On Jan. 22, 2024, Houston rapper Travis Scott performed at the United Center in Chicago as a part of his Circus Maximus Tour which began shortly after the release of his 2023 chart-topping album “Utopia.” I was fortunate enough to be able to secure tickets to this concert, and it was certainly an experience that I will never forget. From the large set pieces, to the earth-shaking vibrations, Travis Scott knows how to put on a show. However, what really made the concert was the energy and excitement from the fans, and, as a Travis Scott fan myself, I’ve decided to give a, mostly unbiased, review to help prospective concert-goers prepare for such a unique experience.
My group and I arrived at the concert, which was set to start at 8 p.m., at about 7 p.m. when the doors opened, and there were already a significant number of people there. If you are looking to get in any merchandise before the concert, I would definitely recommend getting there as early as possible, as the merch lines get extremely long, extremely fast, and you will likely be waiting in line till the concert starts if you are there late. There are also concessions available to buy, however due to it being a concert, expect the prices to be higher than usual. My friends and I mainly passed the time before the concert by taking pictures and finding our seats, which were located on the lower level, at the end of the stage, so we were able to get a fairly good view. The stage was an impressive sight, as it is built in a way that spans the entire floor, providing a 360° view of the artist, so no matter where you are sitting, you will be able to see them well. There is also a screen that will provide close up views of Travis Scott, albeit with some special effects added, so you won’t have to worry about missing out on anything. The stage resembled a mountainous terrain, likely modeled after the Circus Maximus venue in Rome, stemming from the theme of the tour, which helped contribute to the overall atmosphere and helped to immerse me in the experience.
The concert began at 8 p.m. with the opening acts which included Detroit rappers Babyface Ray, Skilla Baby, and Veeze. The openers did a great job warming up the crowd, particularly Skilla Baby, who’s stage presence and performance of “We are Young” by fun. and “Faneto” by Chief Keef brought ecstatic energy to the room. However, people were anxious to see the main event, evidenced by multiple chants of “We want Travis,” until at about 9:30 p.m., when Travis Scott entered the stage. His entrance began with a video, welcoming the crowd to Circus Maximus, after which he jumped out of the stage, launching immediately to the first song “HYAENA.” The crowd, at this point, was roaring and the addition of the pyrotechnics, light displays, and other special effects throughout the song and the rest of the concert, created a larger than life experience that blew me away. I could feel the flames coming out of the stage, the vibrations throughout my body, and the music in my ears, all adding to the fact that I felt like I was a part of the concert itself.
Audience participation was paramount to the experience of the concert, as it only created more hype and energy. At one point, during the performance of “I KNOW ?”, Travis Scott completely shut off all the music and the song progressed only through the voice of the audience. It was a beautiful thing to witness, especially since I was contributing, and I would highly recommend coming prepared to scream at the top of your lungs throughout the entire concert. Travis Scott also would get more energized the more the crowd participated, to the point he was running up and down the stage so everyone could get a good view of him. Travis would also occasionally select members of the audience, particularly those in the mosh pit, to get up on a giant floating head suspended by cables, that would take them into the air and circle them around the venue while he performed. While I was not one of the lucky few who were chosen, I have no doubt it was an incredible experience. The high point of the concert was when Travis Scott performed the song, “FE!N,” about 5 times consecutively, each time resulting in more and more energy and excitement from the crowd, so much so I was deafened, in a good way, by the noise. Have no fear though, Travis Scott took the safety of his fans into account and ensured breaks between the songs for people to take a breather by speaking to the crowd and getting to know them better.
Overall, the Travis Scott concert is a definite must see, as the sheer magnitude of the performance is enough to leave a memory that will last forever. In addition to the excellent concert experience I received, my group and I were seated around people our age, who shared our enthusiasm for Travis Scott, so we were able to make some new friends along the way. Despite the fact I lost my voice and a bit of money from the concessions, I had an exceptional time and it was worth every penny spent. So if you are wanting to attend a highly energized, larger-than-life, earth-shaking concert, then Travis Scott’s Circus Maximus is the right one for you.
