u/gravitasjon

I’ve seen a lot of mixed reactions to the Madrid show. Some people are calling it incredible, while others felt disappointed. So here’s my honest review as a massive Ye fan who was actually there.

For context: this was my first Ye concert. I had tried to see him six times before, and every single show was cancelled. I’ve wanted to experience his music live since I was a kid, so my expectations were almost impossibly high.

The stage — 10/10

We had all seen pictures and videos of the stage before the concert, but seeing it in person was completely different.

The giant sphere looked insane inside the stadium. More importantly, it wasn’t just a cool-looking prop. The lighting, shadows and movement constantly changed the atmosphere, making each part of the set feel different. At times it felt futuristic and massive; at other times, especially during the more emotional songs, it made Ye look completely isolated.

«All of the lights» were one of the highlights of the entire show and showed how much the stage was capable of.

I also loved how the star-shaped merch became part of the visual experience. Thousands of people were wearing stars while Ye performed on top of the world. Maybe I’m overthinking it, but it felt intentional: Ye standing above the stadium, surrounded by a crowd full of stars.

The setlist — 10/10

I don’t think people realise how lucky we were to get this setlist.

We got major songs from almost every part of his career: old classics that shaped his career like «Through the wire», «Jesus Walks» and «All Falls Down». Stadium anthems like «Power», «Stronger» and «Heartless», emotional tracks like «Runaway» and «Ghost Town», newer material and a LOT of other songs worth mentioning. Very few artists have a catalogue deep enough to move between so many different eras without the show losing momentum.

Yes, several songs were shortened, and I completely understand why that frustrated some people. There were moments when I wanted him to perform another verse or let a song breathe for longer. At the same time, the pace demonstrated just how ridiculous his catalogue is. He could probably perform three completely different two-hour shows and still leave out songs people consider essential.

This was easily one of the strongest setlists he has performed in years. It also seems like he has gradually refined the show throughout the tour, making small adjustments in each city.

The crowd — 9/10

This probably depended heavily on where you were sitting. I was in section 226, around the middle of the long side of the stadium. From where I was, the crowd started slightly slowly. The heat probably played a part, and people seemed uncertain about when the concert would actually begin. There were still some empty seats when the show started.

As the concert continued, though, the energy kept building. Once the sun went down and the stage lighting became more visible, the entire atmosphere changed.

I’ve also seen a lot of people complaining about the sound, but from where I was sitting, it sounded great. Ye’s vocals were clear, the music was powerful without becoming distorted, and I had no complaints at all. The sound quality may therefore have varied depending on where people were seated.

By the end, the crowd felt completely connected to Ye and the music. People sang their hearts out, especially during “Heartless” and “Ghost Town.”

One of my favourite things was seeing how different songs meant something to different people. Some fans knew every word of the old classics, rapping bar for bar, while others became emotional and sang their hearts out during other songs. It reminded me that everyone in that stadium had their own personal history with his music.

Ye’s performance and energy — 10/10

I don’t know whether everyone else saw what I saw, but I saw a genuinely happy and energetic Ye on that stage.

He wasn’t just walking around while the backing track played. He rapped and sang large parts of the songs; his voice sounded clear, and he seemed present. He jumped, danced, lay down on the stage, and even brought out the iconic “On Sight” dance.

That level of energy is not something fans have always been able to expect from him, which made it even more special.

Some people interpreted the shortened songs as Ye rushing through the concert because he wanted it to end. From inside the stadium, I didn’t get that impression. To me, it felt more like he wanted to fit as much of his catalogue as possible into one show. He wanted to show us how great of an artist he is and how many hits he has! He was playful and told us «Keep em coming» And «I told ya I got a lot of hits».

Final thoughts

After six cancelled attempts, I was almost afraid to believe the concert would actually happen.

I’ve dreamed about seeing Ye perform since I was a kid. My expectations were unbelievably high, but the show still left me speechless.

I’ve seen hundreds of artists live, and I can honestly say this was the best concert experience I’ve ever had. Of course, my emotional connection to the music plays a huge role in that, and someone without that same history might experience the show very differently.

The stage, setlist, crowd and Ye’s energy created something I’ll never forget. After waiting all these years, I finally got to see the artist whose music has followed me for most of my life. For me, it was worth the wait.

 

Any socials?

How crowded does it get for Estrella Damm and Revolut stages when headliners play? And if you secured a good spot to see an artist perform at Estrella, and then want to "move" over to Revolut, is it going to be chaotic?