On May 29, rapper Kendrick Lamar and R&B artist SZA visited San Francisco for their “Grand National Tour,” transforming a sold-out Oracle Park into a mythic stage for a sprawling, nearly three-hour performance that felt more like a musical odyssey than a typical tour stop. With over 45 songs, rich visual storytelling and masterful transitions across nine “acts,” the show honored Lamar and SZA’s individual artistry while showcasing the magic that happens when two cultural giants share a stage.
Claiming a spot in the audience wasn’t easy. In the days leading up to the concert, resale prices soared, with floor seats sometimes surpassing $1,000 a ticket. Hoping for a miracle at the box office, some Stanford students made the trek to San Francisco without tickets at all — and, impressively, were rewarded with last-minute seats. Others had purchased tickets months ago when the tour was first announced.
“That was the first time I ever won a Ticketmaster battle,” said Sara Simoni ’26. “And I couldn’t have picked a better concert.”
“We literally went to SF with no tickets,” Thrisha Senthilnathan ’25 said. “Just took the Caltrain for the vibes.” After nearly spending $450 on lower level seats (the transaction failed due to weak Wi-Fi), Senthilnathan and her group walked past Oracle Park and saw a line at the box office.
“We ended up waiting in line for over an hour and somehow got the last floor seats of the night for $232 in one of the best spots,” Senthilnathan said. “It was so insane. My life has changed.”
Once the show began, it became clear acquiring tickets was entirely worth the hassle. “Grand National Tour” was just one of those performances that stays with you.
The show ignited with Lamar’s “wacced out murals.” Bursts of fire and fireworks shot into the air in a literal and sonic signal that this wasn’t going to be a slow burn. Kendrick emerged beneath a black-and-white screen, flanked by a sleek Buick Grand National — a powerful nod to the stark minimalism of his newest album “GNX.” Songs like “squabble up” and “tv off ” felt stripped-down yet intense in a focused opening that demanded attention.
Act II began with the smooth, syncopated tones of “30 for 30,” one of Kendrick and SZA’s newer hits. Bridging the energy between sets, Lamar’s handoff to SZA felt more like a shared breath than a transition. SZA’s stage resembled a surreal dreamscape — an earthy, alien world of vines, insects and iridescent colors pulled straight from the “SOS (Deluxe): Lana” aesthetic. With tracks like “Love Galore,” “Broken Clocks” and “The Weekend,” she invited the audience into her evolving sonic garden. At one point, she straddled a large fake insect. The staging was an acquired taste, but by the end, it made complete sense. SZA wasn’t just singing a set but building a new world before the audience’s eye.
Act III marked Lamar’s return. He didn’t ease in — he detonated, opening with “Euphoria,” the track that took over the internet during his headline-making May 2024 diss battle with Drake. From there, the act surged in energy. “Backseat Freestyle,” “family ties,” “Swimming Pools (Drank),” “m.A.A.d city” and “Alright” comprised my favorite stretch of the night, a stretch that felt like pure release. The crowd rapped along — lyric for lyric, bar for bar — like the songs had lived in them for years. Flames pulsed and arms flew up. It was a communion of sweat, sound and spirit.
Lamar and SZA traded the stage without ever letting the energy dip. There were no long monologues, no filler. They mostly let the music speak for itself, apart from a few shoutouts to “San Fran.”
“This arena feels different,” SZA mused at one point. “Or, is it that San Fran feels different?”
The crowd roared in response — one of the few precious, unscripted moments in an otherwise beautifully curated and uninterrupted night.
“I think this concert was especially satisfying because of how they structured it compared to the album. Starting off with ‘wacced out murals’ and wrapping up with ‘gloria’ felt like appropriate bookends to the setlist considering that’s how GNX itself was constructed,” said Carson Trail ’24.
“I also liked how SZA and Kendrick alternated, but still had distinct, separated, well-transitioned components of their sets,” Trail said. “I think they covered all their bases. I don’t think anybody was left wishing they had played a certain track when they didn’t.”
The show’s emotional peak came in Act V, when the duo reunited for “All the Stars” and other hit collaborations. Midway through the track, thousands of phone flashlights lit up the stadium unprompted — a spontaneous sea of light that illuminated Oracle Park amid the dark night sky.
Kendrick’s Act VI kept the hits coming, from “DNA” and “Poetic Justice” to a mashup of “Count Me Out” and “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe.” SZA returned in Act VII with an emotional medley of her own: “Kill Bill,” “Nobody Gets Me” and “Good Days.” Her voice — light, sharp and unfiltered — floated over the crowd.
“I was impressed by how long of a set it was,” said Andrew Mancini ’25. “And beyond just good music, the fact that Kendrick and SZA were trading the stage the whole night kept it going pretty fast.”
Act VIII exploded with “N95” and Kendrick’s newest, “Not Like Us.” Just when it seemed the night had reached its peak, DJ Mustard joined Kendrick on stage for the second half of “tv off.” Their chemistry was immediate and electric, reinforcing the collaborative spirit that had shaped the entire show.
And finally, in Act IX, the duo returned for “luther” and “gloria.” There were no goodbyes, no drawn-out farewells. Just a quiet descent. Kendrick and SZA slipped into the Buick Grand National and disappeared beneath the stage — a cinematic curtain call that spoke louder than words.
For those of us in the crowd — whether we came for the classics or the chaos, the mosh pits or the memories — it was a night that reminded us that music isn’t just something we hear. It’s something we carry with us, long after the lights go out.