Kendrick Lamar and SZA light up Birmingham with a dazzling Grand National Tour stop

Highlights:

• Kendrick Lamar and SZA brought their record-breaking Grand National Tour to Birmingham’s Villa Park on Thursday night.
• The three-hour set featured solo performances, visual spectacles, and crowd-favourite duets like All the Stars and Gloria.
• Kendrick arrived on stage in his signature GNX, delivering fiery performances from To Pimp a Butterfly, DAMN., and his latest album GNX.
• SZA stunned with hits from CTRL and SOS, transforming the stage into a fantasy landscape with high-energy vocals and choreography.

Two of the biggest names in rap and R&B, Kendrick Lamar and SZA, brought their much-anticipated Grand National Tour to Birmingham’s Villa Park on Thursday night, turning the historic stadium into a special musical experience. The pair, who previously wowed the world during this year’s Super Bowl halftime show, performed a mix of solo tracks and duets across a three-hour set that left fans exhilarated.

The Grand National Tour, which has already broken records as the highest-grossing co-headline tour in history, continued its momentum in the UK. Following performances in Glasgow, Kendrick and SZA proved once again why they remain at the forefront of global music.

Kendrick Lamar and SZA commands the stage at Villa Park during his explosive opening setInstagram/grandnationaltour

Lamar kicks off with raw energy and lyrical precision

Kendrick Lamar opened the show with Wacced Out Murals, emerging in a black Buick GNX, the same car featured on the cover of his latest album. From the first beat, he commanded the crowd with his sharp delivery and intense presence. Tracks like King Kunta, Element, and DNA sent waves of energy through the crowd, while his Grammy-winning Drake diss Not Like Us received one of the loudest receptions of the night.

Even with rapid-fire verses and complex lyricism, Lamar’s performance never faltered. The audience often struggled to keep pace with his delivery, but the enthusiasm never waned. His storytelling, stage presence, and the layered visuals, many in stark black and white, set a powerful tone.

SZA brings magic, melody, and movement

After Kendrick’s solo set, SZA joined the stage with *30 for 30*, marking the first of many seamless transitions between the two artists. Dressed in flowing ensembles that matched her dreamlike set design, complete with vines, dancers in insect-like costumes, and even a pair of wings for Nobody Gets Me, she took fans through her evolving discography.

From older favourites like Love Galore and Broken Clocks to newer tracks off SOS Deluxe like Scorsese Baby Daddy and Kitchen, SZA showcased her growth as a performer. Her vocals were pitch-perfect, even when altered from the studio versions, and her choreography added a new layer to her emotive style.

Duets deliver some of the night’s biggest moments

The moments where Kendrick and SZA shared the stage proved the most unforgettable. Their rendition of All the Stars, performed on rising platforms against a golden sunset, felt almost cinematic. Fans roared as Kendrick asked, “You feeling the energy?” and SZA followed up with, “You feeling the love?”

Later, the pair closed with Luther and Gloria, the latter acting as a fitting tribute to their mutual respect as artists and collaborators. While some audience members left early to beat the traffic, those who stayed were rewarded with a moving finale.

Logistics, crowd vibes, and the Villa Park experience

Doors opened at 4:30 pm, with support from DJ Mustard warming up the crowd under the July sun. Roads around the venue were closed off, and fans were advised to take public transport or shuttle services due to limited parking. Security was tight, with bag checks and restrictions on items like food, drink, and umbrellas.

Despite some sound quality issues and occasional sightline problems due to the stage layout, the energy in the stadium never dropped. The crowd, a mix of longtime fans and younger newcomers, remained vocal and engaged throughout.