Grammy award winning writer/producer/recording artist Tyler, The Creator pulled into Austin, Texas for two nights on the “CHROMAKOPIA” world tour and I was fortunate enough to attend on night two. 

Doors opened at 6:30 p.m. and the first of two opening acts, Paris Texas, took the stage soon after. Admittedly, I missed the majority of their set as I found the speakers incredibly loud and left my seat almost immediately to purchase some noise-canceling ear plugs from a vending machine type contraption for $15.

From what I did hear though, their set was decent, full of energy and got the crowd warmed up nicely for the semi-main event of the evening: Lil Yachty. 

Yachty took the stage a little past 8:00 p.m. and immediately played a few tracks that I had never heard in my life. His autotune was so cranked up on his mic that I could not make out a word he said either and for the first time in my life I felt a kinship with older generations who complain of not being to understand what the young kids are listening to. 

Thankfully, he eventually played some songs I did know. He played some newer material off of his 2023 project “Let’s Start Here.” He asked for a moment of silence for Juice WRLD that was interrupted almost immediately and the perpetrators were rightfully jeered and shamed. 

The highlight of his set for me was “drive ME crazy!” which was the newest song he played that the majority of the crowd knew the words to which made it that much better. 

After some final goodbyes and “thank you for being heres,” Yachty left the stage to thunderous applause. 

The wait was now on for the main event of the evening and the reason me and my companions traveled almost ten hours across state lines: Tyler, The Creator. 

A few minutes past 9:30 p.m., the lights went out and a large shipping container emblazoned with “CHROMAKOPIA” began to rise and “St. Chroma” began to ring out. 

Tyler was clad in uniform and face mask with his hair spiked, stomping in rhythm to the beat as the Moody Center erupted. 

It would not quite do the magnificence of the show justice to simply recount the songs that were performed, but it is no exaggeration to say that this was the greatest live show I have ever been to. 

The majority of the tracks obviously came from “CHROMAKOPIA” but each of Tyler’s albums was represented in the set-list apart from “Cherry Bomb.”

Some highlights were “WUSYANAME” performed on a catwalk and the entire arena harmonizing with Frank Ocean’s verse on “She.” 

The entire performance was superb from song selection to choreography to crowd engagement. The whole arena was on their feet for the entire set and there was not one dull moment to speak of. 

Tyler is truly a once in a generation talent so it came as no surprise that his live show is a once in a lifetime experience. 

If you get the chance, go see this man live, no matter how far you have to drive, fly, swim or walk, you will not be disappointed. 

Categories: Arts & Entertainment