Ian, the St. Louis sensation, has created a lot of hype by being a plaid, white, Italian man from the suburbs, and confusing the audience with bars and hard-hitting 808s that make you think of Future and Gucci Mane. On his second tour, Ian showed out at this sold-out show in Long Island.
The anticipation for Ian’s performance was evident from the start. The line before doors was wrapped around the entire block. The glowing sign on the Paramount building saying “Ian Sold Out” set the tone for what was to come that evening. Ian, who subsequently made the white T-shirt famous over the last year or two, had all his fans decked out in white T-shirts ready to rage. A predominantly female fanbase, the ladies rushed through the doors to get their spot at the front of the barricade.
The night started with Ian's DJ lighting up the crowd with rage classics, like songs by Playboi Carti, Ken Carson, and even paying respects to Ian’s influences like Gucci Mane and Future. Then, the real show finally began. The suspense built up with a laser beam light show that blinded everyone, followed by being serenaded by godly chords. Ian walked through the beaming light, fans roaring, as he just took in the moment. Then, he began his performance.
His stage presence was amazing, being able to control a crowd with ease. He is not shy to show his personality either, dancing on stage during his songs like he’s by himself in his living room. Bangers rang off like “3.5,’ “Magic Johnson,” “End Up Gone,” “Never Stop,” and “Airbnb,” just to name a few. At one point, he stepped down from the stage and showed love to the crowd, letting the fans hug him and feel his presence. It was an immaculate performance, to say the least.
Towards the end of the performance, he showed his piano skills as he hopped on the nearby piano, doing a remake of his classics. Then, suddenly, the smoke alarm went off in the building and cut his piano performance short. However, he did not let that stop the show as he announced that he would be right back. He came back about 20 minutes later and ended the show with his most well-known song, “Hate Me,” featuring Lil Yachty. It was the perfect way to end a memorable evening.
