Every time I have been asked "How was the Eminem concert?", that's the word I've used with each response.
Eminem's Wellington leg of his Rapture tour at Westpac Stadium broke records thanks to the 46,000-plus fans who packed the venue. It was the fastest sellout concert for the venueand the venue's biggest single-day event it had hosted.
By Saturday late morning, I nearly didn't go. Nothing seemed to be working out for me. I had work commitments that meant I couldn't make the Bay of Plenty to Wellington trip with the group I was going with, had to be home early on Sunday and had family visiting from Australia.
I missed his last tour and being a sucker for the atmosphere of a good show, I headed off on my journey with the only mindset being that I'm unlikely to regret going to see Eminem live but may regret not going.
It was a vibe, for sure. One I'd not experienced before purely due to the mix of fans he had amassed over his 20-year career.
Eminem broke records when he performed at Wellington's Westpac Stadium. Photo / Jeremy Deputat
I was first introduced to Eminem in 2000 with his release of The Marshall Mathers LP. After that I went backwards, then discovering his easrlier The Slim Shady LP that I had somehow missed.
Not a massive rap fan, I was however taken by his use of controversial lyrics, the beats and his energy. I was a fan of the position he had placed on himself in the music industry at that time.
Because of his career spanning two decades his music has mass appeal ... and that's why there was such a diverse crowd that were at Westpac on Saturday. Surrounding me in the mosh pit were parents, adults I'd guarantee were old enough to be grandparents, teenagers as young as 15, as well as all ages in between.
There were some pretty loose characters, for sure. I have a strong recollection of the young girl behind me who rapped Every. Single. Lyric of Every. Single. Song throughout the whole concert because I heard her more than Eminem himself ... and the tattooed topless guy next to me whose happiness for being on top of another lad's shoulders could not be hidden.
The crowd loved Eminem, all of him! I loved his older music and wish there was more if it. But, as much as I was there to see Eminem, I was there to be part of a history-making show (just as I was the week before at Six60) and embracing everything around me.
And I don't regret making that trip down to be part of it. I'd even do it again this weekend.
