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Concert review: Chance the Rapper colors outside the lines

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Chance the Rapper, performing September 18 at Brooklyn Bowl.
Photo: Erik Kabik
Mike Pizzo

Three stars

Chance the Rapper September 18, Brooklyn Bowl

The line outside Brooklyn Bowl on Sunday night extends past the High Roller observation wheel as if kids are camped out for Adidas Yeezys. It’s an all-ages show, as it should be, considering childlike Chance the Rapper has covered the theme from Arthur (the PBS cartoon, not the Dudley Moore movie) and set up coloring-book workshops at his shows. It’s going to be a long night.

The sold-out room is packed all the way to the back, leaving little room for safe spaces. Opening act Francis and the Lights hits the stage at 9 p.m. with a fairly awkward solo performance—singing over sparse production and dancing interpretively. The crowd appreciates his brand of silliness, even though he sounds like an out-of-tune Phil Collins.

Chance The Rapper at Brooklyn Bowl

There’s a long lull after that performance, and around 10:15 some begin complaining on Twitter. “This is worse than Lauryn Hill,” one writes. “I could be doing homework right now,” says another. I was wishing for that coloring book workshop.

Chance finally appears at 10:30, appropriately opening his gospel-tinged set with “Angels” and “Blessings” like a seasoned pastor. He doesn’t have to do much, with the audience reciting his words like chapter and verse.

Chance has complete control of the room, and really lets his band shine, especially the horn section. “Two years ago I came out to Vegas to celebrate my 21st birthday. It’s good to be back,” he says. “It’s a proven mathematical equation that if every single person jumps up and down at the same time, we can shake the foundation of the building.” The crowd obliges, as he launches into “Favorite Song.”

An hour in, things got weird, when a Carlos the Lion mascot joins Chance onstage and helps narrate the show. The theme gets beaten to death between songs, culminating in a full animatronic bird choir, like you might see at Chuck E. Cheese’s. Who is Chance’s audience? Clearly not the Jack on the rocks crowd. To paraphrase the late, great ODB, Chance the Rapper is for the children.

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