Beyond The Stage Magazine
Beyond The Stage Magazine
Kehlani performs onstage at the Oakland Arena in her hometown.
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PHOTOS: Kehlani – Oakland, CA – 9/30/22

Dana Jacobs

R&B darling and Oakland native Kehlani closed out their Blue Water Roadtrip tour with a joyous, star-studded hometown show at Oakland Arena.

Rarely are there shows where anticipation is so palpably felt throughout a venue that an entire audience buzzes before the performer even takes the stage–yet Kehlani’s hometown show was most certainly one of these. From the moment fans began to spill into the arena, an undeniable hum of excitement built as the crowd awaited their star. The electricity of the room surged as the tour preview, featuring an endearing interaction with Kehlani’s daughter on the tour bus, rolled and the exalted performer entered the stage under a single spotlight.

Kehlani performs onstage at the Oakland Arena in Oakland, CA.

Such energy maintained throughout the night, from opening song “little story” to crowd favorites like “Honey” and “Toxic”. The emotional return was clearly felt onstage, with the singer sharing “I don’t wanna cry this early,” as tears welled in her eyes. The touching display highlighted the importance of selling out the arena for Kehlani, who hadn’t performed in their hometown since her 2017 tour at The Fox Theater.

The show continued as a love letter to the Bay, with San Francisco rapper Larry June joining to perform “Smoothies in 1991”. The biggest surprise of the night was undoubtedly a guest performance by Ciara, igniting a veritable Oakland dance party to “1, 2 Step” and “Goodies”.

Kehlani in Oakland, CA

 

Dana Jacobs
djacobs@beyondthestagemagazine.com
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Dana Jacobs

Dana Jacobs has been a contributing photographer for Beyond the Stage since 2019. As a current physical therapy graduate student, photography is her preferred way to maintain sanity between classes and exams. When she's not studying or shooting a live show, Dana can be found listening to true crime podcasts and petting the nearest pup. Her favorite bands include Bastille, Panic! at the Disco, and The 1975.