Travis Scott – Eden Park: October 30, 2024 (13th Floor Concert Review)

Travis Scott brought his Circus Maximus Tour to Auckland’s Eden Park, one day earlier than originally planned. The 13th Floor’s Azrie managed to rearrange his schedule and catch the show. Here is his report: 

On October 30th, Auckland was treated to an electrifying night of music, featuring indie superstars Lany at the Town Hall, Kiwi favorites Office Dog returning from their American tour supporting Nada Surf to perform at Whammy Bar, Punjabi artist Karan Aujla lighting up Spark Arena, and the main event—rap superstar Travis Scott at Eden Park. If I could have seen everything, everywhere, all at once, I would have, but I chose to dive into the heart of Scott’s Utopia.

Eden Park was transformed for the occasion, showcasing Travis’s signature stage design complete with a winding path of boulders, eye-popping pyro, and dazzling laser beams. This was his first visit to New Zealand, and he was eager to see how much the crowd could bring the energy. Would we meet his expectations or leave him wishing he hadn’t ventured to the edge of the world?

Arriving at 8:20 PM, I found myself in the left golden circle—one of three standing areas—surrounded by an unusual calm punctuated only by the sound of crickets. It was hard to tell whether it was an intentional choice by the production or someone’s ringtone, but the lack of background music heightened the anticipation. The DJ had warmed up the crowd an hour earlier, but now we waited in hushed excitement.

As the lights dimmed, the giant screen lit up with the words “Circus Maximus,” followed by an artistic montage celebrating African-American lives before cutting to a live feed of Travis’s perspective as he took the stage. The intro to Hyaena built tension before the beat dropped, sending the crowd into a frenzy of jumping and rapping along with Scott. We were officially in Utopia.

The setlist was a mix of tracks from his early mixtapes like Days Before Rodeo and Owl Pharaoh, alongside recent hits from Astroworld and Utopia. However, Scott often didn’t play full versions of the songs, making the performance feel somewhat rushed at just over an hour, including a few intermissions where he engaged with the audience. Still, the crowd was left breathless, scrambling for water as we belted out his lyrics.

Every fan has their favorite verses, and tonight, it felt like we were all in sync. The crowd swelled to deafening levels during standout moments, particularly when Scott urged everyone to sing along to I Know and during the intros to tracks like Mamacita, Upper Echelon, and the explosive FE!N.

One of the most remarkable features of the Circus Maximus tour was the way Scott played one of his hit songs multiple times, inciting mosh pits, earthquakes and complete pandemonium. FE!N was the crowd’s most anticipated moment. Even though I knew it was coming after No Bystanders, the opening notes took me by surprise. The stadium erupted, with every voice joining in, hands raised in the air. After the first loop of FE!N, Scott paused and declared, “I feel like you’re FEINING for more!” The crowd responded with an even louder roar as the song kicked off again, and Scott commanded the stage, moving from front to back with unrelenting energy.

After the third playback of FE!N concluded, Travis brought the audience to a hushed standstill, momentarily frozen in place as if he were gauging the crowd’s energy, determining whether we were worthy of yet another rendition of the track. The big screen shifted to a close-up of his face, capturing his intense gaze as he surveyed the sea of fans before him. Suddenly, fireworks erupted from one end of the stage flying to the opposing end and flying back, lighting up the venue. With the spark hitting the screen, the intro to FE!N began once more, louder, hotter, and brighter than ever before.

The visuals during the concert were striking, with live feeds of Travis and the audience intertwined with vibrant filters and graphic overlays. Pyrotechnics shot flames in various directions, and the atmosphere was thick with fog, amplifying the lights, turning the sky into vivid backdrop for Travis’s powerful performance

In between songs, Travis expressed his gratitude, acknowledging fans in the farthest stands and highlighting their presence. He even shared an unreleased song, bringing two lucky fans on stage during SDP Interlude, their excitement palpable as they huddled, danced and snag alongside him.

 During his final song, Telekenisis which featured vocals from SZA, Travis hopped on stage and went on the same ground level as his fans, walking across the barricade with fans swarming to be up close with him or touch his hand. It was during this time, the crowd realized the concert was coming to an end and the post-gig depression began to creep in. He eventually ventured out of sight with only a live feed on the screen being our last remaining view of him as he hopped on a buggy, saluting the crowd through the camera and riding off into the night, having built an unforgettable Utopia for Auckland.

In the end, Travis Scott didn’t just perform; he created an immersive experience that resonated with everyone in attendance. Despite having a short set of an hour and ten minutes, it was a night of music and energy that would linger long after the last notes faded away.

by Azrie