Boston College students came out in full force on Monday to celebrate the 129th Boston Marathon, one of the most highly anticipated days of the year. On a day full of festivities, BC’s Mile 21 concert is among the most anticipated events.
Students, dressed in everything from neon athleisure to colonial jackets, packed into the Mod Lot to see Saweetie take the stage as this year’s headliner.
Before Saweetie took the stage, though, DJ Frank entertained the crowd, which started arriving at 8:30 a.m. for a prime spot to watch the show. Hits like Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” helped to energize the early-morning crowd.
The opening set is often an underrated part of the event—the combination of universally loved music and anticipation for the upcoming concert serves as the perfect warm-up for the main performance.
Saweetie managed to easily connect with the sold-out crowd when she eventually took the stage. Her hit songs “Tap In” and “Best Friend” proved to be exactly what the morning called for. The crowd enthusiastically sang and danced, some lifting each other onto their shoulders to catch a view of the performance.
Even when Saweetie played lesser-known songs, her stage presence and upbeat sound were perfect to dance along to—exactly what is needed in a Mile 21 Concert performance.
While Saweetie’s discography of catchy hits kept the crowd excited, the stage visuals left something to be desired. The performance lacked visual aids, projecting only a sparkly pink sign with the artist’s name on it for the entirety of the set.
Few visuals meant that for those in the back of the audience, the event was more about dancing with friends than actually watching the performance.
Still, the lack of visuals didn’t reflect a lack of interest or energy on behalf of the artist. Saweetie engaged with the audience throughout her set, even bringing someone onto the stage to celebrate their birthday. These interactions personalized the set, elevating it from last year’s lackluster show.
Backup dancers, notably absent from last year’s Mile 21 Concert, also accompanied Saweetie on stage, adding to the performance quality.
“Y’all are my type,” Saweetie said to the audience as she transitioned to one of her most popular hits, “My Type,” which instantly electrified the audience. The song was the highlight of the set, solidifying the performance as one to be remembered by those in attendance.
Saweetie’s Mile 21 performance matched the bright and energetic mood that comes along with a day of cheering on runners as they pass by campus. When the concert came to a close, the crowd was left buzzing with adrenaline—an ideal morale boost to get through a long day. The biggest critique that could be made about the performance was simply that it wasn’t longer.
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