Quiet night for police at gig, but incidents elsewhere
KENDRICK Lamar’s concert was a relatively quiet night out for Dunedin police, but they were kept busy elsewhere in the city.
Despite high levels of intoxication at the American rapper’s show at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Tuesday night, police say they only made one arrest.
Acting Inspector Craig Dinnissen, of Dunedin, said one person was arrested at the stadium for disorder, but was later released with a precharge warning.
Security staff denied 38 people entry to the stadium, mainly because of intoxication, Acting Insp Dinnissen said.
‘‘It was evident that there was preloading.’’
While the city was busy after the concert, he said there were no arrests and no ‘‘significant issues’’, due in part to a strong police presence in the Octagon.
There were also no drink drivers caught in Dunedin on Tuesday night.
But police were kept busy elsewhere in the city.
Officers were called overnight to reports of a man ‘‘acting strangely’’ and possibly performing an indecent act in Woodhaugh Gardens.
He was described as a male Caucasian, of slim build in his 40s or 50s, but police did not catch up with him.
A Caversham kindergarten was also the scene of an attempted arson.
LYRICAL wizard, rap superstar, voice of a generation, Pulitzer and Grammy award winner, supreme entertainer — Kendrick Lamar is all of the above.
From the first explosive bar of his first track of the night, DNA, Lamar — appearing as his alterego Kung Fu Kenny — had the 16,000 strongcrowd at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Tuesday night in the palm of his hands.
Without so much as an introduction, Lamar then launched straight into the selfreferential Element, asserting himself and immediately grabbing the attention of every eyeball in the stadium.
For the rest of the night it was all about Lamar and the crowd never stopped jumping.
Although it only lasted just over an hour, the 31yearold was able to pack in a 19song set list, giving a sense of pace complimenting his lyrical talents and the heavy backing beats.
With his live band hidden in the wings, Lamar, dressed in an all black martialarts outfit, owned every square inch of the stage.
The crowd’s focus was only intermittently interrupted by the occasional pyrotechnic and samurai swordwielding backing dancer.
Many the of the Compton native’s hardhitting on tracks such as m.A.A.d city delved into the social and political realities and struggles facing AfricanAmerican communities in the 21st century.
But inside the stadium on Tuesday night — to use Lamar’s own words — it was all about the vibe and energy.
And from the dark funk of King Kunta to the zigzagging deep bass on Humble, the hiphop star was able to emanate an electrifying energy which flowed through the crowd for the entire night.
At one stage the music was stopped so Lamar could remind those tightly packed in right in front of him to keep safe and let those in trouble make their way to the front so they could be looked after.
‘‘It’s all love in here tonight.’’ The night ended with an encore and two versions of the megahit All The Stars.
For the first half of the twopart encore, Lamar stood back and let the crowd take on the role of performer, before taking back the mic and showing why he is the biggest name in hiphop.
Before leaving the stage he gave the crowd their dues for what they added to the show.
‘‘There’s an energy in here tonight, ya’ll brought it.’’
Or that’s what it sounded like, as he was almost drowned out by the roar of the crowd thanking him back.
Lamar will play shows in Auckland at the Spark Arena tonight and tomorrow night.