Buffalo’s waterfront turned into a full-blown party last Friday, October 10, as T-Pain brought his energy and 20 years worth of hits for an open-air show. The night was filled with nostalgia, melodies and plenty of Auto-Tune.
Decked out in a green suit with bedazzled pinstripes and white running shoes, the six-time Grammy winner hit the stage with his longtime DJ (DJ Montay). Backed by a dynamic dance crew that matched his every move, T-Pain got right into his catalog performing his first single, “I’m Sprung.” The energy at the venue was high-octane, and normally I’d say it was unmatched. But, the Buffalo crowd showed they were ready for this night, and kept up, dancing and singing all night long.
Despite the brisk October breeze coming off of Lake Erie, the singer was drenched in sweat by the second song. Between songs, he cracked jokes about how confused he was to be so cold and still sweating. He continued to praise Buffalo for showing “crazy love” over the years.
The artist credited Buffalo with saving his career, after he was thinking about hanging it up. In a video posted to Instagram on Sept. 10th, T-Pain said, “Nobody was there, and then when people found out that I was on the show, like the day of, they like stormed it.” Back in 2016, at the old Canalside venue in Buffalo, 45,000 people showed up to see T-Pain. The only problem was that the venue could only accomodate 25,000. The turnout completely changed T-Pain’s outlook on his career in music, and swayed him to continue to do it.
The night went on and things heated up even more. “Teddy Penderazzdown” continued with songs like “Shawty,” “Up Down,” and “Bartender.” Things got so hot, that T-Pain had to “strip” down into some shorts and a t-shirt. Not bad for an October night in Buffalo. Speaking of stripping, he showcased his true singing voice (without Auto-Tune) for “I’m In Love With A Stripper.” Animations of girls going up and down on poles were displayed on the video board, and his background dancers especially shined during this song.
Few artists have shaped modern music the way that T-Pain has. With his signature sound, and now-iconic Auto-Tune, he “changed the game” and inspired an entire generation of artists across hip-hop, R&B and pop. This show proved to be a celebration of that legacy. T-Pain thanked Buffalo for sticking with him over the last 20 years, and promised to continue to evolve and make the music that they love.
Opening the card for T-Pain were Dreamville’s hip-hop duo EARTHGANG; Armani White, who had TikTok going crazy with his catchy song, “Billie Eilish;” and Detroit rapper Asaka The Renegade.
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