ThundercatOur parents and teachers often tell us to do what makes them happy, and it’s clear Thundercat listened to that advice. The Sydney leg of his Distracted tour was infectious, displaying the kind of joy that seeps its way through the joints, almost forcing a groove.
Thundercat and his band epitomised the very raw and beautiful nature of live music that audiences are drawn to—a sense of experimentation and freedom. His setlist does not feel bound by traditional requirements to play a song as heard on a studio release. Rather, he beautifully sings segments of songs before breaking off into long and chaotic riffs where we hear the keys, drums, and, of course, the bass shine.
These extended portions were dramatic and frantic; the fans shaking and bumping their heads to the beat in disbelief at what they were seeing and hearing. The trio of musicians are everything you and your high school friends thought you were when you used to jam out in the garage, except they don’t force the neighbours to close doors and pull down the blinds.
Almost every song he plays drifts into an instrumental bridge or an extended outro, and this was done magnificently in A.D.D Through the Roof. The song is a lighthearted but touching ode to embracing neurodivergence.
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After singing the hook, the song flows into a beautifully crafted bridge, which feels familiar but mostly dissonant from the version of the track we’ve heard before, conveying the jam-session atmosphere the show had, whilst also demonstrating an artistic freedom to take his audience on this odyssey of the bass, drums, and keys.
Red and purple backlighting throughout the show highlighted oscillations on the wall, adding to a sense of a journey into a new, unheard territory. Thundercat, blessed with the ability to make an arena feel psychologically safe with his charisma, had audience members yelling phrases like “autistic and proud”. A beautiful shared moment for everyone in the crowd, amplified by Thundercat comically repeating the statement to highlight pride in neurodivergence.
The Gold-selling artist has the power and skill to lead a performance with his bass, an instrument rarely seen being the forefront of a band. He plays it so effortlessly, creating an awe-inspiring mania, especially when coupled with the performance of his band.
Dennis Hamm, the genius on the keys, deserves a shoutout for his electric, fast-paced, and warped performance. Additionally, he was absolutely superb in delivering harmonies and background vocals, bringing warmth and comfort with his typically lower register.
The opening of the show was marked by a warm red light that spotlighted the drum set, piloted by a man sporting a bedazzled helmet. Justin Brown quickly reveals himself alone on the stage, in a league of his own in his ability to play the drums, kicking the show off with a spellbinding drum solo.
The skill of the man is accentuated by the fact that almost every song had a section where Brown was allowed to absolutely steal the limelight with a solo. The light reflected beautifully off the trademark helmet throughout the show, whilst also adding a layer of lightheartedness which paired perfectly with Thundercat’s baggy short shorts and his comedic breaks between songs.
Thundercat’s humorous nature is reflected in his lyricism; you won’t find many musicians singing about cats so beautifully. His comedic relief was best highlighted when, before singing Anakin Learns His Fate, the artist takes the audience through a hilarious meditation on his love for Star Wars, and a discussion of when Anakin truly becomes a Sith.
The conclusion? Anakin’s spiral to the dark side begins the moment he hears that he is going to be a father… Yes, the greatest villain in science fiction history was damned by the same fear every young man is plagued with: being forced into parenthood.
But these comedic asides weren’t just effective in highlighting his quirks and down-to-earth personality—Thundercat’s crowd engagement was incredible.
He leans into this blend of humour and crowd interaction throughout the show, notably throughout Dragonball Durag, one of his standout singles, filled with hilarious lyrics which Thundercat takes full advantage of. It’s quite a unique experience to be in a packed-out Hordern Pavilion, hearing an artist sing “I may be covered in cat hair”, whilst then trusting his audience to finish the line by pointing at the crowd, his fans obliging with a roar singing “but I still smell good”. Infectious.
The crowd immersion hits its peak during Funny Thing, Thundercat’s party banger. Quite insistently, he demands the bright light shine on the fans sitting in the back, forcing them to stand with tongue-in-cheek commands like “Let’s party… get the f**k up”.
Once they obeyed, Thundercat summoned his fans at the front, onto the stage with him. There was a moment of palpable hesitation from the fans, felt in a pause where it seemed like the audience all had the same questions: “Is he being serious?” “How many of us?”
Immediately after, the stage was swarmed by over 50 fans, jumping and singing along. Pure joy. Not only were Thundercat and his fans listening to the clichéd advice to live a life doing what makes you happy, but for a brief moment, he was able to share with his fans the same joy he feels while playing the music they love.
It was fitting to see Thundercat awarded the Gold Certified Plaque for his single Funny Thing at the end of the show. For a man with such a unique and eclectic personality, his grounded reaction was both beautiful and emotional. Whilst staring into his achievement, he softly said: “Wow… wow. I love you guys”. The love was truly felt.
Thundercat, on behalf of your fans, never stop being the guy who does what he loves. You’re pretty damn good at it.
