Review: Brockhampton blows up the boy band formula at wild Rave show in Milwaukee

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

From the start, the fans were bouncing for Brockhampton at the Rave's Eagles Ballroom Friday — a crowd group founder Kevin Abstract repeatedly said was the biggest of its career.

So for the encore, Brockhampton returned to a favorite from early in the set, the thumping "Star," playfully stuffed with shout-outs to movies and actors, from A-listers like Matthew McConaughey to random references like Tobin Bell from "Saw."

Brockhampton performs at the Rave's Eagles Ballroom Friday.

Repeating a track isn't unheard of — Lil Pump did the same thing at the Eagles two months ago, with flat results — but the packed floor of teens and early twentysomethings went wild.

But then, Brockhampton played the track again. And again. And again.

By the time the two-hour concert was finished, Brockhampton performed "Star" in its entirety six times — and every time, the crowd went nuts — jumping, rapping along, breaking out into mosh pits across the room.

Seeing that intense reaction is enough to make you believe Abstract's repeated claims that Brockhampton is "the best boy band in the world."

But Brockhampton isn't like any boy band that's ever existed. One Direction never encouraged mosh pits at its shows, and New Kids on the Block didn't play "Step by Step" five times in a row — although it's not too late to give that a try.

And I'm pretty sure 'N Sync never encouraged its fans to boo and scream "(Expletive) you" at the group like Brockhampton did Friday.

But the biggest difference between Brockhampton and its predecessors is that it's replaced polished, swoon-inducing pop with electric hip-hop.

Last year, Brockhampton released three full-length albums, its "Saturation" trilogy (with another album reportedly dropping soon). Its extensive catalog Friday spanned from feel-great party track "Boogie" and pretty R&B ballad "Summer" (one of two songs performed solo by Irish member Bearface)to jittery "Junky," in which the group addressed personal anxieties about addiction, depression and other heavy topics.

Some songs, like "Bump," smashed together spastic verses with mellow choruses. And yet across all the sudden mood swings, the crowd was consistently and deeply engaged.

Forming across the internet — originally, in a Kanye West fan forum — before settling in Los Angeles, Brockhampton consists of 15 members, although only seven actually performed Saturday, including Bearface.

The six others, all rappers and singers, wore matching orange jumpsuits, but aside from one brief choreographed bit, that was the extent of their synchronization. Nevertheless, each member brought his own personality and charisma to the stage.

Dom McLennon had the fastest flow, Matt Champion's tone was the most unhinged and Ameer Vann had a deep, booming voice that made every word magnetic. Joba could be counted on for a fine falsetto, as during "Face," while Merlyn Wood displayed the most energy with leaps, sprints and elastic dance moves.

And Abstract, as a gay man, brings powerful openness and pride to a genre with an extensive history of homophobia, candidly talking about hooking up with guys and his mom's disappointed reaction to his sexuality. (That's new ground for a boy band as well; 'N Sync's Lance Bass and NKOTB's Jonathan Knight performed in the closet for years.)

"Why you always rap about being gay?" Abstract asked rhetorically during "Junky" Friday. "Cause not enough (expletive) rap and be gay. … Where I come from (expletive) get called (expletive) and killed. … They can come and cut my hand off and my legs off and I'm still a boss 'til my head gone."

Like 'N Sync and One Direction, it's easy to imagine some members breaking out as solo stars someday. But before that happens, the fast-rising Brockhampton is bound to keep playing for bigger and bigger crowds.

THE TAKEAWAYS

Waiting for the show to begin, clusters of guys and girls separated by a barricade splitting the middle of the ballroom repeatedly screamed a profane, playful call and response to each other, while a pacing security guard conducts the crowd like a symphony maestro waving a baton.
During a long break that included fan requests to swear off the group, Brockhampton did a bit of stand-up comedy. "What's the name of my auntie with one leg?" Ameer Vann said. "Eileen."
For the fifth performance of "Star," a couple dozen preselected fans wearing jumpsuits and blue face paint were invited to dance on the stage.
At one point, when a large mosh pit circle formed in the back of the ballroom, a fan did the work across what was almost certainly a wet, dirty floor.

THE SET LIST
1. “Boogie”
2. “Queer”
3. “Star”
4. “Gummy”
5. “Face”
6. “Zipper”
7. “Swamp”
8. “Gold”
9. “Jello”
10. “Sister/Nation”
11. “Stupid”
12. “Junky”
13. “Sweet”
14. “Bump”
15. “Bleach”
16. “Summer”
17. “Team”
Encore
18. “Hottie”
19. “Heat”
20. “Star”
21. “Star”
22. “Star”
23. "Star"
24. “Boys”
25. “Star”

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