This article is a part of “The College Archive.” I wrote This series of articles in college, and have decided to preserve them on Breakroom Buddha. Enjoy!
July 6, 2015
I admit I am addicted to concerts. It’s something about being surrounded by a couple hundred other people who are completely obsessed with the same music as I am. They’re just as pumped to meet the artist, they know all of the words to every song ever released, and the energy is amazing. It’s just fun and very addicting. I had the opportunity to experience this surge of energy during Kyle’s Atlanta performance.
Kyle Harvey, who goes by Super Duper Kyle and is now, King Wavy, is one of the nicest and inspiring artists I’ve ever met. The 22-year-old intends to put Ventura, California on the hip-hop map, with his geeky tunes, awkward dance moves, and fun songs about love. Kyle is steadily climbing up from the underground rap scene as his music has been seen on MTV Jams, he’s appeared on BET’s 106 & Park, and now he’s just finished his first headlining tour.
I discovered him last summer, thanks to G-Eazy, who Kyle opened up to. I didn’t get to attend that particular concert, but it was a gateway to me discovering Kyle, and therefore being able to experience this tour.
The Concert
While Kyle was definitely on my list of concerts to attend, I wasn’t expecting to attend it so soon. While waiting for the doors to open I got a feel for the crowd. It was a nice hipster crowd filled with both high school and college kids. I felt more like a chaperone for my younger sister who seemed to be way more excited than I was and refused to contain her excitement. Once inside I scouted for the best possible spot, which wasn’t too hard because the venue wasn’t packed. It was a nice-sized crowd, and I could tell it would be a fun crowd. We settled on a spot that was house left, and about a row away from the front of the stage.
Opening Act: Elhae (pronounced L.A.)
One thing that I loved about this tour was the element of surprise. The surprise was the opening act, which was a different one for every city. For the Atlanta concert, Kyle brought out Atlanta native Elhae. As soon as he hit the stage he began to grace the crowd with a mixture of amazing melodies and bars.
Throughout his entire my sister was confused as to whether he was a singer or a rapper, but to me, it didn’t matter. It seems like nowadays it’s kind of a requirement to be able to do both anyway. A few crowd members were complaining, as they just wanted to see Kyle as soon as possible. I on the other hand was enjoying the performance. Each song was amazing and I made sure to get his name down, for later research.
After Concert Music Update: After listening to him a bit, I found that he’s a singer with something to say. Each of his songs has a purpose and he has music for every kind of listener. During the concert, he performed some of his songs from his AURA EP. Some of the ones that I remembered from the concert were Aura, Situations, and Halfway Love. I listened to the EP for about a week straight after discovering it. I think it’s safe to say I’m officially a fan now.
Main Act: Kyle
After waiting for about half an hour – which is about the standard wait time after the opening act finishes – the crowd was getting restless. I made my own fun by talking to my sister and a few people who were standing near me. When Kyle came out the crowd went wild. He was completely energized and ready to go 110% for all of his fans. He performed fan favorites like Fruit Snacks & Cups of Patron, Deeper, When Can We, and Sex & Super Smash Bros.
One song that fans were craving the most was Oceans, but unfortunately, that one didn’t make the set. He made it up to fans by performing his newest track It’s Lit and giving us a sneak peek of an unreleased track. He also full-bodied surfed the crowd, and surfed the crowd a second time using his surfboard.
Kyle made sure to keep the crowd pumped throughout his show by creating fun skits and cue cards. His personality shined through during the entire show. After the show ended, fans of course demanded an encore. He came back out with just as much energy as before and performed Don’t Wanna Fall In Love. He even jumped down in the center of the floor and started dancing with fans.
The energy at the concert was amazing, and I could only imagine how Kyle felt while performing for all of us:
By the end of the concert I wanted more and didn’t want to leave. I no longer felt like a chaperone, but a dedicated fan, along with the other crowd members. After the show, both my sister and I were exhausted and were ready to go. We exited the venue, and then promptly re-entered to get water and use the the bathroom. Casually, we saw Kyle passing us. My little sister couldn’t contain herself, and she poked him in the arm. He looked back, but was quickly swept away by his team to the designated meet-and-greet area. After that small contact, my little sister was now determined to meet Kyle.
The line for the meeting was ridiculously long, and his team couldn’t tame it. They decided to move it outside, and thankfully I secured a spot closer to the front of the line. A few teens near me, kept waiting fun as they made funny comments here and there. I could tell Kyle was drained but he kept his smile shinning bright, as he promised he’d stay to meet every single fan.
We were next, I readied my camera, and prayed that my 15% battery would get at lease one good picture. Of course in real life these things never work out. My phone became unresponsive, and the camera stopped working. I frantically looked around for a solution. Thankfully, by the grace of the gods, I spotted a kid who graduated from high school with me. We used his camera to capture the moment. Talking to Kyle was amazing. I got a hug and a thank you from Kyle. My sister was shy but I pushed her closer. We professed our love for Kyle, and he returned the love. He was so humble, and it was an unforgettable encounter.
Bottom Line: I will be attending more Kyle concerts in the future.
