Tonight’s the last one… But I’m gonna take y’all to church.”
When these words came out of Donald Glover, I was about to enjoy one of his final hoorahs as Childish Gambino. Donald Glover has blown up in past two years with his hit show “Atlanta” and singles such as “Redbone” and “This is America.” In late April, he announced that his “This is America” tour would stop in Nashville in October. Unfortunately, he broke his leg during his Dallas show in September, postponing his tour until December 2, which kept fans in anticipation even longer.
The day came, and after 3 months of holding on to the ticket, I was able to see my icon. My excitement grew as I inched forward to see Gambino, and before I knew it, I was there and so was he.
His presence was palpable the moment he stood on stage, never once losing the attention of the crowd. His introduction was electrifying, with an enticing performance of “Algorithm,” an exclusive song released to those who purchased a concert ticket. His performances “Summertime Magic,” a track released in July, “I. The Worst Guys,” and “II. Worldstar,” a couple throwbacks from Gambino’s sophomore album, really got the audience jumping. The crowd chanting “Worldstar” to one of the greatest songs Gambino has ever dropped was one of the most insane cheers I have ever been a part of.
One of the most underrated aspects about Childish Gambino is his vocals. While Awaken My Love shifted perception of his vocal ability, more attention was drawn to the funk-inspired change to his sound. His live singing could shift from a sweet, angelic voice to a loud gospel/funk howl. It was a sound that I could feel enter my feet and shake my core. I met up with Jolie Finley, a senior at Warren Central, and asked her about experience. “It was so much fun… getting to see someone you idolize perform,” she said. “Gambino’s an artist, and he showed us his art.”
Childish Gambino’s encore set and show ended with “Redbone,” and it was easily the highlight of the entire show. The arena could not be filled with more life. The remarkable stamina left in Childish Gambino and marvelous atmosphere that presented itself in the live instruments, the crowd singing, and his showmanship.
That night, he promised us two things: that this was his last tour and that he would take us to church. While this is assumed to be his last tour as Childish Gambino, it is unlikely that Donald Glover will quit creating music. Instead, he’ll likely choose to release future projects under his real name. But regarding the latter, “taking [the audience] to church,” he succeeded. The only way to describe his concert is as a spiritual experience. It wasn’t just a performer singing his songs and pandering to the crowd; he connected with us, and we connected with him.
By Carlos Quintanilla