By Dru Barcelo

A line, starting as early as 9 am, wrapped all the way around the buildings of the James L. Knight Center in downtown Miami in the midst of Monday, February 12th. Passersby looked in wonder of who was capable of drawing in so many young individuals dressed in overalls, floral, and pastel colored clothes.

Tyler, the Creator. is the creative, entrepreneur and mastermind behind what was once Odd Future, bringing California energy to an audience at Miami’s sold-out show

Opening doors and the James L, Knight Center at 7:30, Taco of Odd Future opened up the night and kept the massive crowd hyped with hits from Kendrick Lamar, Kanye and Kid Cudi.

Wearing a neon-green vest and matching shorts that made him look like a crossing guard, his buzzed hair with the leopard-spotted dye, Tyler came down from the platform, opening with the tracks “Where this Flower Blooms”, “Foreword” and “Ziplock.” With these, Tyler set the mood with more contemporary, upbeat sensation.

This didn’t keep him from barreling across the stage for up-tempo tracks such as “Mr. Lonely” and led sing-alongs for crowd favorites like “Boredom” and “See You Again.” Under the ultraviolet lighting, the vest turned fluorescent, and his dark skin glowed a deep purple, an almost psychedelic experience.

Between songs, the audience got a glimpse of his personality: playful, childish, and off-the-cuff, like an overgrown preteen. Beyond this, he seemed rather skeptical of his own celebrity.

In between songs he interacted with the audience, grabbing a towel and drenching it with his  sweat, later throwing it into the crowd and calling them “disgusting.” He went as far as to chastise those fans that proclaimed seniority over new fans.

“You elite motherf**kers who’ve been a fan for forever,” he said almost apologizing to newer fans familiar with his latest, most successful album, Flower Boy.

Tyler was no stranger to his old music, not shying away from performing it though his new content is “much softer.” Transitioning from an emotional “911′ and “Garden Shed,” only to be followed by the likes of the aggressive bangers such as “I Ain’t got Time” and “Yonkers.” You could feel the entire venue shaking, showing the stark contrast between the lighthearted new music and the more aggressive older music. 

A somber, yet enchanting mood was created by the serious of methodically and sonically pleasing set list, including the performances of “IFHY,” “November,” and the concert closer, “See You Again.” The beauty and scope of emotion of these songs truly demonstrate Tyler’s musical talent and ability to create.