Nelly @ UEA
A hugely satisfying evening
In the midst of my most important exams to date, I made sure I saved one evening to completely relax and have fun. A break from the misery that is revision, I headed up to UEA pumped and ready for the night. Gold chains at the ready, plasters secured to the face, Saturday evening saw the rap legend that is Nelly take a turn on the LCR stage.
As soon as I walk into the building, the room is a complete hive of excitement. Surrounded by a sea of mostly women, it’s obvious tonight is about having fun and dancing with your best girlfriends. DJ Miller fills a 90 minute gap before the illusive Nelly, not really a support act because to be honest all he’s doing is mixing Snoop Dogg into Drake. However, it’s exactly what everyone in the crowd needs and wants. Feeling more like a club night in Mantra than a gig, everyone around is sporting a VK or vodka mixer, the classiest of drinks to accompany the classiest of people. But it’s not a negative atmosphere, it’s one filled with laughter and enjoyment, not ruined by any rowdy drunks.Then Nelly walks out onto stage. Or does he? There isn't much of an entrance at all, one minute I feel like DJ Miller has just dropped Sisqo’s Thong Song, and then next I look up and Nelly seems to be halfway through a song. Disappointed by the fact there is no build-up or hype around his entrance, I decide to just enjoy the now realised set.
And damn is enjoyment an understatement. Nelly soon starts singing the hits, the crowd going absolutely crazy for hit single Ride Wit Me, "HEY MUST BE THE MONEY" screamed by all the fans. Notably the most fun part of the evening is the fact Nelly only really plays songs he knows the audience will love and adore. Ranging from covers of NSYNC’s Girlfriend and Rihanna’s Work, the set is probably the most crowd pleasing I have ever experienced.
Not only does Nelly deliver on songs, but he also appeals to the mega fangirls in the audience. Getting three excitable women on stage, Nelly individually sings to them and in turn they dance and flirt with him and his crew. Nelly then belts out Dilemma, and gets one of the girls he brought on stage to sing the Kelly Rowland part. This encapsulates how fun the whole night is, everyone in the audience with huge smiles on their faces as they sing their hearts out.Highlight of the evening is undoubtedly Hot in Herre, his most famous track causing an explosion of energy from the crowd. Finishing with Just A Dream, his set comes to a close after just under an hour. Some would argue a little short; however I believe Nelly delivered the perfect combination of tunes, and in no way could have done anything more (unless that more would be to play Hot in Herre on repeat for another hour).
A hugely satisfying evening, Nelly’s gig was the perfect revision break, and one of the most enjoyable evenings I've had in a long while.
