Yuengling Center (Tampa, FL)
06/20/23
Fans across central Florida flocked to Tampa’s Yuengling Center in the midst of summer for the highly-anticipated arrival of Melanie Martinez’s “Portals” tour. The arena filled with individuals dressed in whimsical attire, reminiscent of the world Martinez has crafted in the wake of her third studio album. Portals is an enchanting revival of the songwriter’s unique artistry, reclaiming and redefining her identity under the image of an otherworldly being. Throughout the night, the world of this evolved creature was brought to life in front of a remarkable sold-out crowd.
As the lights dimmed on the bowl, fans erupted in shouts before Martinez hit the stage. A distorted voice spoke over the audio system welcoming guests, “Hello Earthlings,” and the stage was soon illuminated to reveal a scene out of a fairy tale. The stands shook as the young audience jumped with excitement, dancing and singing to every song of the set.
Martinez performed the record Portals in its entirety from start to finish, opening with the eerily stunning and widely popular track, “DEATH.” Tracks seamlessly transitioned into one another while the set underwent various transformations throughout the performance. Four dancers circled Martinez, telling the story of the album as the show progressed.
With the somber performance of “LIGHT SHOWER,” Martinez sat upon a throne of tentacles as it appeared to rain behind her. Dancers circled the artist for the powerful song and the stage fell dark upon the finale of the track. In the dark, smoke curtained the stage as the environment shifted to something more chilling. Shadows darted back and forth as the dancers crept around on all fours and a massive spider web was raised to hang in the background. As the lights rose on the newly transformed stage, the beginning of “SPIDER WEB” echoed throughout the arena.
Further into the set, “BATTLE OF THE LARYNX” brought a newfound energy from the crowd as they enthusiastically sang along to the words, “How stupid, selfish, baby.” Dancers returned to the stage for a passionate, acrobatic duet during “THE CONTORTIONIST” and later, gathered around the artist to rally for “NYMPHOLOGY.”
As the night drew to a close, baby pink butterflies fell from the sky when confetti cannons set off at the end of “WOMB.” Martinez took a triumphant bow for the audience and skipped off stage as the set fell dark. Just as the ending had been anticipated, moments later she made her return with a three-song encore to conclude the show with the deluxe tracks from the album.
The “Portals” tour is a magnificent production of Martinez’s third studio album, beautifully adapted for the stage. This tour brings an intricacy to the live performance of music that is resemblant of a Broadway running musical between elements of character, costume, storytelling, and detail in the set. There is truly no one like Melanie Martinez under the umbrella of alternative music, and there is no doubt Portals will leave a lasting impression on the genre for years to come.
