
An army of shirtless men will march to “Love Lockdown.” Snow will fall and melt in the LA heat during “Coldest Winter.” Gunshots will go off multiple times. Three giant staircases will rotate around the stage before us, and West will climb up, sit on, and jump off of them. A massive bulb hanging above the stage will pulse various shades of red and white. Kanye will be dressed in clothes better suited the city of Zion in The Matrix than a live performance. What we will witness will be a strange and bizarre theatrical spectacle of a 60-person orchestra, a live band, and roughly 40 dancers that will last just over an hour. It’s a Friday night and I’m here with 17,000 other people from all over the world to see West perform his 2008 record 808s & Heartbreak for the first time ever in full at the Hollywood Bowl. Kanye West will appear to be shot on stage later tonight, but for now all I can do is sweat.
