Porter Robinson Makes the Crowd Smile at the Fillmore Miami Beach

Porter Robinson has made some of the most compelling EDM music of the last decade, but his latest album, Smile! :D, has divided his fans owing to its hyperpop and electropop sound. Robinson hasn't been shy in stating that the type of music he was making depressed him. His latest album was created as a way to combat that sadness.

So when Robinson brought his Smile! :D Tour to the Fillmore Miami Beach on Saturday night, one couldn't help but wonder what his live show would look like now that he's moved away from using a mixer and turntable and picked up a guitar. As soon as it kicked off his set with "Knock Yourself Out XD," it was evident that he seemed a lot happier and more confident on stage, cracking jokes whenever he could.

With every well-established act seemingly doing the "Eras" thing, the first half of Robinson's show mainly consisted of material from Smile! :D, with the visuals leaning into the album's pink, anime-inspired aesthetic.
Robinson was backed by a full band with keyboards and other instruments on stage at his disposal. A second stage was set up to look like a billboard, which, at times, Porter would climb during the show. The billboard was an LED screen displaying visuals, lyrics, and a live feed from one of the in-venue cameras. There was also a giant inflatable anime-style dog on the right side of the stage that was seemingly there just to be cute — not that anyone was complaining.

Throughout the early parts of the set, there was an emphasis on this brighter, happier energy, with Robinson often dancing and telling the crowd to raise their hands. There was also a confetti blast during the beat drop on "Russian Roulette," in which paper hearts rained over the crowd.

Visually, the whole show was amazing.

Robinson has a knack for crafting experiences when he's on stage. He not only interacts with the audience, opening up at various points in the show, but his shows also feature some of the most intricate visuals. The concert felt therapeutic, as people in the crowd would cry during live renditions of songs like "Unfold" and "Goodbye to a World." Many people embraced one another or danced with their friends. The crowd skewed toward older Gen-Z and Millennials, but they were more energetic and not as nearly attached to their phones as the younger audiences tend to be.
During the second half of the show, the screen flashed "Nurture 2020-2023" as Robinson went on to play tracks like "Wind Tempos" and "Musician" off his 2021 sophomore album, Nurture.

One of the most hyped-up moments from the crowd was when he played the League of Legends track "Everything Goes On," with the crowd singing along as the anime visuals displayed on the screen.

"You guys play video games in Miami?" Porter asked jokingly.

The lighting throughout the show was incredible, with bright pink hues during the Smile! :D portion of the show and swaths of red and blue flashing over the crowd. During "Unfold," Robinson challenged the crowd to keep the song going for as long as possible, letting the crowd go into a cappella and sing the chorus as a splash of blue light enveloped the audience.

The crowd roared when the LED screen showed "Worlds 2014-2018," as that was when most of Porter's fans first found his music. He came out with a set of spherical balls that double as drums, similar to what you would see at a Blue Man Group performance, that Porter would use for the third act of the evening, starting with "Sea of Voices." The visuals on screen were now much more geometrical and more of what everyone is perhaps used to when it comes to Robinson and his music. He mostly sang with a live vocoder, occasionally picking up his acoustic guitar when possible.
For those who want that classic Porter Robinson experience, this will be the part of the show you'll enjoy most. Adding a live band and drums helped bring it closer to his modern era, but it also helped polish it sonically.

Porter had the crowd eating out of his hands for almost two hours. Still, nothing can compare to the visuals of a female anime character who helped start the intro to his hit song "Shelter," sending the audience into a frenzy during the encore.

After "Shelter," Porter put on some costume wings, grabbed his guitar, and performed "Cheerleader" to close the show. Confetti flew everywhere, people sang along with the lyrics flashing on the screen, and Porter gave an epic live rendition of the track.

With some acts having trouble finding their footing when they try out a new sound, Porter seems to avoid this entirely by simply being true to himself, playing the songs he's always wanted to make, and giving the crowd the classics they love.

Robinson's show is easily one of the best live concerts of the year, nearly overwhelming the audience with visual cues and a talented live band to bring all his material, regardless of when it was released, together under a cohesive sonic palette.

Photos From Porter Robinson's Concert at the Fillmore Miami Beach