover, so I was a little nervous it would ruin the evening, but I am so thankful that God provided such a beautiful evening for an outdoor concert. The skies cleared, the temperature was comfortable, and as the sun began setting behind the venue’s tall gates, the anticipation throughout the crowd continued to build.
Those gates serve a practical purpose, keeping people outside the venue from simply watching the concert for free, but as the sun disappeared behind them, they also created a pretty cool backdrop for the evening. Everyone inside knew why they were there.
We were waiting for Chance the Rapper. And we were celebrating a decade of Coloring Book.
La Reezy Brings the Energy
Before that anticipation could finally be satisfied, however, we had the opening act.
Twenty two year old Louisiana rapper La Reezy took the stage alongside his DJ and keyboardist, Claydough. From the moment he walked out, it was clear that this wasn’t going to be an opening set where the artist simply stood behind a microphone and worked through a handful of songs.
This kid had energy. And not the kind of energy that felt forced.
La Reezy was all over the stage, moving around naturally and interacting with the audience throughout the performance. He brought an enthusiasm that quickly began spreading into the crowd, and what surprised me most was just how willing the audience was to participate.
Opening acts can sometimes have a difficult job. People paid to see the headliner, and depending on the artist, getting a crowd to participate can feel like pulling teeth.
That wasn’t the case here.
La Reezy repeatedly called on the audience to participate, and the crowd responded in kind. The energy became contagious, giving the opening portion of the night much more life than I was expecting.
But there was more to La Reezy’s set than simply getting the crowd moving.
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Finding His Identity Through Music
One of the more meaningful parts of his performance was hearing him talk about his upbringing and his journey toward becoming a rapper.
He talked about first getting into rap when he was just fourteen years old, writing and recording in his home closet. But as he began pursuing the craft, he found himself wrestling with an identity crisis.
There was an expectation, at least in his mind, that being a rapper meant fitting into a particular mold. Much of the lyrical content he’d heard from other artists seemed to reinforce the idea that you had to be a gangster to be a legitimate rapper.
But his father reminded him of something much simpler. He just needed to be himself and that message clearly stuck with him.
Now, years later, he was standing on a stage opening for Chance the Rapper, something he expressed genuine gratitude for throughout the evening.
That authenticity came across in the performance. La Reezy wasn’t trying to be someone else. His style, antics and genuine passion for what he does made for a fun opening set, and if this performance was any indication, I hope there are plenty more opportunities ahead for him.
For an opening act, he certainly left an impression.
Peter CottonTale Keeps the Crowd Moving
Before we got to the main event, there was still a little more waiting to do.
Chance’s DJ, Peter CottonTale, stepped onto the stage and helped keep the crowd entertained during the intermission.
As someone who’s primarily listening to metal these days, I found myself enjoying this part of the night more than I expected. CottonTale played several songs that I’d not heard in years, taking me back to a time when I was much more into this style of club music.
It was almost nostalgic.
The crowd remained engaged, and CottonTale did exactly what the crowd needed. Instead of allowing the energy to disappear while everyone waited for the headliner, he kept things moving and gave everyone another reason to stay locked into the night.
Then came the question everyone had been waiting for.
“Who’s ready for Chance the Rapper?”
And the lights went out.
Chance the Rapper Takes the Stage
The photo pit was incredibly close to the stage, which immediately made me excited from a photography perspective.
Then the steam cannons went off.
This was actually my first time photographing a show where steam cannons were used during the opening of the set, while pit access was granted and I got absolutely covered in the residue.
Was it worth it?
Absolutely.
As a concert photographer, I love when artists incorporate production elements into their opening moments. We typically only get a limited amount of time in the photo pit, so anything that adds another visual element can make a huge difference.
The steam created some great opportunities as Chance launched into the performance.
There was just one problem.
Eventually, the steam started running out of steam.
As the night progressed, the bursts became smaller and smaller, until they were nowhere near as dramatic as they were at the beginning.
Thankfully, the show had plenty of other things going for it.
The video boards, lighting, Chance’s stage presence and the crowd itself provided more than enough visual and musical energy to keep the performance moving.
The Musical Range of Chance the Rapper
The first thing that stood out to me about Chance was the range of his music.
He can move from fast paced rap into melodic singalongs and then completely change the atmosphere again without it feeling out of place. There’s a musical unpredictability to his set that keeps you wondering what’s coming next.
And for a concert celebrating the 10th anniversary of Coloring Book, there was certainly no shortage of recognizable moments.
One of the biggest came when “No Problem” started. The crowd immediately knew what was happening and judging by the volume, they knew every word and Chance noticed.
Right at the start, he turned toward CottonTale and appeared to signal for him to cut the music. Eventually, CottonTale caught on and the speakers went silent.
The crowd didn’t.
For roughly a minute, the audience continued singing the song together with no music behind them.
I can’t imagine what it must feel like as an artist to stand on stage and hear an entire crowd singing your song back to you in unison.
No backing track. No instrumental. Just the audience.
It was something to behold.
Put the Phones Down and Be Present
After letting the crowd have its moment, Chance restarted the song and made a comment that I don’t think you hear often enough at concerts.
He pointed out that everyone had probably just gotten their “money shot” video and encouraged the audience to put their phones down and actually be present for the song.
That immediately caught my attention.
I understand why people record concerts. I do it too, although my job gives me a pretty unique opportunity to capture moments from a perspective most fans never get. I have three songs in the photo pit to capture a performance up close, and I absolutely want to make the most of those three songs.
But there’s a difference between capturing a memory and spending an entire concert staring at it through a screen.
Watching the phones slowly lower one by one was a site to see. You’re no longer watching the concert through a six inch screen.
You’re actually there.
A Little Auto-Tune
Chance also brought out an auto tune microphone during the performance, adding another fun layer to the set.
Personally I was thankful it was used sparingly. It can be a bit much when the element is overdone.
He only used it for a couple of songs, which made the effect feel more like an intentional change in the performance rather than something that dominated the night.
It was another example of the range Chance brought to the stage.
There were plenty of moments built around traditional rap, but he wasn’t afraid to slow things down, experiment with his vocals and lean into the melodic side of his music.
“Link Me In The Future” Steals the Show
For me, the most memorable performance of the night came from one of Chance’s newer songs, “Link Me In The Future.”
I would almost describe it as a power ballad.
The lyrical content is incredibly strong, but what really elevated it for me was the way Chance performed it.
There was a noticeable level of passion behind the performance that made it feel like the song meant something to him personally.
That’s one of those things that can be difficult to manufacture on a stage.
You can have incredible production. You can have a massive audience. You can have years of experience.
But when an artist performs a song with genuine emotion behind it, you can feel the difference.
“Link Me In The Future” was one of those moments for me.
In fact, this may be one of the rare instances where I walked away thinking the live version was actually better than the studio recording.
A Trip Back to the Beginning With “Sunday Candy”
While the night was celebrating Coloring Book, Chance did not forget about the music that came before it.
He went all the way back to his days with Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiment for “Sunday Candy.”
For longtime fans, this was a great opportunity to revisit the roots of Chance’s career.
It also helped make the show feel like more than simply a 10th anniversary celebration of one album. It became a look back at the musical journey that brought Chance to where he is today.
For newer fans, it was a history lesson.
For longtime fans, it was nostalgia.
And for everyone else, it was another opportunity to sing along.
Afterglow
Overall, my first experience at Stir Cove was more than exceptional.
From La Reezy bringing an unexpected amount of energy to the opening set, to Peter CottonTale keeping the crowd moving during the transition, to Chance the Rapper delivering a performance filled with production, nostalgia and musical variety, the night had something for everyone.
And then there was the venue itself.
The combination of the outdoor atmosphere, grassy seating areas, standing room space and elevated viewing areas gave Stir Cove a personality that I really enjoyed. Add in a beautiful evening after what had been a rainy and cloudy week, and it was hard to ask for a better night.
There was something mesmerizing about watching the sun disappear behind the venue while thousands of people waited for Chance to take the stage.
And when he finally did, the night delivered.
If this is the kind of show that comes through Stir Cove during its concert season, I’m already looking forward to seeing what comes next year.
There’s only one show left before Stir Cove gets put away for the winter, but if my first experience is any indication, this certainly will not be my last trip here.
Chance the Rapper brought the celebration.
Stir Cove provided the setting.
And God provided one beautiful night to make it all happen.
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