Travis Scott
Coachella/YouTube
When Travis Scott spoke to Complex about his Coachella set, he promised it would not be “not about Trav” and instead about community. He kept true to his word. On Saturday night, the rapper played his set from the middle of the crowd, using the main stage as a mere backdrop to his performance.
A brass band of around 60 musicians led by a kooky composer opened Scott’s hourlong set from the main stage, which was decorated with a brutalist design. The Houston rapper surprisingly opened with “Aye” and “Crush,” two songs he’s featured on before debuting two unknown tracks that vibed with the audience.
Throughout the performance, Scott sang and rapped from a moving circular stage positioned in the middle of the general admission area. The platform rose high into the air as he energized the crowd. He only appeared on the main stage set for songs “Skyfall” and “Highest in the Room.”
The Weeknd’s vocals rang in the desert as Scott performed their collaboration, “Skeletons,” and elsewhere in the set, Scott mashed up his song “Modern Jam” with the beat of Drake’s “Nokia.”
Scott lived up to his “designs the desert” special guest slot with the artistic elements of his staging alone. It was unlike any other until this point in the weekend. To end his performance, Scott kept the hits coming with “FE!N” — which he played twice — and “Sicko Mode,” which featured an intro from the horns. He also played “Goosebumps” and ended with “Telekinesis” as he came close to the audience walking by the large crowds.
“With Coachella, that’s something I’ve always wanted to headline. I was supposed to do it and unfortunately, it didn’t happen. So it’s cool to be able to come back and do it,” he told Complex earlier this year. “I’m trying to create a next-level way to do things. It’s more selfless, though. It’s not about Trav.”
The performance came after the rapper sold out an upcoming tour in Asia with stops in Korea, China, and Japan. He’s also visiting Qatar, South Africa, and India later this year. He hosted an activation that matched the performance aesthetic, featuring new merch specifically for the festival, along with items from brands such as Erewhon and Vetements. Fans could also pose for photos in front of a giant teddy bear with the musician’s name etched on its foot.
From Rolling Stone US.
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