Powerhouse 2021 – Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA – October 29, 2021
The east coast is known for its many music concerts and festivals such as Made in America, Firefly and Summerjam. One that not many may know about is the infamous Powerhouse that is in both Philadelphia and New York. This past weekend was one to remember for Philly’s Powerhouse since it is the first one essence the pandemic and has had some pretty notable artists that performed such as Saweetie, Moneybagg Yo, Roddy Ricch, Megan Thee Stallion, and Lil Durk.
Before we get into the big performers, it is always important to pay homage to the up-and-coming artists that hit the stage in the Wells Fargo Center last Friday. Two prominent artists in specific had the crowd go wild; Philly native Kur, who has been recently signed by Meek Mill’s label Dreamchasers, had the crowd singing alongside his hit songs. One of the coolest things about Philly’s Powerhouse is DJ Diamond Kuts: Diamond in the Rough competition, which is a contest hosted by Power 99 in Philly that allows small artists to submit their music and the fans then vote who will start Powerhouse as the first performer. This year it was Nyah G, and boy did she start it off with a bang. Although the crowd was not fully set since it was the first performance, she still put on a great show with many fans screaming her name across the venue.
As the night proceeded there was a brief period where it was quite the wait to see Saweetie, but that wait was worth it. I have seen Saweetie perform plenty of times from Made in America to Summerjam, but this time was very different. Not sure if it was because the pandemic made the music industry take a year off or she was very excited to see her fans. She put on a great performance with amazing choreography and gifts! Alongside performing her top songs “Best Friend” and “My Type,” Saweetie also gifted three fans “ICY GIRL” jewelry as a token to their friendship. Many people came for Saweetie and were not disappointed.
“Wockesha” rapper Moneybagg Yo has always brought his all in his Philadelphia performances. One of the most memorable parts of his performance was that most of it was lighted by the phone lights of the fans in the venues. There was minimal lighting by the venue, but instead, he wanted the fans to make the venue bright. The crowd went crazy for him as mostly everybody stood up and danced along to his songs. Moneybagg Yo is also known as a charitable person and wishes to create a rec center in the land that was gifted by his now-girlfriend for his birthday that just passed.
One of the best performances of the night, in my opinion, was one by Roddy Ricch. This electrifying artist shook the venue with many hit songs that everybody in the venue knew. It was such a crazy performance that the aisles were getting crowded by people and security as they tried to move them back to their seats. One of the highlights was when he performed ‘High Fashion,” a song from his Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial album that was released in 2019. The crowd couldn’t restrain themselves from watching him.
With just two performers left Megan Thee Stallion and Lil Durk closed down Powerhouse individually. Thee Stallion came out in an outfit that had everyone in awe as she performed. One of the attendees told me that she “came here just to see Meg.” She took the venue by storm while, performing her hit songs accompanied by amazing dances. As for the best for last, Durk came out the stage with a round of cheers and applause. Fans love Durk more than most rappers, they love his flow, culture, and the way he carries himself, but most importantly they love the way he performs. Durk always wants to feel the crowd’s energy as he performs and wants to give him the best show they ever had. The fans knew his songs word for word, leaving everyone with sore throats when the night ended.
Powerhouse is always a great time, but the best part about the night is that every year different performers have their unique flow and music. Looking into the future, Powerhouse and Power 99 are only going to get bigger and better.
Chris Sanchez-Paralta
Copyright ©2021 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: October 30, 2021.
Photos by Chris Sanchez-Paralta © 2021