SHOW REVIEW: Porter Robinson – Nurture Tour – Eugene, OR – 9/23/2021

For the first stop of the Nurture Tour, Porter Robinson emerged at Eugene’s Cuthbert Amphitheater for an evening of energetic and uplifting electronica. Robinson released his second studio album Nurture in April of this year – nearly seven years after the release of his debut album Worlds. Worlds is drenched in nostalgia and full of soaring, dreamy EDM that transports listeners to the musical world that Robinson creates. The album gained Robinson a legion of dedicated fans that have been eagerly awaiting a second album, which finally came this year with Nurture.

Much like Worlds, Nurture presents a fully-realized project with production, lyrics, and imagery that help build its distinct musical universe. The album beams with optimism and flourishes like a flower as waves of electronica wash over the listener. The project is incredible immersive, yet still so fun and melodic in nature; it doesn’t just take you to a new world, it keeps you dancing once you’re there. Put simply, Nurture is Porter Robinson at his best.

Robinson’s show in Eugene came less than a week after his two-day Second Sky music festival, which featured Porter Robinson as the weekend’s figurehead, with associated acts like Madeon, Jai Wolf, and Toro y Moi playing sets as well. Days later, the excitement at Cuthbert Amphitheater was palpable for the first proper show of the Nurture Tour.

Before Porter Robinson appeared, the on-screen visuals were stunning – and much like Nurture itself – it transported the audience into the world he was creating. He soon appeared on stage, and when he first started to sing “Look at the Sky”, bright colors filled the amphitheater and a sea of voices sang the words. Just like the studio recordings, Robinson’s voice appeared natural at times and soaked in his signature vocal effects other times; the unique timbre of pitch-shifted vocals live was fascinating to hear and added an extra dimension to the live show.

Notable track “Shelter” – a collaboration with friend and fellow performer Madeon – came early in the show and was a definite standout of the night. The track is larger than life and a fan favorite that had the crowd going absolutely ballistic. The night continued with other standout tracks like the blissful “Mother”, the timeless “Language”, the bombastic “Divinity”, and the euphoric “Get Your Wish”. All night, no song felt out of place or underappreciated. Each moment was fully its own, and Porter Robinson made sure of it. His presence is undeniable, the atmosphere he creates is hyonotic, and his music is second to none. In its entirety, the Nurture Tour was a stunning display of the world that Porter Robinson spent all these years creating, and we’re so happy we got to witness the opening night.

Click here to get tickets to the remaining dates of the Nurture Tour!