Tour: Smile! 😀 World Tour
Venue: MGM Music Hall in Boston
Date: Thursday, August 29th
Set list: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/porter-robinson/2024/mgm-music-hall-at-fenway-boston-ma-63a80203.html
Opener: Ericdoa
Band Members: Margot Liotta on bass and vocals, Carrick McCullough – keys, Rafa – Guitar, Wojtek Deregowski – Drums.
Review: I wound up going to this concert myself. I got tickets for $25 during National Concert Week. I showed up right after the first song. I had seen Porter before, years back. During his tour with Madeon. That show was an absolute blast. However, as someone who plays some instruments, I really enjoy seeing a full live band. I was so excited to see what these songs were like done with a live band and I was not dissapointed.
The first act of the set was the new album, Smile :D. This whole album is filled with instruments, including a lot of acoustic guitar. The album is pretty emo, and not in a bad way. Hell, I just saw New Found Glory and Something Corproate. The album is filled with very emotional songs, including one about coming out of a depression slump and all of the things to live for.
It was really cool to see Porter sing and play guitar. And his band is unreal. Margot Liotta is unbelievably talented. She played bass, backup vocals, and even lead vocals. And you could tell how much fun she was having up there. Carrick McCullough played keys and it was cool watching him switch between the keyboard, supplying piano and keyboard sounds, and his other keyboard which supplied the heavier bass and beats to the songs played later in the setlist. Rafa on guitar was really fun to see, as you get to hear songs from “Nurture” and “Worlds” now on guitar. And the drummer, Wojetek Deregowsi, provided great percussion throughout the set.
The set design was super cool. There was a massive cat on stage and a billboard that Porter played guitar and sang from every few songs. And during the later set, we got to see a lot of cool anime on the billboard and screen behind it.
As much as I loved hearing all of the songs from “Smile :D,” which I can’t stop listening to in my car, hearing “Worlds” was my favorite part of the set. This is the album that got me into Porter. I am not huge into DJ/electronic music. But I fell in love with his music the first time I heard it. Probably because I love ambient music, including making some on my own, and to hear it mixed with electronic was something new and innovative.
The whole third act of songs from “Future” was especially cool because it felt like one continuous songs. The songs flowed together and it felt like one, giant encore.
I am very excited to have gone to the opening night of this world tour. And, if I wasn’t busy the next night, I would have easily seen him again.
MGM at Fenway is a fantastic venue. Go for floor seats, if that is your thing. Hit up the merch during the opener or during a song of the headliner’s that you are alright with missing. I ducked out during a Porter song and got a poster in about 3 minutes.
Don’t miss this tour.
Upcoming Tour Dates: https://smile.porterrobinson.com/tour
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