Post Malone w/ Roddy Ricch• November 1, 2022• Vivint Arena
Reviewed and Photographed by Alisha Gregson
Vivint Arena welcomed Post Malone home on Tuesday, November 1st for a sold-out show during his Twelve Carat Tour. Salt Lake City was just one stop on his 33-city tour promoting his new album Twelve Carat Toothache. It was no surprise that his concert sold out as quickly as it did. Resale tickets were selling for up to $2,400 the day of the show. Thousands of fans gathered at the arena, all eager to witness Post Malone’s first hometown show since 2019.
Roddy Ricch
Opening for the night was rapper Roddy Ricch. Complete with an exciting pyrotechnic display, he made a bold entrance onto the stage. He played a fun set that the crowd seemed to enjoy. He mentioned he was excited to be there, after having to miss a couple of concerts due to his son being sick.
Ricch then took a moment to talk to the audience and tell them how he had woken up to a call that morning. He learned his friend and fellow rapper, Takeoff, of the group Migos, had been shot and killed just hours before. Roddy Ricch performed his song “Die Young” as a tribute to his friend. A screen on stage displayed photos of Takeoff and other legends who passed away too soon. He mentioned Takeoff a few more times throughout his set. Roddy was understandably affected by Takeoff’s passing but still managed to perform an excellent opening act.
Post Malone
The lights dimmed and the arena erupted in screams and a chant of “Posty, Posty”. Through fog and strobe lights, Post Malone appeared as a silhouette. He started singing “Reputation”, the first track on his new album. With the way the crowd sang along, you would have thought the song was an old favorite that had been around for years. As he sang, he walked down one of the 3 runways included in the stage setup. He gave high-fives to fans in the pit along the way. I thought it was pretty cool to see him wearing a Karl Malone Utah Jazz jersey. I later spotted the former NBA player in the crowd.
Post Malone didn’t keep his fans waiting too long before breaking out into his signature dance moves. Any time he put his microphone in his pocket, the crowd went wild. They knew that was a sign he was about to start dancing. He encouraged everyone to sing along as he worked his way through his 23-song set. Throughout the night, he played songs from his new album. Songs including “I Like You (A Happier Song)”, “Love/Hate Letter to Alcohol”, and “Insane”, as well as his older hits like “Better Now”, “Psycho”, and “Sunflower”. The song I had been hoping to hear the most was, “Take What You Want”. I was very excited when I heard Ozzy’s recorded intro started playing over the speakers. A wall of flames shot up on the stage, and he only sang half the song before transitioning seamlessly into singing “When I’m Alone.”
He kept the audience on their feet for the entire concert, except for a short time when he sat down with a guitar and played acoustic versions of “Stay,” “Go Flex,” and “Circles.” He jokingly told the crowd that if they needed to take a bathroom break, that would be time to go. I have always loved Post Malone’s unique singing voice and enjoyed his acoustic set.
Post Malone was a one-man show, not joined by a band, DJ, or any background dancers. There were no elaborate backdrops, and other than the occasional pyrotechnic display, the production portion of the concert was fairly simple. However, I didn’t see this as a negative. Post Malone could easily entertain the crowd without all the extras. His fans came to see him, and he didn’t hold back at all. There was one exception to Post Malone being solo on stage. He invited Ruddy Ricch to join him back on stage near the end of the concert, and together they sang “Cooped Up”.
Between songs, he wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable with the crowd. He talked about his struggles and encouraged his fans to show love to everyone. Multiple times, he reminded the audience of the importance of looking out for those who might be struggling and offering hugs and support. He also expressed how happy he was to be home in Utah, and that the people here have always made him feel so loved. He said he hasn’t been home in a while, and just recently became a father. I lost track of how many times he thanked his fans, or expressed his love to them. His gratitude felt very genuine, and I could tell he enjoyed connecting with them. I am almost certain he touched the hand of every single fan that lined the 3 runways.
Occasionally someone would hold out a hat, and he would wear it for a minute or two. At one point, as Post Malone was singing “Rockstar,” someone threw their bra on stage. He picked it up and also wore it on his head for a minute. While wearing a fan’s bra as a hat, Post Malone made his way over to the guitar he had been playing earlier and smashed it to pieces. Other than the fact that it was an acoustic guitar instead of an electric, it felt like an appropriate performance during his “Rockstar” song. After picking up the broken pieces of the guitar, he walked along the edge of the stage and started handing them out.
Post Malone ended the night with “Congratulations,” and “White Iverson,” while fireworks went off behind him. He once again thanked the crowd for their support and told them he loved them. Post Malone remained on stage greeting his fans even after the house lights had been turned on and the guests were leaving the arena. I stayed a while and watched as he gave high fives, and laid down on the stage, grabbing random phones from people and taking selfies with them. I was so impressed to see how after putting everything into an incredible performance, he was still willing to make even more time for his fans. His incredible vocals, playful dance moves, and genuine connection with the crowd made the night unforgettable.
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