James Ivy, Jai Wolf and Porter Robinson
Avant Gardner // Brooklyn, NY // October 22nd, 2021
Photos and review by Jess Williams
Hidden deep in the industrial wasteland that is East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, there lives a massive warehouse that hosts some of the most effervescent and vivacious live music performances. Brooklyn’s Avant Gardner is the number one electronic music venue in the entire city and on Friday, October 22nd, I was finally able to understand why.
I walked up to the dark, unassuming warehouse and found several food carts and individuals standing around chatting. I grabbed my credentials and walked into the 5000 sq foot venue. Fans were pouring in from all directions and loud music was pumping throughout the venue. I climbed a set of stairs and took my spot in the VIP lounge area, awaiting the start of the second of three sold-out nights of Porter Robinson’s Nurture Live tour.
James Ivy
At 8 pm, James Ivy took the stage. I had never heard of nor seen James Ivy prior to that moment, but I was instantly captivated. He ran across the massive stage, from side to side, hyping the entire crowd up for the evening that was to ensue. A massive screen towered behind Ivy with animations of late ’90s and early 2000s cartoons and anime playing behind him.
One of my favorite parts of James Ivy’s set was his acoustic rendition of Porter Robinson’s “Something Comforting.” After the first verse, Ivy turned the microphone towards the crowd and let the hundreds of voices take over singing while he played the chords on the guitar. The sound of all the fans singing along to the song was such a chilling moment and one that will stick with me for quite some time.
After 30 minutes, James Ivy’s set was complete and it was time for Jai Wolf’s hometown performance. Jai Wolf, the stage name of Sajeeb Saha, took to the stage for his 45-minute set. By this point in the evening, the crowd had fully arrived and the venue was at max capacity. I stood atop the VIP lounge and looked out into the crowd, watching the fans dancing and headbanging to the beat of the music.
Jai Wolf
It was such a treat to watch Jai Wolf perform live. His silhouetted body bounced up and down as he crushed his entire set. Accompanied by some of the most visually stunning graphics on the screen behind him, Jai Wolf put on a captivating performance that was one for the books.
Now, it was time for the main event: Porter Robinson. As the night approached 11 pm, the crowd was getting more and more amped up for the set they were about to witness. The North Carolinian DJ would be performing his critically acclaimed latest album Nurture live from front to back. Porter graced the stage in an oversized white long sleeve shirt and black sweatpants. His blonde, shoulder-length hair caught my attention immediately, as Robinson opened with “Something Comforting.”
Porter Robinson
Nurture was for me, and many other people in the venue that evening, a pinnacle album that came out over the last year or so. The album details Robinson’s struggle with overcoming depression and learning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It was an emotional and powerful evening being able to watch one of my favorite DJs perform one of my favorite albums live and yes, I may have shed a tear or two during “Look At The Sky.”
Stunning visuals paired with Porter’s extremely talented live vocals gave a truly show-stopping performance. Porter made sure to spoil his fans with his setlist that evening, performing “Shelter,” a collaboration with fellow DJ Madeon, as well as his very first hit single, “Language,” which he paired with lyrics from “Unfold,” off Nurture. Stellar lights radiated throughout the venue as images, animations and lyrics floated across the screen behind him.
Porter concluded his 1.5-hour long set with a three-song encore that consisted of “Trying To Feel Alive,” “Get Your Wish” and “Goodbye To A World.” After a powerful performance that truly captivated the crowd that evening, Porter Robinson left the stage and reality hit that the show was finally over.
It has been quite some time since the show, yet here I am still unable to think about how amazing that evening was. It’s pretty rare, in my opinion, that an artist is able to leave such an imprint on someone in today’s day and age. Porter Robinson is one hell of an artist, DJ and performer. I cannot stress enough that everyone should check out a Porter Robinson show in their lifetime. It will not disappoint, I promise you that!
