A very hot and humid mid-summer night in New York City welcomed Brooklyn native Jay-Z
and co-headliner Justin Timberlake, as they kicked off the New York leg of their Legends of Summer Tour. A night marked
by great set designs and fan-favorite song selection, set against the
backdrop of historic
Yankee Stadium. The show was a similar experience to The Watch The Throne Tour by Jay-Z and Kanye West in 2011 with both artists performing together and separately to
provide the crowd with a “Best of…” experience.
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Each superstar had plenty of room to go through their arsenal of chart-topping hits and crowd favorites. The Legends of Summer Tour was a much less pretentious and politically infused experience than Watch the Throne, which was fueled by hits such as No Church in the Wild… and Kanye’s volatile ego.
The evening did, however, finish on what some are calling an inconspicuous tribute to Trayvon Martin as both artists joined forces to perform Forever Young to closeout the night. This was a particularly memorable moment as the stadium lit up with cameras and phones, creating a ring of flashes and lit screens replacing the now outdated “lighters up” quintessential moment of every concert.
It was a fun, laid-back summer vibe as both Js performed the entire length of the 3-hour show with a grown and sexy, cool vibe only this pair could exude. For first timers, seeing Jay-Z or Justin, you could not have asked for a better set-list.
Their performances did not disappoint either and included guest appearances by Timbaland and Alicia Keys, who brought down the house when she joined Jay-Z on stage during the chorus of Empire State of Mind. Not to mention, all of this taking place in the house that Ruth built…sort of. A great experience, especially for those who missed Jay-Z and Eminem playing at the new Stadium in its inaugural year. Surprisingly, there was no sign of Beyonce on the first night of the New York leg.
This was an overall a great show, despite the astronomical cost of tickets. Floor seats were face valued at $298.50
concerts 