Jack Harlow | Creme de la Creme Tour
BY PARIS LEWIS
What’s poppin? Jack Harlow. You know of him even if you don’t know him. The Kentucky born, smooth talking, curly haired, 23-year old rising rap artist with viral hits playing on any mainstream music station? Yeah, that’s him. He brought some warmth to The Pageant in St. Louis, MO on Monday’s (Oct. 25) chilly night with his Crème De La Crème Tour. It was his first return back to the Lou after performing at one of the smaller local venues, The Firebird, in 2019.
It took about two hours to fill the sold out venue with entrance lines holding a hefty presence of college (and younger) aged fans that wrapped down the street and around the building. Some people loitered, some pre-gamed at the bar, but before you knew it, the floor and the balcony were filled with so many angsty fans that it made covid-19 look like it was a dream. As the waiting game for the big performance of the night ensued, there were hints of vintage jazz sounding vocals that filled the room. The choice of music fit so well with the French-inspired, Crème de la Crème café storefront set, fit with detailed menus on the sides as well as chairs, lampposts, a bench, and two working digital screens where windows would be placed. All sitting under red and yellow mood lighting.
As soon as the clock struck 9, Harlow’s DJ took the stage and sounded the first few beats, capturing everyone’s attention. She played a few songs to get everyone moving in preparation for Harlow, including Travis Scott’s “Anecdote,” Juice Wrld’s “Lean Wit Me,” and throwbacks “We Are Young” and “Hey Ya” from FUN and Outkast. It wasn’t too long before the lights went down, and the only thing illuminated onstage was the Crème de la Crème café’s digital screen “windows,” featuring the visual of an unknown woman’s mouth. She then gave the introduction with the words “monsieur, Jack Harlow.” Screens went dark, screams erupted, doorway illuminated, smoke machines activated. Jack Harlow emerged through the front door of the set to the sounds of his single “Tyler Herro” and the loudest crowd. The party had just begun.
“It’s the same tour, but I just had three weeks off, so it feels like the first night of the tour again,” Harlow said, as the cheering from his fans had him starstruck after the first song was over. It was really a sight to see because anyone could tell by the look on his face, how grateful he looked to be there in that moment. After thanking his audience for coming out to the show and braving the chilly weather, Harlow then moved into the smooth and sexual, yet energetic beats of his single, WARSAW. This was also the debut of a change in the lighting design of the show. The lights moved from pinks and blues to reds and oranges with the flickering of strobes to the beat of the song.
Harlow had brought out some older songs from his 2018 album, “Loose,” such as “Cody Banks,” “Pickyourphoneup,” and “Sylvia” for his day one fans. The crowd passed the “day one fan” test as most seamlessly rapped the lyrics back going as hard as they did before.
One of the bigger highlights of the night was when Harlow made a flawless transition from the stage to the area where the soundboard and first level met in the venue to perform in the crowd itself. He had said that he “wanted to feel the energy” before he went into “Face of my City” at his second stage. He also asked if “St. Louis wanted to perform the biggest song in the world right now,” referencing “Industry Baby” by Lil Nas X featuring Harlow himself. The room blew up once the recognizable beat started playing. Harlow looked so at home in the midst of his fans singing his lyrics with him. Once the anthem was over, Harlow made it back to the stage just as fast as he made it off to finish the last few songs.
“Crème” was the beginning of the end of the show, dedicated to the ladies in the audience, followed by “Way Out,” a single featuring rapper Big Sean. The final two tracks were the perfect ending to an energetic night. The suave collaboration featuring the vocals of Chris Brown, “Already Best Friends” was a hit. The night ended with “What’s Poppin,’” the 2020 released hit that went viral on tik tok, ultimately leading to an MTV music award nomination, as well as landing peak positions on music charts such as Billboard Hot 100. It was the song everyone was anticipating, and the crowd did not disappoint with the energy that was brought.
The biggest selling point of the night was seeing Harlow in his element all the while staying humble. He took multiple breaks to stop and thank his fans for coming out and being a part of his journey. The interaction with fans from each aspect of the venue was fun and proved he could really work a stage. He even took his videographer’s camera and showed off his sold out crowd to the screens at one point. Each separate ounce of engagement made the show even better. The night didn’t feel like a typical rehearsed performance for an audience, rather an artist performing and having fun with his friends. It was a night to remember for sure.