Concert Review: By Hyper Beats, Porter Robinson wrote "Smile! :D" on many faces - Daily Bruina

Times of discover News: The Grammy-nominated DJ played his "Smile! :D World Tour" at one of Los Angeles' most prestigious venues, the Hollywood Bowl, on Friday night. The self-taught sensation has gained momentum in the dance and electronic spheres since being signed to Skrillex's record label, OWSLA, in 2011.

At 8:31 p.m., the crowd cheered loudly as Robinson entered with a giant inflatable dog gracing the stage. The venue lit up with pink lights and kicked off the night with the debut of hit single "Knock Yourself Out XD." The words "Bitch, I'm Taylor Swift" flashed on the electric screen, encouraging the crowd to sing along. In a track that immediately followed Robinson said L.A. audiences would relate to as the song criticized superficial appearances, joking that he had to do a Brazilian butt lift during the bridge "Kitsune Mason Freestyle."

In the 13 years since the release of his first EP, "Spitfire," Robinson has toured extensively nationally, but the release of his latest album, "Smile! :D," marks his first appearance on the international stage. Before embarking on his overseas tour later this year, Robinson changed the atmosphere by performing a highly entertaining — albeit sometimes inconsistently paced — show in Hollywood, California.

As the beats died down, a large blue cup was brought onto a stage, giving fans a hint as to what song would be next. Robinson sat atop the oversized prop and played the opening notes of "Cup Year" from an acoustic guitar. Between the muffled sound and the black and white filter on the screen, the performance resembled a video of The Goo Goo Dolls. During the intro, the background instruments stop, leaving Robinson's voice stranded in space, until a guitarist raises the energy by dropping a cup during his fun solo. The stage was adorned with lightning and thunder, which slowed down the pace of the night once again with the song "Easier to Love You" - which Robinson dedicated to, of all people, Peter Griffin of "Family Guy."

Keeping the mood chill, the next act asked the question, "Is there really no happiness?" Throughout the song, screens asked the audience if they remembered the feeling of a baby teething or the feeling of seeing their first Porter Robinson concert. Before the next song began, pink lights streamed from the left to the right of the stage, and attendees waved their hands in time with the beat.

As the first notes of "Mona Lisa" rang out of the speakers, the energy of the night picked up again. Violent red lights drove the song home as inflatable balls were thrown into the crowd and the audience jumped around uncontrollably. Robinson then asked for his ball back and also did a favor that few knew about - he asked the audience to put their phones away so he could listen to his next number. While doing so, the musician played a stunning cover of MGMT's "Kids." As the stands filled with Robinson fans, the immortal words of this indie anthem sent the crowd into a frenzy. The cover finished, people pulled out their phones and Robinson climbed onto the stage's elevated platform. There was a dramatic build-up of strobe lights and low booms that culminated in a slow song. Phones in hand again, attendees' flashlights illuminated the Hollywood Bowl and the DJ asked original fans to raise their hands, after which the crowd applauded.

In the interlude that follows the song, a digital voice performs concert cliches, such as shouting out the name of the city where the performance is taking place, and when the word "Los Angeles" appears on the screen people shout accordingly. The lyrics and chords of "Russian Roulette" are written via internet posts on a screen, Robinson holds a finger gun to his head and red confetti bursts from the edge of the stage, indicating that the song's suicidal dialogue was inspired. The night ended with a dazzling light show and noisy sound and the stage went dark as the crowd's journey to the album "Smile! :D" ended.

But almost immediately they lit up the stage again and the concert continued. What appeared to be a reprise extended into a brief replay of "Nurture" from the artist's second album, 2021. Though the section began drop-kick-boom, it quickly petered out after an extended discussion of Robinson's favorite video game, "League of Legends." Facing a loss of momentum, the audience began sitting down as the section progressed.