Students from Otago and Victoria Universities had a bone to pick with Yung Gravy’s Ori performances.
While the Otago attendees' main complaint was about the American rapper’s stage presence, who “appeared to be fucked out of his mind”, Wellington gig-goers were concerned with the “dangerous” atmosphere surrounding the crowd and fears of overcrowding. “It was the most unsafe I’ve ever felt at a gig,” said one student.
Critiques in Wellington were harshest on the organisers, as many attendees felt that the venue was inadequately managed. At least one attendee said that they’re lodging a complaint, while another felt like event staff did little to control the crowd, where people were “crawling over each other” to get up to the front. Other attendees defended the organisers, saying that the front rows were “crazy”, but that there was “so much room” in the back. People “just weren’t spread out”.
A post on the Vic Deals Facebook page cited both the Travis Scott Astroworld and Itaewon crushes and called for better crowd control at future events. Connections to Astroworld were also made in Dunedin, but not by the attendees; Lil’ Bubblegum, who performed right before Yung Gravy, at one point called out to the audience, “We don’t want a Travis Scott situation here.”
Crowd concerns aside, many just didn’t enjoy the performance. The crowd and music combo led to a mass exodus. Jess, Vic Uni’s Student President, said that so many people left halfway through the set that the venue saw “our longest line for coat check, ever” during a performance.
Complaints from Otago students ranged from “the most cringe gig ever” to “generally flaccid”, but a common theme was the overall lack of energy and care on stage from the artist. “To be fair, the crowd wasn’t giving him much to work with,” said Hannah, who was interrupted by her friend: “Yeah, but like, that’s his job. He would get like halfway through a song and then just stop.”
“I’ve never seen a performer look more plastered in my life,” said one front-row first-year. Others in the front row had a different sort of interaction with Gravy, including one girl who he repeatedly pointed to, before saying that he was going to “fuck [her] tonight”, and then pointing to a boy next to her and saying, “Gimme that guy’s bitch, I’m gonna fuck that guy’s bitch tonight.” Yung Gravy also complained, several times, that the Dunedin audience was lamer than the Christchurch audience, and then prefaced a song by saying, “This one’s for all the Asian bitches.” Class act.
The “generally shit vibes” of the night were enough to send attendees packing in droves, leading one unnamed event volunteer to say that “it’s good to see that the students can tell when something’s tasteless.” Sophie was at the gig and said that, while Gravy “just seems like a wanker”, she didn’t reckon that it was OUSA’s fault, who booked the artist. “I don’t think there’s anything on OUSA’s part. Absolutely not. You don’t know what someone is gonna be like on stage until they’re there.”