Awhile back, I wrote that in order to really garner excitement, Summerfest needed to book OutKast. Once announced, excitement started to build. I purchased my tickets just under an hour after they went on sale. I had anticipations that this would be one of the best concerts I had ever been to. In short, I set the bar incredibly high for OutKast’s reunion at the Marcus Amphitheater. Honestly, in a lot of ways, I set myself up for disappointment by having sky-high expectations.

To my excitement, OutKast buried my expectations. The show began with a slow, intricate, and very artistic opening. Finally, as the crowd waited with baited breath, OutKast broke into B.O.B., a fan favorite and an incredibly dynamic and spirited way to begin the show. It set the trend for the evening: energy. Immediately, the crowd danced and sang and the Marcus became almost too hot and sweaty to bear. Just when it seemed like maybe there would be a downside to the show, about 5 songs in, a truly merciful breeze blew in off of Lake Michigan. It may have cooled off the audience, but it didn’t come close to cooling off Andre 3000 and Big Boi. There probably wasn’t anything that could have.

Thinking about the show about a week after, I still can’t find anything to critique. Their setlist was gold; an artfully classic blend of their big hits such as Ms. Jackson, Roses, B.O.B., The Way You Move, and, of course, Hey Ya!, as well as throwbacks such as ATLiens and Hootie Hoo. The crowd was an involved and excited as any crowd I’ve ever been a part of. The weather, especially once the breeze blew in, was cooperative. It was the kind of night the shows just why Milwaukeeans love Summerfest so much. Plus, when compared to the cost of other large music festivals, tickets were very affordable. Hype often gives way to disappointment, but OutKast was certainly an outlier in this case.