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Tyler, the Creator Blazes Between Spectacle and Intimacy in Melbourne

On night two of his New Zealand–Australia run, the US rapper delivered a show of explosive energy and sharp precision

Tyler, the creator

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Melbourne’s shipping container stage burned like a neon altar. Pyrotechnics cracked in perfect sync, and Tyler, the Creator, head to toe in fire-red leather, shimmered like molten lava under the lights.

“This leather is hot!… But it looks cool though, so imma keep it on for ya’ll videos,” he joked just a few songs in, sweat sliding down his temples, a clear sign he was giving every ounce of himself.

After a massive show in Auckland, Tyler arrived in Melbourne for his first Australian performance in three years and obliterated the arena.

Alone. No hype man. No backup dancers. Just Tyler – stomping, strutting, sliding, even moonwalking – commanding every inch of the stage on night two of his New Zealand–Australia run. The energy never faltered; by the end, performer and audience were completely absorbed, swept into the same fevered intensity.

By the time Tyler hit the stage, the crowd was already buzzing, fired up by the raucous LA duo Paris Texas and Lil Yachty’s chill auto-tune-laced set.

tyler the creator

Tyler, the Creator on night two of his New Zealand and Australia tour in Melbourne.

Then it was all Tyler. The big moments shook the arena: his explosive entrance with “Big Poe”; the thrilling transition from 2024’s Chromokopia’s “Rah Tah Tah” into the disorienting “Noid”; his silhouette, rigid and militant, marching across the screen in a wash of green light; and the dizzying infection of “Sugar on My Tongue” from his upbeat ninth new album, Don’t Tap the Glass. 

“Y’all mind if I do some rap shit now???” he smirked before launching into frenetic cuts like “NEW MAGIC WAND”, each phrase a controlled release of chaos.

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But the intimacy landed just as hard. Cameras zoomed in, magnifying the precise physicality of his showmanship: a dramatic puff‬ from his inhaler; eyes rolled so far back that only the gleaming whites were visible; feet dangling off the stage edge as he surrendered to the sweet melancholy of “Judge Judy”.

Hits kept coming, from “EARFQUAKE” and “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?” to “See You Again” and “She”, revealing just how expansive Tyler’s 15-year catalogue runs.

“I’m not from anywhere near here,” he admitted finally, breaking the tension he had orchestrated with theatrical precision. “I don’t take it for granted that my shit can cross over — that I can do multiple nights on this stage.”

And with that, he left the arena humming. A tour de force entirely in control, Tyler, the Creator turned a solo set into something that burned bright in memory.

Tyler, the Creator continues his Australian tour until September 5. Ticket information is available here