Porter Robinson Live in Boston
Posted: by The Alt Editing Staff
A tour kickoff with two nights in Boston is sure to make a positive impact, and Porter Robinson live in Boston was no different. The widely acclaimed electronic artist (though is he just electronic anymore? Listen to SMILE and find out) is set to fill arenas across the country, starting in Massachusetts.
The go-to catchphrase now for artists pulling music from their whole discography is “X artist’s Eras Tour.” While I do not fully subscribe to that notion, according to “Knock Yourself Out” by Porter, “Bitch, I’m Taylor Swift.” This career-spanning set from Porter kicked off with the aforementioned track, featuring a large LCD screen behind him displaying the song title while confetti cannons shot off over everyone. We knew we were in for a party right from that moment. Continuing with the SMILE section of the night was a journey inside the mind of Porter, exploring love, acceptance, and his idea of making the most out of what life gives you. Whether it was the comically large SOLO cup he used as a throne while playing “Year of the Cup” or having the AI in “Russian Roulette” directly address Boston, Porter took his struggles as a musician and made us all laugh in the end.
Now, the Nurture era seemed to be the most well-received of the night (yes, even over the Worlds section coming later). This landmark album marked Porter’s return and changed the lives of many after the tumultuous year that was 2020. We were lucky to have caught the Nurture tour in 2021 and seeing these songs performed with a full backing band added new life to the era. After playing “Musician” and “Something Comforting,” Porter garnered roaring applause from the audience and brought a few of us to tears. Before playing “Everything Goes On,” Porter asked the crowd if there were any gamers in attendance. Once he saw everyone raise their hands, he cracked a joke: “Oh, that must be why it smells in here.” Closing out the Nurture era was a mashup of “Look at the Sky” and “Trying to Feel Alive,” which struck a chord deep within many of us—a perfect juxtaposition of “I know things will get better” and “I will never let myself feel that way again.”
There is a running bit within the Porter Robinson fandom that we are all waiting for Worlds 2 (he even made a shirt about it). Maybe it will happen if Fantano gives it a perfect score. The Worlds portion of the night had him surrounded by glowing orbs on stage as we all tapped into our nostalgia. It’s okay to have a healthy amount of yearning for when life was easier. With songs like “Sea of Voices” and “Divinity,” everyone acted as though we were watching him perform on the festival stages he once dominated. Since this was the first stop of the tour, Boston was honored to hear the live debut of “Hollowheart,” a bonus track released for the Worlds 10-year anniversary. All good things must come to an end, and Porter gave us “Language,” “Goodbye to a World,” and “Sad Machine” before pulling us out of our nostalgia and leaving the stage.
The audience gave endless cheers and chants for more before he returned for a two-song encore. It wouldn’t be a Porter Robinson show without “Shelter” would it? This is also a small plea for a repress of the 7”. To officially end the night, Porter played the lead single, “Cheerleader,” from SMILE as confetti and streamers shot off one more time. The house lights came on, and we knew it was time to return to the real world. We hope that Porter Robinson finds true fulfillment playing music and comes back soon. Until then, we encourage you to pick up remaining tickets HERE.
_
Kyle Musser//@godvfwine
The Alternative is 100% supported by our readers. If you’d like to help us write about more great music and keep our site going, you can become a Patron on Patreon, which also allows you to receive extra content, sweet perks, and The Alternative merch, with levels starting at only $2 per month. Everything helps, and if you can’t afford to donate, consider sharing this article and spreading the word about our site! Either way, thanks for reading!
