In 1992, metal fans' heads exploded all over North America as the epic double bill of Metallica and Guns N' Roses caused riots and sold millions of dollars worth of tickets. This winter, there has been a similar, can't-believe-this-is-finally-happening vibe surrounding Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch The Throne Tour.
When the now-platinum album dropped in August, many pundits pointed to the low-hanging fruit of Jay's and Yeezy's braggadocio as a sign the titans were financially too far removed from the socioeconomic present. Of course, that opinion required critics to dismiss the handful of socially aware, vulnerable tracks that would've been at home on a solo album from either artist.
The album the tour is supporting is a solid offering, and reviews of the first few stops in the arena-filled tour have been favorable. The combination of blockbuster hits from each artist's legend-making catalog with the highly scrutinized joint-forces joint gives this tour a cinematic grandness that James Cameron would have a tough time topping.
To borrow a line from the album: Fans might want to have "sunglasses and Advil" ready for the morning, since the night promises to be "mad real."