Travis Scott
The Astroworld Tour
Toyota Center
February 13, 2019
Somewhere in between a dream and a nightmare, we find the mind of Travis Scott. He is arguably the biggest name in rap at the moment, fresh off appearances at the Super Bowl halftime show and The Grammy Awards, the young kid from Missouri City continues to amaze audiences with his energy, booming tracks, and style.
His 2018 album Astroworld was both an ode to the shuttered Six Flags amusement park and a tribute to Houston. "It took me two years to finish this album which was inspired by H-Town!" declared Travis during a brief break in the action. "I love all of y'all!"
The night began on a secondary stage near the rear of the arena, with Travis emerging to a rumbling bass line and an eclectic intro video followed by the track "Stargazing." Almost immediately, the crowd on the arena floor opened up a mosh pit and began to recite the lyrics word for word.
He also brought back the circular mini rollercoaster that we saw at the Astroworld Festival back in November, which was ridden by Travis and a handful of lucky fans. The other rollercoaster extended from baseline to baseline, transporting the rapper above his adoring fans who chanted his name throughout the ride.
It was mostly just a one-man show last night, with only DJ Chase B on the turntables and producer Mike Dean on the keyboards and electric guitar serving as Scott's back-up band. There were certainly props in the form of the rollercoasters, a large inflatable astronaut, and the two video boards beaming out dream like visuals of color and light. The sole guest performer was rapper Don Toliver who hit the stage with Travis on the track "Can't Say". Even the opening act Sheck Wes was scrapped from the line-up due to allegations of abuse which surfaced in the last few days.
Of course the night included more Astroworld tracks such as "RIP DJ Screw", "Houstonfornication", and "Yosemite". A light in the shape of a cross was also projected upon his face as he performed "Stop Trying To Be God". He then rapped his verses from Sza's "Love Galore" and Kodak Black's "ZEZE".
Even Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner made an appearance on the Astroworld stage, presenting Travis with an official key to the City Of Houston. He thanked Travis for keeping "Houston on the map", and announced plans to someday soon bring back another amusement park to H-Town.
An obviously proud and delighted Travis shook hands and hugged the mayor, then took the key out of the box and closed out the show with the hit song "Sicko Mode".
Near the end of the show, the words "Look Mom, I Can Fly" were projected onto a transparent banner on each side of the rafters. Flying is a common dream that sometimes represents freedom and an escape from the pressures of the real world.
This show definitely proves that Travis has learned how to fly, and he wants all of us along for the ride.