Wearing a pink suit with one red sleeve and one red pant leg, a pair of white sunglasses and an iconic blonde wig, Tyler, the Creator took the stage at a sold-out Madison Square Garden last Thursday to perform as part of his “IGOR” tour. The night was exactly what a fan of the performer would hope for: a concert packed with energy and variety. 

 GoldLink and Jaden Smith opened the show. GoldLink engaged the audience with the smooth, catchy rhythms of songs like “Zulu Screams” and “Crew.” Though not as versatile a performer as Jaden or Tyler, he started the night on a high note.

Not long after, Jaden — with bleached hair and gold grills — gave a solo-concert-worthy opening show, performing songs from both 2017’s “SYRE” and 2019’s “ERYS.” Mid-song, he shaved half of his head with an electric razor, leaving a clump of blond hair on the stage. His opening act came to an end as he was joined by his sister Willow Smith onstage to sing one of the final songs, a sweet moment shared between the two under one of the world’s biggest spotlights.

Finally, it was time for Tyler to take the stage. Backed by a metallic silver backdrop, he stood dead center dressed as his awkward, eccentric and funny persona, “IGOR.” The aptly-named “IGOR’S THEME” played along in the background.

Amidst the screams of the crowd, “IGOR’S THEME” slowly faded into “I THINK” and the main act began with a bang. 

Despite Tyler being the only person on stage for the majority of the performance, the night was never boring thanks to his wild dancing and irreverent side comments. Toward the end of the concert, he pulled out a red inhaler to take a quick puff before going back to dancing. 

Tyler sat down at a white grand piano to play an instrumental version of “EARFQUAKE” as the crowd sang along. After playing the instrumental version, Tyler told the crowd that directly before the concert, his music label surprised him with his first platinum record, which was awarded to the viral song. Of course, it wouldn’t be Tyler if he didn’t call out Justin Bieber in the process, saying that he was a “stupid b-tch” for not taking the song when Tyler first wrote it. 

The concert hit its true peak later in the night when the much anticipated song “Who Dat Boy,” from Tyler’s 2017 release “Flower Boy,” finally played. Accompanied by a mix of flames and the occasional firework, the combined energy of Tyler and the mosh pits that formed on the floor was almost unimaginable. Then A$AP Rocky came out. The already loud arena roared as the two put on an incredible performance for the fan-favorite song. The night mellowed at its conclusion with an audience wide sing-along of the final song, “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?”

In terms of pure energy, the concert did not disappoint. With consistent performances from each act and plenty of crowd-pleasing moments, Tyler, the Creator reaffirmed his status as one of the most interesting and engaging performers of this decade.

Email Madeline Lyskawa at [email protected].