On April 1, I got to see Tyler, the Creator’s Chromakopia Tour live in Washington, D.C.’s Capital One Arena, and it was a very incredible, energetic and emotional performance.
The night kicked off with opening sets by Paris Texas and Lil Yachty. While I didn’t know much about Paris Texas before the night, they blew me away. The two-man group from California mixes rap with punk-rock energy, and the crowd fed off it immediately. Even if the crowd didn’t know all the lyrics, their energy was more than enough to fuel the audience.
Lil Yachty came on next, and his performance proved he wasn’t just a talented artist. He played a mix of his newer experimental stuff and older classics that had the whole stadium jumping. He was also surprisingly hilarious, cracking jokes between songs and interacting with the crowd in a natural, funny way. Both openers brought a lot of energy, and it made sense why Tyler picked them.
That said, both performances couldn’t compare to what came next. You could tell the crowd was reserving most of their energy for Tyler – and for good reason.
When the time came, the lights dimmed, and the whole place erupted. Everyone’s phones flew up as the lights focused on a massive green shipping container with the logo “CHROMAKOPIA.” The opening track of the Chromakopia album “St. Chroma” began to play, featuring a voiceover from Tyler’s mother saying, “You are the light. It’s not on you, it’s in you.”
Tyler emerged, marching in place, dressed in a full military uniform and mask reminiscent of the album’s artwork and music videos. When the lyrics of “St Chroma” reached the intense line “Can you feel the fire,” pyrotechnics flared up behind him.
The performance was multisensory, filled with stunning visual effects, dynamic props and carefully choreographed sequences. Midway through the first Chromakopia set, a catwalk descended from the ceiling, and Tyler performed “Sticky” along with two other tracks, making his way to a secondary stage on the other side of the arena.
During “Sticky,” he surprised the audience by making it rain real dollar bills, sending the crowd into a frenzy. This secondary stage was designed to resemble a living room, complete with a couch and record player, creating an intimate atmosphere.
Tyler took a seat, engaged in a candid conversation with the audience, expressing his admiration for D.C., and sharing that this was the final performance in this leg of his tour. He reminisced about his first concert in D.C., attended by around 200 people, and extended heartfelt gratitude to his fans and crew, acknowledging everyone from sound engineering to stage builders:
“But seriously, I know I’m up here as the cool, good-skin, hot, super-talented musician, […] but truly, from sound, to grit, to lighting, to the people that build the stage, to everyone that’s on the crew that help put this s*** together […] thank you.”
In this living room setup, Tyler sifted through a stack of records, including his own albums like IGOR, Goblin, Wolf, Call Me If You Get Lost, Cherry Bomb and Flower Boy, as well as notable albums from other artists, such as Erykah Badu’s Baduizm and Outkast’s Stankonia; he referred to them as some of the best albums ever created, encouraging his audience to “give them a listen.” He performed snippets of songs from each of his past albums, taking them out of the crate and playing them on the record player, offering the audience a retrospective journey through his musical evolution.
After this nostalgic interlude, Tyler returned to the main stage to conclude the Chromakopia setlist, also including fan favorites like “See You Again” and “NEW MAGIC WAND.” The performance of “Balloon” was particularly memorable, featuring sparks from the ceiling and video footage of Doechii’s segments displayed through various colorful filters on the large screens, adding to the song’s energy.
The audience’s attire reflected Tyler’s eclectic fashion sense, with many dressed in dress-casual styles, mixing button-ups with baggy pants, a nod to his aesthetic seen in various music videos. Fans also rocked merchandise from his GOLF le FLEUR* brand, showcasing their support and admiration.
Overall, attending Tyler, the Creator’s Chromakopia Tour was an unforgettable experience. While I was surprised he didn’t perform some popular songs like “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS,” “WILSHIRE” and “BEST INTEREST,” the curated setlist, blending new tracks from his Chromakopia album with beloved classics, left me thoroughly satisfied. Tyler’s ability to craft an immersive concert experience is a testament to his artistry and evolution as a performer.
By Kiran Singh
