Concert Review: Tyler, The Creator’s CHROMAKOPIA
Photo: BrandoWinn via Reddit r/tylerthecreator
I discovered Tyler, the Creator in the summer of 2013 when my college-aged babysitter left her car running with one of his songs, “Tamale,” playing. Seven-year-old me knew it was music meant for “big kids,” but I couldn’t help feeling drawn to its magnetism. Since then, I’ve been a fan. Unfortunately, every time Tyler has toured, I’ve either been too young, too far from a venue, or bought tickets only to have to sell them later. This time, though, everything was perfect. My spring break matched up perfectly with his Austin, Texas, tour dates, coincidentally one of my favorite cities for its music scene.
The Openers: Paris Texas and Lil Yachty:
The line to get into the venue was insanely long, so I missed most of Paris Texas's set. But from what I did hear, they were incredible. I walked in as they played “NüWhip,” and I was instantly hooked. I love that they joked about Austin night two being better than night one (obviously), and they closed with “Everybody’s Safe Until…” which is a wild mix of rock and alt-rap. Consider me a new fan.
After a quick 15-minute break (during which I took selfies with my mom, just like everyone else), Lil Yachty took the stage. I had seen him perform at Austin City Limits a few years ago, and I was hoping he’d play more from his 2023 album, and my personal favorite, Let’s Start Here, which he did! He also threw it back to 2016 with “iSpy” and “Broccoli” (hello, elementary school), which I happily screamed at the top of my lungs. At one point, he said that Tyler, the Creator fans were the best-dressed out of any artist he’s seen before, and I laughed because he was correct, of course.
The Crowd:
Although I’ve been to a few music festivals and smaller venues in Austin, this was my first time at the Moody Center. The crowd was just as electric and personable here as anywhere else. After Yachty’s set, we had about a 25-minute intermission, during which fans chanted for Tyler, groaned every time another song played over the speakers instead of him coming out, and did the wave across the entire arena for a solid 10 minutes.
The Main Act:
Tyler kicked things off in his signature CHROMAKOPIA green jumpsuit and mask, performing the first few songs from the album, including “St. Chroma,” “Rah Tah Tah,” and “NOID.” He stood atop bright green storage containers, and when “Sticky” came on, a platform lowered, moving him over to the B-stage. The screens displayed HBCU dancers and marching bands (an obvious nod to the inspiration behind the song's arrangement), which was a really cool touch. The mosh pit went absolutely feral while Tyler threw dollar bills into the crowd, which, I’m sure, for many was a highlight of the night. My mom kept pointing at the pit and saying, “Lillian, we would have died if you had chosen pit tickets.” And honestly? She’s right.
When Tyler moved to the B-stage, he changed out of his mask and suit and put on a regular, everyday fit. The stage felt super close to my seats, and it was like we were just vibing in his living room, playing music and dancing. He then played my mom’s favorite song, “EARFQUAKE,” and I’ll never forget her dancing and singing along. In one of my videos, you can even hear her yell, “Oh, this is my favorite!”
I loved the personable set and vinyl record setup, where he’d choose an album and drop the needle to play a song. It got the crowd hyped, and people were cheering and chanting for their favorite albums to be chosen. When “Tamale” finally played, I got a little emotional. It’s funny because it’s probably one of Tyler’s least emotional songs, but for me, it’s where it all started. Hearing older tracks from the albums WOLF and GOBLIN brought me right back to downloading his music onto my iPod Touch.
To transition back to the mainstage, he performed “Who Dat Boy,” and the crowd lost it. Jumping, screaming, and singing, it was all pure chaos in the best way. To close out the night, he ran through some more CHROMAKOPIA hits, including “Like Him” and “Thought I Was Dead,” along with classics like “See You Again” and “WUSYANAME” from Flower Boy and CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, respectively. Before taking a final bow to “I Hope You Find Your Way Home,” my favorite part of the night was his performance of “Balloon,” which was complete with images of Doechii rapping her verses on the big screen, bright colors flashing across the arena, and a fountain of sparklers raining behind Tyler.
Final Thoughts:
This was a dream-come-true concert for me. To see a genuine music genius perform his craft in front of me was something I will never forget. From the visuals to the setlist, vocals, and crowd energy, I’d rate it a 10/10. Some critics of Austin night two claimed that Tyler didn’t interact with the crowd as much as he usually does, but honestly? Artists don’t owe us any interaction. They’re already giving us an incredible performance, and expecting more than that, or worse, feeling entitled to more, is a little parasocial. Listen to Tyler’s songs “Colossus” and “NOID,” and you’ll understand how he feels about parasocial relationships. I can’t wait to see what Tyler, the Creator, does next.