There was an air of anticipation before Travis Scott made his debut NZ show at Eden Park. In Australia, some raucous crowds saw fans destroying barricades at the Melbourne gig.
Before Travis took to the stage, the energy was electric. I know that phrase ‘electric atmosphere’ gets thrown around a bit, but, GOD DAMN, that crowd was, respectfully, on another level to any other I’ve experienced.
The opening DJ set the vibe, dropping a remixed version of the Backstreet Boys ‘Everybody’. There was a moment of enjoyed shock as the adults in attendance turned to each other with the look of: “OMG, I know this song”.
It was almost like the scene from ‘The Lion King’, where the meerkats are on the watch for predators, and the minute they sense danger, their ears perk up, standing at attention.
After the DJ played his last song, Mexican waves made the rounds as fans kept the party going. It became very clear, very quickly, that a big part of what makes a Travis Scott gig unforgettable is the vibe and energy the crowd brings.
Travis Scott sprung up through a trap door, and from the get-go, it was wonderfully wild. The sold-out crowd moved almost as one organism, jumping and flailing arms in unison.
From above, the GA and Golden Circle sections looked like an ocean of limbs riding a musical wave that only stopped when the tunes did.
The production was sensationally over-the-top, with lasers, an insane number of lights, a massive 40-metre LED screen, CO₂ cannons, fireworks, and a full buffet of pyro to top it all off.
Imagine a 12-year-old kid with an unlimited budget and a desire to get “everything that’s cool, flaming and amazing.” It was literally a utopia.
That level of artistry and vision, coupled with the world-class execution at the largest venue in our country, was a defining moment for hip-hop in Aotearoa.
A Travis Scott tradition is bringing a few fans on stage to dance and soak in the moment. "We needa select some people," he waited, then pointed at a fan, "You, let's rock."
Two young guys in white shirts and faded denim jumped on stage, dapped up Travis, and absolutely went for it. Those few minutes on stage will be etched in their minds for life.
That yarn will get told over and over and over, and you best believe that tale will only grow taller as they get older. At its core, it was a beautiful moment of connection - ain’t nothing more special than that.
Music really is personal, people take moments from their life and then have the courage to share it with the world.
In a way, songs give you a pretty raw insight into how a person is feeling - or felt - at a certain time in their life. It was lovely to feel a softer moment as Travis introduced his song ‘My Eyes’.
This is one of my favourite songs off the album. I don't know if it means a lot to you, but it means so much to me.
There was also a notable change in his voice as he spoke, it was a reflective tone. The song tells the story of the struggles he’s faced, touching on themes of love, fame, the desire to be a kid again, and the complexities of relationships.
After finishing the song, Travis said: “I love you guys so much; I didn’t know you were this special.”
Towards the end of his set, Travis played ‘Sicko Mode’ and ‘FE!N’ back to back. Those two tracks unleashed an explosion of energy and limbs like I'd never seen before - the place went absolutely nuts.
It’s moments like these that make you grateful a genre-defining artist is willing to come all the way down to little ol' New Zealand.
A huge thank you to Travis and the world-class team that created a night that will go down in Aotearoa hip-hop history.
