It felt like I was watching a game of “Guitar Hero” as Thundercat performed on September 22 at House of Blues. Thundercat, best known as a prominent funk bass guitarist and for his Grammy-award-winning work on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly, provided the audience with a mix of upbeat sing-alongs and 20-minute interludes that showcased his extraordinary talent and stamina. His positive energy and storytelling enhanced the concert experience and provided me with a plethora of memories.
He opened the set with six (!) different tracks from his latest album, released in 2020; It Is What It Is. A few bass interludes led into “Dragonball Durag,” arguably his most catchy song. It explores themes of love, sex, and intimacy while simultaneously examining the power of a durag can be appealing on its own. However, Thundercat explained after the song that certain durags go with particular cultures and cities and should not be misappropriated. I learned of his close relationship and party memories with Louis Cole, the inspiration behind “I Love Louis Cole.” The biggest hit from the recent album, “Funny Thing,” was not performed, which I found surprising and a little disappointing.
Thundercat would then play two media collaborations: “Satellite Space Age Edition” from the TV series Insecure and “Black Gold” from the original net anime series Yasuke. After this, however, it would have been wisest for a casual fan to take a stroll around. He gave the crowd three consecutive bass interludes, most notably “MmmHmm.” I emphasize this one because the studio version took about four minutes to listen to in the car, but his unmatchable energy ensured fans would be standing and nodding their heads for about 30 minutes. I enjoyed it, as I haven’t experienced something like that before and still have a little youth in my back pocket to keep me fresh. However, older fans did not share the same sentiment, and the originally full House of Blues got slightly more spacious.
Those who chose to stay certainly got their money’s worth. Thundercat played five joints off Drunk and two more off It Is What It Is, including the title track. This song was the night’s highlight in terms of non-hits – a more melancholy track dedicated to an artist I love dearly, the late Mac Miller. Hearing it on Spotify is great, but hearing it live is an ethereal experience. The quick transition from that song to his biggest hit was risky, but it worked. As soon as that Isley Brothers sample hit, the crowd went wild. “Them Changes” is essential to any late-night driving playlist and builds evidence against the notion that Thundercat is “just a bassist.” He co-produced the track with long-time collaborator Flying Lotus, who also was the lead artist on “Black Gold” and “MmmHmm.” He did his mock stage leave but promptly returned for “Black Qualls.”
Overall, it was a unique concert experience for me as I am used to vocals outweighing the instruments. Still, I was grateful to listen to rapid-paced drums and an energetic keyboard player. He is a big fan of anime and similar entertainment, briefly showcasing the character I could not recognize on his bass. I would gladly see him again and suggest everyone should at least once in their lives, as he is most certainly one of the top bassists of the 21st century, and the best one I’ve seen perform in concert. Thundercat is easily distinguishable as a unique person, with many names and accolades on file (including a Grammy!). Meanwhile, I will continue to establish myself as the legend I’ve always strived to be: “Air Guitar Hero.”
(All photographs by Karolina Cantu)
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Hey…who you calling “older fan?” Great job, Vincent! I’ll have to relisten to the “Drunk” album again soon!