Austin Post, better known as Post Malone, is on top of the world right now. On the heels of his third studio album, Hollywood’s Bleeding, Post Malone’s Runaway Tour made its third stop at the Moda Center right here in Portland. Supported by Tyla Yaweh and Swae Lee, this star-studded lineup of artists did not disappoint.
Tyla Yaweh is no stranger to large shows: He has performed at major festivals such as Rolling Loud and Bonnaroo and toured Europe and the Pacific with Post Malone. Yaweh started off the night with a bang; his electric energy had everyone at the Moda Center on their feet for his most recent hit, “High Right Now.” With thousands of phone lights in the air, you could see Yaweh enjoying every moment on stage.
Next up was Swae Lee, whose rise to fame came from being half of the hip-hop duo group Rae Sremmurd. Swae Lee loves to show off his jewelry, and this night was no exception. Decked out in hundreds of thousands of dollars of jewelry including rings, bracelets, and chains, as well as a custom bedazzled microphone, Swae made it known he loves to show off his lavish lifestyle. In a surprise appearance, Brother Nature came out on stage during Swae Lee’s set, and the crowd went wild.
Finally, it was time. The lights inside the arena went out; it was pitch dark. Slowly, the giant lighting setup rose from the catwalk and the dark, ominous sound of the intro “Hollywood’s Bleeding” began to play. Post Malone rose from the back of the stage and began to sing. After the first verse, there was a beat switch, and a loud bang went off as the crowd erupted in a roar that shook the arena. Strobes were flashing behind Post as he made his way to the edge of the catwalk. He had the crowd in the palm of his hand. He finished the song, and immediately the crowd went crazy.
With such a powerful intro, Post Malone had set the bar high for the rest of the show. The first half of the show Post Malone played a majority of the new album. “Goodbyes” and “Enemies” seemed to be the crowd favorites throughout this portion of the show. Every so often, Post took a minute to thank the crowd and give them some insight or a story leading into the next song.
Through the second part of the show, Post played both some more new songs off his latest album as well as some old fan favorites. “I Fall Apart” and “Stay” caused the crowd to light up the stadium with their phones once again.
With such big expectations heading into this show, Post Malone did not disappoint. It's no wonder he has flourished into the superstar he is today. With his catchy music as well as great live performances with amazing visuals, I would recommend catching the Runaway Tour if it stops near you. —Miguel Padilla
Set List:
Hollywood's Bleeding
Better Now
Saint-Tropez
Goodbyes
Die for Me
Allergic
Candy Paint
Psycho
Enemies
Wow.
Paranoid
I Fall Apart
Over Now
Take What You Want
Stay (Acoustic)
Circles
Go Flex
White Iverson
Sunflower (with Swae Lee)
Rockstar
Congratulations
