One of the most abstract and absurd individuals on the face of the planet, Tyler, The Creator has elevated his artistry from the brash, brambly angst of a 19-year-old kid, to masterful execution of delivery, sonic profile, and intention. His ongoing Call Me If You Get Lost Tour is a testament to his continual growth – the lavish setting indicative of his accrued accolades, telling his story through decadent interactivity and the energy his fans have come to adore.
March 7th's Call Me If You Get Lost Tour stop in Washington D.C. was a visual marvel. Alongside opening act Teezo Touchdown, friends and frequent collaborators Vince Staples and Kali Uchis made incredible contributions to the festivities. Vince performed a condensed setlist of his 2021 self-titled album, sprinkling in beloved hit records like "Norf Norf" and "Fun!." His delivery was incredibly crisp, opting to stand as the primary vocals for the vast majority of the time, relying on track backing to a minimal degree. An excellent intro to the show from an energetic standpoint, the fans were on the edge of their seats and buzzing from this point forward.
Kali graced the stage for a longer duration, to the tune of an absolutely dazzling red ensemble and beauteous visual effects. Her setlist included album cuts such as "de nadie," "la luz(Fin)," and "i want war (BUT I NEED PEACE)." She blew the roof off the building with some of her megahits and Grammy award-winning tracks like "Drugs and Hella Melodies" and "After The Storm." A strong emphasis was placed on storytelling through choreography, as her dancers (donning all black) acted as foreground focal points at some junctions and literal shadows in others. It was a delight to the senses, as the intense saturation and tones fit her discography, while the stunning crimson robe complimented her appearance.
With his affiliates putting on difficult acts to follow, it comes as no surprise that Tyler went massive in every aspect of his performance. Making use of the entire floor like a stage, the show adopted a near theatre-in-the-round feel, becoming entirely immersive and expansive. The main stage saw Tyler emerge from underground in a 1930's Rolls Royce Wraith (technically the third in his collection.) This took place in front of a grandiose 3D, interactive display of a mansion – fully equipped with a butler and chauffeur as standard. He opened the show with tracks from Call Me If You Get Lost, as one would expect, with "SIR BAUDELAIRE" serving as an introductory piece. He toyed with the crowd about the aforementioned Rolls Royce as well, using the conversation as a segue into "LUMBERJACK."
Of the first collection of pieces, "MASSA" had a standout performance. The final verse of that track is one of Tyler's most impassioned, detailing his position in music and the boxes people attempt to put him in continuously. He delivered with palpable intensity, making it nearly impossible to not empathize with him on some fronts, and resonate with him to a degree (especially if your background is relative to his).
From there, the show got incredibly opulent and the pace picked up dramatically – all of which served its purpose perfectly. Crowd-surfing is a thing of the past, as the boundary-pushing Tyler, The Creator has gone above and beyond. Instead, he brought out a boat, sailing through the audience just as his accomplishments allow him to travel through the open seas of the world, exploring as he continues to learn more of his own substance and self. On the short boat ride to the island across, he performed "WUSYANAME," much to the delight of the audience. He then arrived onshore, taking the show in another direction.
Once on the previously noted island, Tyler treated longtime fans to a medley of some of his cult classic tracks. While he started with his more popular and recent installments, such as "Boredom," "911," and "See You Again" (all from the wildly successful Flower Boy album), he moved into some older territory. "IFHY," "Bimmer," and "Tamale" all made an appearance from his 2013 album, Wolf. Post-Flower Boy fans were met with a bit of confusion, but listeners that have been in it for the long haul were in amazement, hearing some of their favorite tracks in such a grand setting. He also performed "She" and "Yonkers" from Goblin, two early tracks that initially pushed him into stardom.
He eventually made his way back to his mansion, offering a crowd heavy rendition of "SWEET/I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE" on the boat ride home. There, he closed out the show with an immeasurably electric run of "Who Dat Boy?," "I THINK," "EARFQUAKE," "NEW MAGIC WAND," and "RUNITUP." Hilarity ensued between tracks, as some developments occurred which lead to Tyler being referred to as Langston from this day forth. But the songs, structured in the previously listed fashion, made for an incredibly motivating and eye-opening outro. The 5-track finale spans various soundscapes and subgenres, displaying Tyler's otherworldly level of talent. The visual spectacle was just as impressive: pyrotechnics sprouting up and raining down, syncopated flashes in abundance, and lighting that complimented Tyler's skin tone beautifully, which could be a missed, yet infinitely important undertone of the performance and album as a whole (see: "MASSA.")
Tyler's growth over the years has been prevalent and prominent. The Call Me If You Get Lost Tour is an amalgamation of his experiences, displayed in a way that only Tyler, The Creator could execute perfectly.
See the remaining dates for the Call Me If You Get Lost Tour here.
