O2 Academy, Bristol

O2 Academy, Bristol

15 May

“Portishead is from here, right?” Silence.

It’s been five and a half years since Tyler, The Creator first released his ambitious debut full length Bastard. And while roughly half of Odd Future’s early catalogue (including Domo Genesis’ cloudy mixtape Rolling Papers and Mike G’s low key Ali) featured Tyler’s blissfully spaced-out, post-N.E.R.D. production, it’s the aggressive, publicity-stirring material that made him the household name he is today. And so while tonight’s Bristol crowd politely nod their heads to his more downbeat, experimental tracks, it’s the juvenile chaos that really makes them cheer.

Tyler is joined by OF members Jasper and Taco, who function as a hypeman and DJ respectively. The set is built mainly around tracks from new album Cherry Bomb and 2013’s Wolf, and although there’s plenty jazzier material such as Perfect / Fucking Young and Bimmer aired, moshpits sporadically break out to energetic renditions of Domo23, Rella and Tamale. But Tyler is no longer the ski-mask wearing, stage-diving agitator he once was. Now 24 years old, he comes across as a amiable but potty-mouthed entertainer, as he provokes nervous laughter by counting the few black audience members in attendance.

At one point during the set, Jasper throws up onstage. Somehow, a fan called Gareth is then challenged to climb the stage and lick the vomit for £80. Tyler look like he doesn’t really want it to happen, “I’m giving you ten seconds before I change my mind,” he declares. But Gareth makes it onstage in time, he laps up Jasper’s puke with enthusiasm and everyone groans.

So yes Tyler, Portishead are from here. But so is your puke-eating fanboy Gareth. And no matter how many credible references you make, no matter how many Roy Ayres-indebted tracks you make, there’ll probably always be a few Gareths ready to meet you wherever you go.