Lil Yachty reinvented his career in 2023, and now he’s hitting the road with a new lineup of songs on his “Field Trip” tour.

Miles Parks McCollum, better known by his stage name Lil Yachty, got his mainstream start in 2016 with two massive singles, “Broccoli” and “iSpy.” 

In January, he surprised music fans everywhere with a Pink Floydian progressive rock project titled “Let’s Start Here.” For long-time Yachty fans, this was a huge detour from his typical sound. The creative risk paid off, with the album garnering universal critical acclaim. He didn’t stop there, as he’s released five singles since April.

Yachty brought his new selection of psychedelic songs, alongside some of his biggest hip hop hits, to a sold-out Oct. 17 show at SOMA San Diego. Fans got in line as early as 1 p.m. to get the best spots in the venue. From start to finish, the enthusiasm in the room remained infectious. 

One of the fans in attendance was Jack Cone, a third-year business management major at San Diego State University. He said he was impressed by Yachty’s ability to break new ground in his music, while still satisfying his long-time followers.

“I was curious to see how he was going to balance out the older music — a lot of rap music — with ‘Let’s Start Here,’ and see how he could switch between the vibes,” Cone said. “There’s a lot of different tempos and energies going on, and I think he did a great job of making it all feel cohesive.”

For the more raucous tracks, Yachty was accompanied by his new backing band, the Silver Sisters — Lea, Ro.Sa, Monica, Téja, Quenequia and Kennedy. 

The show was ushered in with “drive ME crazy!,” the most streamed track from his latest record. While collaborator Diana Gordon wasn’t present for the show, the band did a great job filling in. Seas of cell phones were lifted from the front to the back of SOMA, and they didn’t go down for most of the night.

He continued with several songs from “Let’s Start Here,” including a stripped-back take on “sAy sOMETHINg” and an appropriately funky rendition of “the ride-.”

The first half of his set was punctuated by a bombastic cover of Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight,” performed by the Silver Sisters. As the fog machine intensified, the band cleared out and left Yachty on stage to run through his biggest bangers.

Some of the biggest crowd receptions of the night came during his performance of “Strike (Holster)” and “Poland.” At points, he didn’t even need to sing the song at all, as the crowd did the heavy lifting.

Diego Escame-Hedger, a second-year business administration major, appreciated the way Yachty sequenced the show.

“You start out with his more psychedelic-centered music, and then (Yachty) switched over to his older, rap-origin music,” Escame-Hedger said. “The combination of those two created for a very unique show, which is unlike anything else I’ve ever seen.”

Once the audience was sufficiently sweaty and the mosh pits dialed back, the Silver Sisters rejoined Yachty to play a quartet of rock tracks to close out the show. “IVE OFFICIALLY LOST ViSiON!!!” was one of the highlights of the night, with ripping guitars and a dedicated vocal performance from Yachty. 

While he kicked off some of his previous shows with “the BLACK seminole.,” he chose to conclude the show with it in San Diego. The jaw-dropping seven minute odyssey was a fitting representation of Yachty’s new era of musicianship. 

Two openers preceded Yachty’s set — The Concrete Family and Nick Hakim.

Before a musician even stepped foot on the stage, though, the crowd went wild for records by Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, XXXTentacion and Elton John. During “Rocketman,” the crowd proceeded to put their hands in the air. Mere minutes later, the mosh pits reconvened. 

The Concrete Family set the tone for the show, as the four-person hip hop group repeatedly asked fans to “open up the pits” and vibe with them. Their dedication to the crowd continued, even when their set concluded. Three members from the group climbed on the barricades to shake hands with fans, talk with them and take selfies.

Nick Hakim followed The Concrete Family and brought a decidedly chiller vibe to the show. 

“We’re gonna slow it down for a sec, and then Yachty will be back,” he announced to the sold-out crowd.

Hakim was one of many well-regarded collaborators on “Let’s Start Here,” including Mac DeMarco, Fousheé, Teezo Touchdown, Jam City and Diana Gordon. His influence comes through most clearly on chiller, melodic cuts that he performed live.

Between his acoustic and electric-guitar led ballads, Hakim also interacted with the fans. Water bottles became a commodity as the venue filled in. Hakim even took time out of his performance to hurl bottles into the crowd. The only bottle he didn’t throw away was his own, even as fans in the front begged for it.

Yachty, The Concrete Family and Hakim brought different vibes with each of their sets, giving the show a varied, unique feel. Whether fans joined to hear ripping guitar solos or ear-pulsating bass and trap beats, there was something for everyone on the “Field Trip.”