Tyler, the Creator brings eccentric energy to All Points East
The charismatic musician remained unapologetically himself as he delivered a special show at London’s Victoria Park.
Photo: @khaliphotography
This year, All Points East brought together artists such as Ravyn Lenae, Turnstile, fakemink and Rex Orange County that represented a multitude of styles and combined them under one umbrella: they all share similarities with headliner Tyler, the Creator.
Beginning with relaxed R&B sounds, the first half of the day showcased newer upcoming artists. This included introspective and vulnerable songwriter Evenson, debuting his new album Eve. With tones similar to Bakar, Steve Lacy and Daniel Caesar, Evenson’s setlist ranged from diaristic lullabies to upbeat call-and-response numbers that friends jump around to, no matter their familiarity with the song. Despite a smaller stage and crowd, Evenson fulfilled his prophecy of sharing an intense, fleeting moment with the audience, maintaining it simply by being present.
Further on in the day, the lineup included other artists with similar songwriting qualities. Yebba’s distinct vocal quality, often accompanying raw and confrontational lyricism, was apparent in her latest album Jean, where a whispery and angsty quality came through, even in the live renditions.
fakemink’s tent hosted a different branch of fans, and new ones too, as songs such as LV Sandals and Fever — which have gained popularity as of late — had many audience members singing along. Sexxy Red was expected to follow on the same stage but, after waiting for over 30 minutes, many people gave up on the late arrival and instead headed to see Rex Orange County over on the main stage.
After years of anticipation and controversy, Rex Orange County played many fan favourites over on the East Stage, from Sunflower to Pluto Projector. This set endured a bittersweetness for a period between 2019 and 2021, a time when Rex fell into his niche as an indie artist under the bracket of bedroom pop. Often associated with mustard yellow and the term ‘art hoe’, this forgotten phase of teenage culture and music ricocheted into the audience’s engagement during the set.
Considering that Rex has not released any solo music since 2021, this left him with no choice but to play a setlist riddled with nostalgia. It was unclear whether the audience were fully immersed in his performance, perhaps due to the reminiscent and yearning nature of the songs, as Rex asked audience members to crank up the energy.
Photo: @khaliphotography
Going out with a fiery bang, All Points East closed with the man himself: Tyler, the Creator. The set began with Big Poe from his most recent album, followed by a CHROMAKOPIA interlude that included St. Chroma and Rah Tah Tah, amongst others.
As on the CHROMAKOPIA album, the songs he played live transitioned seamlessly, following perfectly on from one another. This sonic continuity was pleasing to the ear and featured throughout the set, meaning the lyrical and melodic flow was never broken.
The show as a whole felt like a personal rendition of the songs his fans know and love. Tyler does anything but copy and paste the soundtrack. Songs were shortened and remixed to add that creative splash to All Points East. Tyler’s playfulness is also accounted for in his conversing with the audience. He has no issue with teasing and confronting his fans, which makes him all the more likeable to watch live. He does not have a regimented script to follow when it comes to talking to fans — something we see far too often that it feels stale.
Even with a crowd of 40,000 people, Tyler has no problem telling them they are boring and need to match his energy, or confessing that he has a ‘booing kink’. As if his lyricism and flow weren’t enough, Tyler’s individual touch to his live sets, paired with his addictive charisma, makes him all the more enjoyable to watch.
