After the release of his third studio album, SMILE! 😀, Porter Robinson announced an accompanying massive world tour with a very special stop at Colorado’s own Red Rocks Ampitheatre on Wednesday, October 16.
Porter’s latest release, SMILE!, is his most ambitious and personal work yet, packed with sharp social insights on the contradictions of contemporary artistry, internet culture, and celebrity. This 10-track album showcases a vibrant mix of maximalist hyperpop, alternative sounds, pop punk, and indie influences, marking a new chapter for Robinson. SMILE! explores Porter’s complex relationship with fame in the digital era and navigates the challenging balance between authenticity and performance. Highlights include “Kitsune Maison Freestyle,” which reflects his position on trendsetting, and “Cheerleader,” which delves into his perspective on fandom.
Listen to SMILE! 😀 below:
As part of the SMILE! World Tour, Robinson is debuting an entirely new production that includes a live band, with a stop at the iconic Red Rocks Ampitheatre. The tour kicked off on August 29 in Boston and includes an Asian run which spans 9 cities beginning November 2024. Porter concludes the tour by traversing across 8 countries in Europe throughout February and March 2025, including a stop at London’s prestigious Brixton Academy.
The last time Porter Robinson played at Red Rocks was 2022, when he brought the Nurture tour. Re-live the show below.
At just 18, North Carolina producer and songwriter Porter Robinson burst onto the music scene with a distinct electro-house sound that quickly garnered attention. His debut album, Worlds, released in 2014, was critically acclaimed and solidified his place in electronic music. In 2016, he teamed up with Madeon for the RIAA Gold single “Shelter,” which led to a global tour spanning 43 dates across four continents.
In 2017, Porter introduced the alias Virtual Self, exploring new musical territories and earning his first Grammy nomination for the track “Ghost Voices.” The following year, he launched the Second Sky Festival, a groundbreaking event that sold out 30,000 tickets within a single day, showcasing a lineup of innovative artists. He also hosted the virtual Secret Sky festivals in 2020 and 2021, which collectively attracted over 6 million viewers, setting a new benchmark for online music events.
In 2021, Porter released his sophomore album, Nurture, which received widespread acclaim. The Second Sky Festival returned to the Bay Area, selling 40,000 tickets in record time. His Nurture Live North American Tour followed, grossing over 150,000 ticket sales and becoming the highest-grossing electronic tour of the year. In 2022, he partnered with Riot Games to release “Everything Goes On,” which exceeded 100 million streams globally. Additionally, he showcased his artistic evolution with exclusive full live band performances at Second Sky 2022 and Coachella 2023, further cementing his reputation as a pioneering force in modern music.