Lil Tracy – The Varsity Theater – Minneapolis MN – September 9th 2023

Live Nation and The Varsity Theater present Lil Tracy with special guests Fish Narc and Hi-c

Review and photos by Max Trelstad

On Saturday, September 9th, Lil Tracy, and his two openers Fish Narc and Hi-C brought their rap tour to the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis. Fans lined up around the block to get the best view of Lil Tracy and his crew, and once inside the venue, there was an audible buzz of excitement. The night began with a DJ set by Nedarb, who would continue to DJ for all three artists throughout the night. He played various songs from the Emo Eap genre, and some higher energy Trap music to hype the crowd up. 

The first artist of the night was Hi-C. He walked on stage and began performing to a backing track of his songs. Not many people in the crowd knew his music, but they still were bobbing their heads and dancing to Hi-C’s lyrics. Hi-C had a very energetic stage presence, pacing back and forth across the front of the stage, and stepping down to the barrier to interact with the crowd. 

The next opener to step on stage was Fish Narc, with a live bassist and guitarist to aid the backing track and digital percussion. He had a ton of energy, jumping up and down to the harsh melodic beats of his songs. His voice was very harsh, and it paired well with the live bass and guitar riffs. Fish Narc is mainly a producer, so seeing him perform his own written music live was a very cool experience. 

Lil Tracy, the headliner of the night came on last. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation as he started his set, which was a fusion of trap beats, punk-rock energy, and a punk feel to his production. This eclectic mix reflected his signature style, and it resonated deeply with the crowd, many singing loud enough for me to hear every word of the song. I loved how he constantly interacted with the crowd; stepping up to the barricade and giving the mic to the fans who were singing the words to his song. I could almost feel the energy in the room grow as his set drew to a close. He closed his set with three songs he had made with long-time collaborator Lil Peep, who died in 2017. They are his biggest songs, and at every show, he performs them in honor of his friend. It was a great way to close out the night with his best songs and leave the crowd with powerful memories of the concert.