Sunday night (27 September) witnessed Wiz Khalifa make his return to Australian shores at a packed Eatons Hill Hotel.
A late venue change from the originally advertised Riverstage show made me curious as to the ticket sales; but walking into the packed, all-ages gig, late on Sunday night made it clear the stoner rapper still has a steady, Australian following.
Wiz’s is all about partying and smoking, more smoking and smoking a lot. He even starred in a stoner film with fellow advocate and his proclaimed mentor Snoop Dogg. This style was clearly part of his appeal as the masses on the floor and the bursting balcony roared and sang ‘Mary Jane’ with him through the haze.
Wiz jumped around on stage, in front of his band and a large backdrop of what appeared to be newspaper clippings with a his mugshot reading: ‘Wiz Khalifa Arrested For Smoking Weed At The Airport'. This was the vibe for most of the night. Fans were happy, cheering and dancing with hands and phones raised. Girls were screaming and almost falling off the balcony as Wiz jumped up on the side-stage boxes to get closer to them. And you can imagine the roar when he took his shirt off to reveal his signature look – red eyes and tattoos.
Fans praised him as he sprayed water from his mouth into the mosh. While many rap shows usually have their headliner’s popping bottles, Wiz was happy to hydrate (and no doubt quench his pasties) with spring water; he even kept telling his fans to drink water.
The crowd clapped as the delicate beat of ‘On My Level’ started. This song gave everyone a chance to appreciate the talent of the night's drummer. Wiz’s vocals were crisp and clear through the entire night and mostly sat above the music. His accentuated flow sounded just like his radio hits.
To say farewell to his massive welcome party, he got everyone to slow down and sing his Paul Walker tribute ‘See You Again’. He was greeted by a sea of light from everyone’s phones, who raised them in the air to create a similar effect as raised lighters.
Click here for photos from the show.
