If you need a beautiful escape from reality, and are looking for someplace where your mind, eyes, and ears can find a new universe to run free in, look no further than Porter Robinson’s Worlds Tour— so long as you didn’t mind sharing the journey with twelve-hundred of your new closest friends.
The first set started just after 8:00 pm with Norway’s Lemâitre, a refreshing change as we saw a band where each person was wielding instruments. Now, no slap to the producers and DJs we have been covering, but to see a live band seems like something just a little bit special. Their rocking set was just over forty minutes, and the 9:30 Club was already filled by the end (check out their hilarious video for “Wait,” released just a few days ago).
You could tell that people were already wanting to stake out their claim for space soon as possible because this was after all, a sold-out show. And unlike other recent 9:30 Club performers, no second D.C. date was added.
The next opener, Giraffage, took to the dark the stage covered by purple lights. He was an artist of few words, and with visuals of even fewer pixels. He introduced himself to the audience, and began his 8-bit extravaganza. Clouds, cute animals (puppies, kittens, and dolphins) and his name were a few of the looping images. After seeing G-I-R-A-F-F-A-G-E emblazoned in so many different styles, the crowd won’t forget how to spell his name. Songs of lovesickness mixed in with tracks like “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus and R. Kelly’s “Ignition” made for very excited singalongs.
After Giraffage thanked the crowd and waved goodbye, the stage crew immediately began setting up Porter’s massive plexiglass-arch table, which also was cleaned of smudges before he took the stage just after 10:00 pm.
Porter played everything from the Worlds Album, which is a work of audio art from beginning to end. The entire crowd seemed to know every part too regardless of language, singing in Japanese when “Flicker” started. We can only assume the majority of the fans are not fluent in Japanese, but know the phonetics from listening to the album uncountable times. What we didn’t know until recently was a line from the lyrics roughly translates to “I am looking for what is important at this very moment.” How quintessential Porter Robinson, who has repeatedly reminded the media in interviews and through his Twitter account that he has been vying to create music that transcends the usual expectations of electronic music.
With smoke, streamers, and confetti shooting off almost every song, there was always something happening during PR’s set. When he received an overwhelming crowd reaction begging for more at the end of his set, he came back for an encore.
“I’ve done 38 shows so far, and you guys know this record better than anyone else,” gushed Robinson. “I love you so much for that.”
We like to think we are the best fans too! Thanks for an amazing show Porter, it was Worlds beyond the last time we saw you at Echostage in December 2012.”
Article by Cristina Rayas – Photos by Toby Mues
theMUES 
Leave a comment