From the line outside the Ogden Theater to the inside of the venue, the crowd was full of dedicated fans from a seemingly endless range of demographics. Some fans new, some fans old, but all filled with excitement to finally share a room with their favorite artist.
Tyler made his appearance at the Ogden Theater from behind the curtains of a raised platform on the stage, opening with the introspective and inspiring “Where This Flower Blooms” to set the tone for the rest of his performance. Whether he was performing the explosively rebellious “Deathcamp” or his nocturnal but smooth “She,” it was easy to see that, for the vast majority of those in attendance, this was much more than a typical concert.
Whether they were singing along with Tyler to songs like “IFHY” or rapping word for word with him on highly energetic tracks like “Who Dat Boy“‘ and “I Ain’t Got Time!,” the crowd was doing more than just displaying their memorization skills, they were sharing a common connection to Tyler’s music with each other.
Tyler, The Creator is known to have a very dedicated fan base and it showed on Wednesday night. Plenty audience members were wearing pieces from Tyler, The Creator’s own clothing brand, Golf Wang to exemplify their support for the artist and one fan even brought vinyls of Tyler’s “Goblin“, “Cherry Bomb,” and “Bastard,” Tyler’s very first tape/album. Whether I was in line for the show or inside the theater waiting for the performance to start, constant conversations between fans about their love for the artist were taking place. And when the show was on, all that energy gathered from before was instantaneously thrown towards Tyler in a mass display of love for what his music has done for them over the years.
Tyler ended his set at the Ogden with the fast paced and sentimental love song “See You Again” that sent a clear message to his fans. Although he was gone, there was an unspoken expression between both Tyler and his fans that although things had come to an end, he would be back for them again later. Tyler then quietly exited the stage and the crowd turned into an uproar of complete satisfaction with their experience.
As a long time fan of Tyler, The Creator, I left the venue with an even deeper appreciation for the artist and my lasting connection with his music that I’ve had for years now. I strongly recommend fans of his who could not make it on Wednesday to jump at the next opportunity they get to see him, for it was an experience that I will never forget and will always appreciate.
Collegian reporter Miles Parrish can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.
