Review Scene: EMINEM, MCG, 25th February 2019

By Byron Boukouvalas

EMINEM 2019 Photo Credit: Jeremy Deputat

Marshall Mathers, EMINEM, touted as a Rap God, lived up to the hype and delivered a divine performance at Melbourne Cricket Ground last night, 25^th February 2019, smashing concert attendance records with 80,708 fans at his RAPTURE show – albeit maybe that number included some parent chaperoning but by the end of the night, they too were fans.

Hilltop Hoods, along with Detroit’s Royce da 5’9″and California’s Boogie, warmed up the crowd. Highlights were Hilltop Hoods’ I Love It, Won’t Let You Down, and when joined on stage by the rising voice of change, South Australian Adrian Eagle, for the ARIA Award winning single Clark Griswold, followed by Live and Let Go. Australian hip-hop at its best. The crowd though did not really need warming up. As soon as EMINEM, Marshall Mathers, strode onstage with a swagger, it was a completely different level of audience interaction. It was as if the audience was his best friend and he was talking to them and interacting throughout his set. It was the largest, but probably also, the most interactive audience, the MCG has ever seen.

The crowd though did not really need warming up. As soon as Mathers strode on to the stage, joined by hype man Mr. Porter, it was a completely different level of audience interaction. It was as if the audience was his best friend and he was talking to them and interacting throughout his set. It was the largest, but probably also, the most interactive audience, the MCG has ever seen.

Mathers performed everyone’s favourites, numerous from Recovery and Slim Shady, and though many fans may have longed for the whole of their beloved song, how does one pick a favourite? The slick segues from track-to-track allowed snippets of thirty-two favourites to be performed – and the reception to each of these songs was great, especially the tribute to Queen. There was lots of singing along, though the crowd struggled with the rapping speed of some tracks. The backdrop of buildings, introduced with a giant Mathers at the start of the show, was stunningly streaming with rain through Stan, in which Mathers was joined on stage by American singer/songwriter Holly Brook Hafermann aka Skylar Grey. Fireworks and gunshots played their part in the theatrics as well.

Mathers proved why his popularity is strengthening, the atmosphere full of excitement and anticipation even before the first beat ofGreatest– and full of contentment and satisfaction after losing themselves in the music, the moment, with the brilliant encore ofLose Yourself. TheEminem Rapture show at the MCG was impressive and memorable, andMathers showed he could still ‘own it’ and the Melbourne crowds‘owned it’ as well.