When the Moshpit is Too Toxic
The Sights, Smells, and Sounds of the ANTAGONIST 2.0 Tour by Charlie Kohl B’29published on November 22nd, 2025
The Sights, Smells, and Sounds of the ANTAGONIST 2.0 Tour by Charlie Kohl B’29published on November 22nd, 2025
When I bought a ticket to see Playboi Carti, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I knew that he likes to wear black, he’s somewhat of a deadbeat dad (allegedly), and that any song with him and Lil Uzi Vert on it was going to be a hit. I also knew that I enjoyed I AM MUSIC, Carti’s latest album. Just look at Kendrick Lamar’s poeticism on “MOJO JOJO.” Kendrick states,
“Ay Carti, I need that Back to the Future Carti
I need that full alien Carti
I need that beep, beep, beep, beep
Extra terrestrial Carti, you know
Hmm, just like that, Carti, you know
Hmm, just like that, Carti.”
Chills. Just chills.
But, as I found out, many Carti fans don’t go to the concerts to listen to the music. Carti and crew just sort of stood up on stage, waving flashlights around, while Carti occasionally rapped a few lyrics over a backing track. The music was really loud, and I quickly activated my acoustic reflex (shoutout Neuro 0010). Honestly, I also don’t know many Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely, Homixide Gang, or Apollo Red songs. This was of no matter, however, as, in the words of Carti,
“Uh, the moshpit real toxic.”
Believe me, there were plenty of moshpits at the Antagonist 2.0 tour, but I don’t believe that Jordan Carter knew the irony behind the aforementioned lyric. The moshpits were, in fact, toxic. On more than one occasion, I had to move due to the stench of a Vamp (name for 00pium fans - the name of Carti’s label). I couldn’t be too mad about the stench, though. It was hot, people were getting into the music, and sweat was inevitable. I didn’t spend any time attempting to hypothesize what odor could be attacking my nose; I just moved and continued jumping up and down.
Smells aside, you see some crazy sights in the pits at a Carti concert (could be an overgeneralization, but I imagine Boston isn’t an outlier here). First of all, it was at least 90 percent dudes. At least 5-10 percent of them had their shirts off, and they had an array of interesting recording devices: a Supreme keychain camera the size of a TicTac box, a Nintendo 3DS (pictured below), and even a bona fide Chromebook. The man with the Chromebook was chased down by event security, and I didn’t see any more of the Chromebook after that. However, I do applaud him for finding a way to get that into TD Garden. Many people were decked out in all black, wearing eyeshadow, a look that Carti sometimes goes for, matching the “Opium Aesthetic”. I even had the pleasure of watching a middle-aged man mosh to “FEIN,” which brought a smile to my face.
Courtesy of Charlie Kohl
To sum it all up, I had a great time at the Antagonist 2.0 tour. There was plenty to complain about if you’re into that sort of thing, but if you’re a fan of Playboi Carti, Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely, Homixide Gang, or Apollo Red, and honestly, even if you’re not, you could have a great time at this concert. Personally, I don’t think I’d go again anytime soon. One night was enough. But if you get the chance to go, get ready for sights, sounds, and smells you wouldn’t believe.