Live Review: Thundamentals & Queensland Symphony Orchestra

It’s always refreshing to see a seasoned group throw caution to the wind and try out something a little bit different. 

The sold-out status of tonight’s show under The Tivoli’s stately eaves proves that even diehard fans are keen to see what happens when their flavour of hip hop meets classical music. The fusion isn’t unheard of, but it’s always interesting to see much-loved songs take on a new form with a horde of musicians from the other end of the spectrum in tow.

Since descending from Sydney’s Blue Mountains more than a decade ago, Thundamentals have become a staple in the Aussie hip hop melting pot, creating a soundtrack for the good times and the bad, delivering five albums brimming with party vibes and resonating anthems. As part of the Brisbane City Council-backed WAVE series, DJ Morgs, MC Jewson and MC Tuka teamed up with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra to dip their classic hits into the classical world.

The orchestra is settled on stage. The lead oboe player gets a massive shout when he takes centre stage: “You guys sound like the 75-year-olds who come to see us play on Friday mornings.” After a simple welcome and a quick tune, the Thunda boys bound on stage and quickly settle into an embellished take on All I See Is Music. Admittedly, the mix is a bit bass-heavy and the backing vocals get lost with some of the orchestral nuances, but it wouldn’t be an easy combo to nail straight up. I Miss You finds a happy medium, with more flourishes finding their way through the raucous calls.

It’s during this first handful of tracks that an element of uncertainty is tangible in the crowd; shall we carry on like lunatics and get loose, or should we pay the orchestra their due respect? It ends up being a bit of both, with the infectious energy largely inspiring most people to thrash around as usual, but there are many who can’t help but be absorbed in the spectacle of bows soaring and trombones sliding.

There are a few tracks that just don’t fly that well in this form. Everybody But You falls a bit flat in the quieter moments and feels restrained as a result, and Smiles Don’t Lie starts off a little patchy with feedback interrupting some of the string trills and top-end woodwind. Thankfully DJ Morgs is the trio’s conductor, lining things up seamlessly with his classical counterpart for the more upbeat thumpers like Royal Flush, True Love, 21 Grams and their cover of Matt Corby’s Brother.

Despite a few issues with the mix initially, tonight’s act-orchestra fusion was fun, something out of the ordinary and hopefully paved the way for a few more shows like this, because shining a light on a different type of music can only be a good thing. And if the Thunda boys come good on their offer to make ‘Thundies’ – Thundamentals undies – for the merch desk next time, it will be a win-win.