On Aug. 31 Travis Scott superfans fought Ticketmaster to obtain admission to his “Circus Maximus” tour. Five months later, the Orlando show was full of surprises, new and old songs, and shock for everyone in the audience.
About an hour after my arrival at the Kia Center, Travis Scott entered, flying from an opening onto the stage during his opening song “Hyaena.” The intricate stage design was something that immediately caught my eye. The stage was long and winding, featuring designs reminiscent of ancient runes. There was also a floating statue head that a select few guests were allowed to ride over the arena.
After Scott performed some of his songs, he performed a cover of “Aye” by Lil Uzi Vert. A few songs later, he performed a cover of “BACKR00MS” by Playboi Carti. The inclusion of other artists’ songs was great; however, I think that the almost two-hour setlist would have been better if Scott had performed more of his own songs. I was especially upset that he did not perform “Circus Maximus” as he had at other shows. However, there was another surprise that made up for the loss of the track.
The majority of Travis Scott’s concerts include a cover of “Praise God” by Kanye West. Shortly after the song’s performance, the lights dimmed and all the lively energy left the room. Everyone was left in suspense until the first piano keys were played from “Runaway” by Kanye West. West entered from below the stage with cameras following him throughout his entire walk up the stairs to join Scott. The majority of the lyrics were sung only by audience members, but West joined in occasionally.
Scott and West performed a total of six songs together, two of them also having Ty Dolla $ign and one having the artist￥$. After Scott and West performed “Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1,” there was a short break that Scott took to change while West exited the stage.
Travis Scott reentered the stage and played more songs before he performed a staple of all of his shows: he played “FE!N” ten times. The best part of that section of the show was how nobody in the crowd lost their energy. Every single time the intro started playing, fans cheered and screamed. Eventually, Scott played “SICKO MODE,” “Antidote” and “goosebumps,” which are all fan favorites. He ended the show with one of the most streamed songs off of his newest album, “TELEKINESIS.”
As the lights rose, I was astounded at how great the performance was. Not only did Travis Scott maintain crowd engagement, but the visuals were extremely impressive. The multi-colored lights and lasers moved up and down while the screens showed images related to the songs. Overall, Travis Scott and his three other guests gave Orlando a show they will never forget.
