Amway Center Show in Orlando, by Sarah Kinbar
Tyler, the Creator is a study in contrasts, at once impossibly bougie whilst also a person of the people. His March 18th concert at Amway Center in Orlando reflected both.
Known for his fantastical sets, Tyler (or Ace, Goblin, Blox, Wolf, Thurnis Haley, Tron Cat, Samuel, Dj Stank Daddy, or however you identify him) has not disappointed on the Call Me If You Get Lost tour. The show kicked off with Tyler pulling up to a traditional Provincial-style house in a chauffeured Rolls Royce. He carried luggage and wore clothing from his très chic Golf le Fleur line. After a few songs, he ported over to the second stage via a swank Chris-Craft customized boat, where he stepped into a grassy garden that echoed the designs of the masterful Dutch landscape architect Piet Oudolf.
From the German car and French villa to the Dutch garden and very exclusive American boat, Tyler transformed the unattainable into mere toys. He skipped, stomped, and pranced about childishly yet brilliantly, converting an entire stadium into a playground, and invited us to play along. The audience, largely Gen Z in makeup, was more than happy to engage.
16-year-old Nathalie Bermudez was anxious every day for months, ever since she bought her ticket in July. “I just wanted to be there already. I’ve been listening to him since middle school and had never seen him live before.”
Bermudez was overcome with emotion at the show, especially when Tyler performed the alternate version of 911/Mr. Lonely.
“I love the intro. No one knows it and I know it, but I really, that like really got me high,” she said.
Another happy surprise was the inclusion of Boyfriend in the setlist. Not to be found on any music streaming channels, Tyler only put it on YouTube. This deep cut lit the fans up.
His setlist was packed with signals that only true fans would recognize. That feeling of specialness, the spoken and unspoken communication with the audience, is one element that made Orlando one of Tyler’s “top three shows,” as he said. He definitely fucks with Orlando – the fans felt it and the back-and-forth dialectic built up through the night to a fever pitch.
He also located himself in Orlando by telling stories of his experiences while he was in town. There was the racist white man outside mowing his lawn, giving Tyler the stink eye as he passed by.
But the story that hooked everyone was about his visit earlier that day to Baskin-Robbins. An employee lamented that her ex-boyfriend had promised her ticket away to another friend after they broke up.
Tyler explained to the audience, “So whatever, she’s freaking out. I guess she text him like, ‘You bitch ass n***a, Tyler, the Creator here buying ice cream.’ So I’m like, ‘Fuck, okay, that’s sick.’ She’s giving me my shake, and this big doofy doop fuck just walks in and he’s looking at me. And she’s like, ‘That’s him, that’s the n***a that dumped me.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh!’ … His name’s Andrew. if you’re here Andrew, you a bitch. I don’t know where the fuck the n***a at.”
The good news is that Tyler insisted that Andrew text the ticket to the Baskin-Robbins employee immediately so she could go to the show. The audience ate this up, and screamed in celebration when an hour later, Tyler closed the show, shouting, “Fuck you, Andrew!”
The impact of his storytelling was deep. Tyler showed his devotion to his fans while painting a picture of himself doing normal people things in Orlando, like going to get ice cream. He was also spotted locally at Target and Starbucks. As fabulous as his Golf le Fleur lifestyle is, he’s still a regular guy. Accessible. Real.
17-year-old Mario Sosa was delighted by Tyler’s Florida-themed freestyle on “See You Again” – “although it’s a little unfair to pick a favorite song from the show because his entire set was so amazing. This was my first concert ever. (His) amazing albums have built the soundtrack of my life.”
Catch a glimpse of the artist on stage in Orlando: