The world renowned rapper was able to put on a high octane performance. Eminem kicked off his set with the spitfire “Square Dance,” where the audience went nuts. He immediately broke into “Won’t Back Down” and “3 a.m.” He displayed a tremendous deal of energy on “WTP.” He incorporated “Kill You” as a singlong with the fans, which were reciting the lyrics verbatim.
“New York, we just came back from doing shows overseas and shit, and that was very cool, but I got to tell you I’m so fucking glad to be back,” he said, and segued into the politically-charged “White America.”
After “Mosh” and “Evil Deeds,” Eminem went on to treat his fans to “Rap God” from his The Marshall Mathers LP 2 album.
Eminem went on to ask his fans the following question, for which he expected an “honest answer”: “How many people in here tonight are fucked up?” and the crowd concurred with him. He took it back to old school Eminem with such classics as “My Name Is,” “The Way I Am” and “The Real Slim Shady” and he rocked the house with “Without Me.”
Skylar Grey showcased her crisp and pristine vocals on “Walk on Water.” She took on Dido’s vocal part in “Stan,” and the result was magical. Grey subsequently lent her gorgeous voice on “Love the Way You Lie,” which she co-wrote with Eminem, that was equally hypnotic. “New York make some fucking noise for Skylar Grey,” Eminem said, and he embraced and kissed the songstress, for a job well done.
The stage had a spooky backdrop of a haunted house during his performance of “The Monster.” He even sang “River” from his latest studio effort, Revival, sans Ed Sheeran, yet Sheeran’s presence was there with the help of modern technology (televised screen).
“Before we get out of here man, I just want to say that this last song is dedicated to anybody who has ever been through or struggled with addiction,” he said. “This song is for you!” He belted out an empowering version of “Not Afraid,” and no matter what anybody may think of Eminem, he owned this song! It gave everyone at Irving Plaza goosebumps, and rightfully so.
Just when one thought the night could not get any better, he proved everybody wrong with a bold and unflinching rendition of “Lose Yourself.”
The Verdict
Overall, Eminem gave a superb live performance that lit up Irving Plaza in New York City. The internationally recognized rapper commanded the stage like no other, and was “not afraid” to speak his mind through his music. It is no wonder that he has earned 15 Grammy awards, and is one of the best-selling artists of all time. His Citi Sound Vault set garnered two thumbs up.
