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SXSW's longstanding nickname "Indie Rock Spring Break" certainly wasn't accurate during the final day of the Austin music festival as hip-hop took over the Texas town, culminating in Kanye
West's not-so-secret show in the city's former power plant.
After a day marked by stellar sets from Big Boi at the MOG showcase at the Mohawk; Killer Mike, Lil B and a surprise mini-set from Diddy and Odd Future at the Fader Fort; Z Trip with special guest LL Cool J at the Red Bull Thr3style event; and Snoop Dogg and Warren G performing a Nate Dogg tribute at the Pepsi Max party, it was time for the festival's biggest (and hardest to get into) showcase -- West's VEVO Power Station.
Taking place in the epic industrial setting, the line-ups began early in the day, though the doors didn't open until midnight. Thousands of people were queued up outside in a chaotic crush, with many no doubt left disappointed.
But for the 3,000 or so who made it inside, they were treated to a truth-in-advertising showcase from Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music label, with a host of talent including Big Sean, Kid Cudi, Mos Def, John Legend and the Clipse's Pusha T.
Though stars in their own right, this was West's night, a late capper to a year that saw his 'My Beautful Dark Twisted Fantasy' top music critics and bloggers' year-end lists the world over. Now he had come to their annual gathering spot to hold court, and, unlike two years ago when he did a surprise set at Fader, this was all-out epic.
Clad in rock 'n' roll leather and standing before a giant GOOD Music sign -- and suspiciously positioned in front of one of the Os so the word spelled out "God" -- West unleashed a fierce and fiery set of largely new numbers, a tribute to the strength of 'Fantasy' atop an outstanding back catalog. Sure, the sound echoed around the cement room, and the VIP section was raised and therefore blocked the view of the plebes in the back, but everyone was so happy to be at this only-in-Austin event that the excitement was infectious.
Opening with 'Gorgeous,' West subsequently raged through 'Can't Tell Me Nothing' and the Black Sabbath-sampling 'Hell of a Life,' before bringing out John Legend for a sleepy 'The Blame Game.' Legend played a few more songs so West could take a break, but he returned full-bore with a rousing rendition of 'Power,' which got the crowd adding handclap percussion.
Then all it took was a single piano plink for the crowd to go insane over the impeding 'Runaway,' a song so popular and strange it's a sheer testament to West's envelope-pushing. Not surprisingly, it was highlighted by Pusha T's verse, which he proceeded to chew up and spit out like a monster.
West was soon joined by a full marching band for 'Turn out the Lights' and eventually by his old boss, Jay-Z, which sent the flagging 4AM crowd into paroxysms of Roc-handsign throwing ecstasy when the pair ploughed through their posse cuts, 'Monster' and 'Swagger Like Us' before Jigga dropped 'H to the Izzo' and, for old times sake, 'Big Pimpin'.'
Bon Ivor's Justin Vernon added some indie star power for 'Lost in the World,' before West took the spotlight back for himself with the perfectly appropriate set-closer 'Good Life.'
It may not have been your typical indie-centric SXSW show, but it was an epic event that will become part of the South-by-Southwest canon and another example of Kanye's power.
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