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Three hours. Two generational talents. A 50-plus-song setlist. An ‘87 Buick Grand National parked front and center on a diamond-shaped stage. Saturday night (May 31) at Allegiant Stadium didn’t just feel like another star-studded mega concert, it felt like history in the making, draped in Dodger blue and pulsing with the unmistakable heartbeat of LA. Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s Grand National Tour might be the kind of thing we’ll tell our kids about when they ask what real music felt and sounded like during our youth.
It was, without a doubt, loud during the nearly three-hour run time. But there’s a silence that hits stadiums differently when tens of thousands of people shut up at the same time. Not awkward. Not tense. Sacred. And it happened more than once at this show. One second we’re rapping our lungs out to “Alright” or SZA’s “Broken Clocks,” the next, we’re caught in a trance, phone flashlights raised, hearts pounding with spiked adrenaline. Kendrick’s energy was razor-sharp, purposeful and cut through the Vegas heat, while SZA drifted in like a storm wrapped in silk and swaddled us with her airy falsetto.
The stage was set up as a visceral playground, connected by runways that wrapped around the GA hype areas and that GNX, the center of it all, doubling as prop and metaphor—iconic and distinctly Kendrick. As the co-headliners switched off during their individual acts, so did the stage’s supporting set designs. SZA’s sets built tension differently—theatrical and full of visual flourishes that kept us out of our seats as we tried to match her vocal range and dance along. Then came Doja Cat. “Kiss Me More,” the 2021 chart-topping duet between SZA and Doja sent a shockwave through the stadium, a sweet and unexpected flex in an already stacked set.
The total setlist was a carefully curated journey through the highs of both artists’ acclaimed discographies. Kendrick delivered his political, cultural and personal anthems, while SZA’s soulful performances tapped into the emotional core of her top tracks. Together, they moved seamlessly through a body of work that’s shaped a generation, offering longtime fans a night packed with era-defining bops.
Vegas isn’t known for subtlety, and neither are these two globally renowned artists. Kendrick shouted, “Vegas, y'all got the energy in this motherf**ker, I ain’t gonna lie,” only confirming what we already knew. Every fan was losing their voice but kept pushing, all trying to match the energy that the headliners were gracing us with.
The duo tracks (“30 for 30,” “All the Stars,” and “luther”) melded their contrasting styles into something cohesive and cinematic. SZA, ethereal and moody. Kendrick, calculated, potent, unstoppable. Their chemistry as performers and artists created a powerful and beautiful tension that the thousands in attendance could feel and appreciate. We’d be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge this as one of the best tours of the year. If this was the Grand National, then yeah... we all got in the car and never wanted to get out.
English (US) ·