Last week at the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, I caught an unforgettable show from Playboi Carti, supporting his newest album, I Am Music. Even before the opening beat dropped, the energy in the venue was unmatched, Carti’s fanbase was less crowd and more cult-like. What followed was a chaotic explosion of light, bass, and bodies.
At Capital One Arena on Nov. 11, Carti opened with several tracks from the album, barrelling through the songs as though he’d replaced the old guard of trap with something even more visceral. Hit songs like “Sky” and “wokeuplikethis” landed flawlessly, each chorus prompting the entire arena to leap and scream in unison. And then, as if to provoke even more energy, he surprised the crowd with a performance of the Travis Scott-featured track “FEIN,” sending the floor into full revolt.
Watch the official music video for “FEIN” by Travis Scott featuring Playboi Carti on YouTube:
The staging was wild. Two cars sat on each side of the main floor, hazed in strobes and smoke. On those vehicles rested performers/dancers who never stopped moving, leaping and throwing their bodies into the mix. The main stage itself was packed with 15 plus dancers. So dense and dark were the visuals that Carti himself was often obscured. The only thing identifying him was a mic that boasted a shield like design. The lights themselves flickered in a panic-driven rhythm, creating a rave meets mosh pit sensation.
What struck me most was the positivity in the chaos. Every single track saw full engagement, no breaks in momentum. The crowd surged, roared, fell into waves, and rose again. The energy was a communal force. Carti’s stage presence felt both aloof and magnetic, he kept the bar high but let the audience carry the weight, and they delivered. The album material blended seamlessly alongside the older hits, making the new songs feel instantly familiar and just as urgent in a live setting.
This concert didn’t just feel like an album launch, it felt like a ritual. The lights, the dancers, the cars on stage, the pulsing bass, the chants of the crowd, all of it combined into a single sensory assault. Yet beneath the wild spectacle, I sensed a consistent undercurrent of love. Carti’s connection with the crowd, the way the fans looked after each other. Even the mosh pit seemed intentionally orchestrated, an embracing of release not violence.
By the time the show closed, I was buzzing, head ringing, body vibrating, heart punching from all the adrenaline. This was more than just listening to music live. This was an immersion into a world built by Playboi Carti, and the audience as willing participants. This concert was raw, inventive, ritualistic, and utterly alive.
