One of Taylor Bennett’s qualities that draws new fans is his transparency, as he is never afraid to show his human strengths and flaws. Coming out as bisexual on Twitter in 2016, Bennett has always been honest with his fans, assuring them that it’s okay to be yourself.

Bennett’s authentic persona was on full display at The Shelter on March 5, while he performed his “Restoration of an American Idol” tour in front of an energetic crowd with a handful of entertaining guests before him.

Opening the show was Curtis Roach, an 18-year-old hip-hop artist from Detroit. Roach started the show by grabbing the microphone, jumping onto the stage and saying, “Y’all don’t know who I am but we’re about to have some fun.”

Roach was able to get the crowd going, getting them to sing along as he performed one of his most popular songs “Slyb.” His last song “Extra Friez” proved that Roach not only is able to get the listener into the mood, but he also can turn up any room he enters.

Following Roach’s hometown performance were Chicago artists Melo Makes Music and Kami.

Melo began with his single “Sleepless,” although Bennett didn’t perform his verse on the collaboration. Melo’s sound, as he describes it on as his website, is a mix of “Grunge Hip-Hop and R&B Style.”

Kami was next on the microphone, and his experience as both a vocalist as well as a performer was evident from the first song of his setlist to the last. In the midst of his impressive performance, he gave a shout out to his former hip-hop collective called “Savemoney,” which featured prevalent artists today such as Towkio, Vic Mensa, Chance the Rapper and more.

While all of the opening performances were fun and entertaining, the crowd eventually grew eager to see Bennett perform. His highly anticipated entrance came with one of his most upbeat and uplifting songs, “Neon Lights,” which shows off both his lyrical genius combined with the incredible flow that he is known for.  

After Bennett’s opening track, he made it clear to the audience this was not going to be “just any rap show.” He told the crowd he prefers a more intimate relationship with fans, and that he not only is going to rap some songs, but he’s also going to let them get to know him better. Fortunately for the large turnout, Bennett did a lot of that through his music.

He explained that in 2017, he quickly became sick and found out that he had blood clots in his lungs. Bennett mentioned that he is fortunate to have gone through that experience, as it led him to write “New York Nights.” The emotional track made the audience feel closer to him, as his lines state “I’m too young for blood clots/ too young for mug shots/ too old for breakdowns.”

After performing nearly every track off his newest album, combined with many of his classics, Bennett ended the show with his newest single, “Minimum Wage.” Afterward, he stayed by the merchandise table, taking pictures and signing autographs with every fan in attendance. His ability to engage the audience while performing such articulate verses demonstrates that Bennett is not to be overlooked.