JID & Smino’s Luv Is 4ever Tour Goes Berserk on Valentine’s Day

JID at Stubb's on Feb. 14 (Photo by David Brendan Hall)

Tickets for the Valentine’s Day stop of the thematically aligned Luv Is 4ever tour evaporated months in advance.

Co-headliners JID and Smino both returned to town after nearly four years away – the Atlanta emcee headlined a South by Southwest showcase at Stubb’s in 2019, while his latter Zoink Gang comrade provided a dashing display at Emo’s a month afterward.

Fellow Atlanta rapper Swavay kicked off proceedings at Stubb’s before Smino began his set with “KLINK,” a fun, thumping banger off 2018 studio album NØIR detailing the sound chains make when they collide into each other. The St. Louis repper performed for just under an hour as the line for entry failed to clear until nearly halfway through his performance.

Then came JID, finale of the shared bill. After beginning with “NEVER” and “Off Da Zoinkys,” he took a brief moment to extend appreciation towards anyone who showed support for his third studio album, The Forever Story. He continued by saying his show would essentially represent a product of the album’s efforts.

JID (Photo by David Brendan Hall)

Many had certainly treasured the record: some 2,500 Austinites crammed together in attendance, maybe sharing sentiments with similarly excluded Carol City rhymer Denzel Curry that the Recording Academy had snubbed JID’s latest studio album.

Take “Raydar” for example. The second song off The Forever Story packs three loaded verses over two prominent beat switches into a sub 3:30 runtime. “I got the shit you would light with a lighter/ Fuck a lighter, I could light on the stove,” he first opines before expanding on his demographic range. He later effortlessly segued into the song’s wordy last stanza, rattling off lines such as: “You better be Beyoncé if you say my name” before a crowd full of couples.

Hands soared skywards by the time the anti-dap pre-chorus to “Dance Now” dropped, complete with synths from outer space. Most renowned for his lightning-quick flows and increasing lyrical potency, the former Hampton University defensive back sang songs such as “Kody Blu 31” under relatively dim lighting. Though this portion of the performance showcased his underrated versatility and didn’t feel like a slog to behold, the Spillage Village member joked that he was trying to just get through elements of his latest work.

“Just In Time” returned affairs to an expected level of high-octane energy, a pace that continued until the show's end. Once JID pleaded for everyone to “protect each other” during the forthcoming song, fans started chanting for 2022 track “Stick.” Surely enough, the show finale, “Stick” went berserk. JID’s keytarist returned to the forefront for another searing solo as he tag teamed with a drummer banging percussion like popping bubble wrap for an electrifying closer to the 58-minute blitz.

Despite JID wishing fans a good night twice in quick succession – with the second goodbye including some obligatory, scripted luring of a post-credits easter egg – maybe 150 attendees lingered for six minutes with faint hopes of an encore. Only an urgent prompt from a staff member to head towards the exit proved that the spectacle had truly ended.

JID (Photo by David Brendan Hall)

JID (Photo by David Brendan Hall)