• Kendrick Lamar performed an inspired show to an excited crowd at SPAC Saturday June 9, 2018. Chris Pizzello/Invision Photo: Chris Pizzello / Invision
Photo: Chris Pizzello
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Kendrick Lamar performed an inspired show to an excited crowd at SPAC Saturday June 9, 2018. Chris Pizzello/Invision
Kendrick Lamar performed an inspired show to an excited crowd at SPAC Saturday June 9, 2018. Chris Pizzello/Invision
Photo: Chris Pizzello
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Were you Seen at Saratoga Performings Arts Center for the Kendrick Lamar concert on June 9, 2018?

Photo: Hannah Lux Photography
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SARATOGA SPRINGS – Kendrick Lamar's Saturday night show at Saratoga Performing Arts Center was more than just a popular recording artist coming to town. It was an opportunity to see arguably the most relevant and important artist of his generation live at the height of his commercial and creative powers.

Those kinds of chances don't happen very often and if you missed his show you missed out, as, Lamar absolutely killed it. But what really stood out is the fact that not only is Lamar an otherworldly lyricist and rapper, it's that it felt like everyone there treated this show like they were in the presence of greatness and reacted accordingly all night.

The best way to describe it is by fast-forwarding to the end. His typical set closer is "Humble," the lead single off last year's masterpiece "Damn." After rapping the first few bars of the song, he cut the music and stopped rapping. In his stead, the 20,000-plus in attendance rapped the entire song while Lamar stood on stage with a huge smile. After some words of approval, his backing band started the song from the beginning and he tore through the whole tune himself.

Typically, Lamar shuts it down after "Humble." But at SPAC, he did something different. While trying to thank the fans for turning out, he received a roaring five minute ovation that prompted him to note that this was the loudest audience he's had during the roughly two dozen shows he's played on the current leg of his tour. So he played one more, ending the evening with "All the Stars," the SZA-featuring track that plays over the end credits of "Black Panther" and promised to be back soon.

Even before the closing sequence, Lamar had offered up a memorable show. He opened his set with "DNA." With a video screen reading "Pulitzer Kenny" and his band slightly altering the song's tempo, Lamar adjusted his delivery to match before unloading on the last verse, delivering his bars impossibly fast, somehow even faster than the rapid-fire delivery on the studio version. The G-Funk swagger of "King Kunta" had people inside the seated area dancing as Lamar roamed the stage and blew through the song with ease.

Whether it was on older material like "Swimming Pool (Drank)" or newer songs like "Loyalty," Lamar showcased a live flow that somehow exceeded the lyrical dexterity he has on his singles and albums. He combined "XXX," an unflinching look at American violence, with the autobiographical near-death tale "m.A.A.d city," for a taut, powerful segment. When he followed this up with "Love" and "Bitch, Don't Kill my Vibe," the audience lost its collective mind.

The participation from the crowd was non-stop throughout his 74-minute set. It seemed like every person there knew every word to every song. The only time this felt kind of weird was on "Alright," the unofficial anthem of the Black Lives Matter movement. It's just slightly surreal to see large swaths of white people sing, "And we hate the po-po, wanna kill us dead in the street fo' sho'." But if Kendrick Lamar is getting people at one of the biggest concerts of the year to face serious issues they would typically be unexposed to, like police violence and the black experience in America, then both his Pulitzer and the beyond enthusiastic reaction he earned all night were well deserved.

There were originally slated to be six openers from Lamar's Top Dawg Entertainment label, but R&B phenom SZA had to back out of the show with vocal cord problems. It was a shame because, seeing an ascendant talent such as herself the same night as Kendrick Lamar would have been particularly special. Despite that, openers Jay Rock and SiR were both solid. Lance Skiiwalker and Ab-Soul played a combined three songs that were fine. The last opener was Schoolboy Q. Before Lamar broke big, Q was the top dog at the label, and his 30-minute set revealed him to be a top-notch MC, who any other night would be the best performer on the bill.


Jim Shahen is a frequent contributor to the Times Union.