#yasssAntiWorldTour

%23yasssAntiWorldTour

Tatiana Rodriguez, Arts & Trends Editor

Even for someone who frequently goes to concerts, seeing an A-list celebrity such as Rihanna grace the stage of the United Center is a surreal experience. I’ve seen countless photos, watched a myriad of interviews, and listened to dozens of tracks. Yet still, seeing Rihanna slowly walk towards the staircase that would lead to her iconic elevated white box, the one that she’s known for singing “Stay” on, made me want to faint. I couldn’t believe that she was a real person, that she actually existed outside of Spotify playlists and gossip magazines. Though I didn’t exactly have front-row seats, I was speechless at the fact that Rihanna and I were in the same room together. After the crowd sang along to “Stay”, Rihanna transitioned to the “Sex With Me” bonus track off of her most recent album “Anti.” Fans erupted, praising Rihanna as she strutted up and down a glass runway that panned across the room; evocative of the innovative NYFW techniques during the 1990s.

 

The execution of each song was fantastic. I scratched my head for a moment as I attempted to understand why there were soapy suds dripping down a silver-colored wall, how there was a large screen full of mirror panels that doubled as a large screen, and why there were segments of dancers vogueing across the floor. The perplexing performance choices made the show an experience like no other. I expected great lights, killer outfits, and angelic vocals, and I got more that I could’ve ever asked for. The Anti World Tour delivered gracefully, creating a spontaneous atmosphere that only Rihanna could pull off.
Another main staple of the show definitely had to be the diverse setlist. The compilation included many throwback records as well as an ample amount of new tracks. The setlist included: Stay, Love the Way You Lie (Part II), Woo, Sex With Me, Birthday Cake, Pour It Up, Numb, Bitch Better Have My Money, Goodnight Gotham (Interlude), Consideration, Live Your Life / All of the Lights / Run This Town, Umbrella, Desperado, Man Down, Rude Boy, Work, Take Care, We Found Love, Where Have You Been, Needed Me, Same Ol’ Mistakes, Diamonds, FourFiveSeconds, Love on the Brain, and Kiss It Better.