Post Malone live in London: rap superstar proves why he’s a world beater
At the first of three nights at The O2, Posty proved a powerful and affable host
“How beautiful is it that we’re able to celebrate life together,” said Post Malone to a sold-out crowd at London’s O2 Arena last night, kicking off three sold-out dates at the cavernous venue.
The US star may be a global phenomenon who recently overtook Bruno Mars as the artist with the most diamond-certified songs, but it was his own humility that defined last night’s show. That, and a performance that showed why he’s capable of scoring such accolades.
For ninety minutes, he delivered a set seeped in feel-good energy, while running through the impressive highs of his career so far. ‘Reputation’ made for an arresting opener, while the woozy hip-hop of ‘Wrapped Around Your Finger’ reflected the mood of the night.
“I hope everyone is having a great night, because I’m having a f***ing blast,” he told the crowd, with similar platitudes arriving between every song. His connection with fans was palpable too, often stopping to high five the audience and greet his fans at every opportunity.
But for all the highs of his rap roots, the most interesting moments when he leaned into his heavier side – a juncture which could make for an interesting next chapter to his career. A highlight came in the metal-tinged and Ozzy Osbourne sampling ‘Take What You Want’, which saw him flanked by enough pyrotechnics to ignite a whole village, while ‘Rockstar’ saw him channeling that titular persona by smashing a guitar – before handing individual pieces to his fans.
Elsewhere, moments of dad-dancing showed his endearingly dorky sides, while a late performance of ‘Sunflowers’ saw rapper Swae Lee arriving on stage to dish out that exact thing to the fans who clearly adore him.
“Keep being yourself and live your truth,” he pleaded before closing with early hit ‘White Iverson’. He may be the heavily tattooed superstar with a penchant for hard living, but last night’s show proved he’s one hell of an everyman too. No wonder he’s one of the world’s best selling artists.