Thundercat – The Funkiest & Funniest Musician Right Now
Thundercat – The Funkiest & Funniest Musician Right Now
WORDS: LEXI DAVIS
As if this past weekend couldn’t get any more exciting in music with album releases from Jhene Aiko & more, Thundercat blessed LA with an unparalleled sonic experience at The Wiltern in Koreatown.
Fans were in for a treat as the sold-out show was stacked with heavy-hitting opening performances. As Thundercat prepared to take the stage, hip hop producer Knxwledge got the crowd going with his eminent funk and soulful sounds. Right before ending his DJ set, Knxwledge stunned the crowd with surprise guest Anderson Paak, performing their collab project Yes Lawd as NxWorries. Knxwledge’s groovy tunes ignited the crowd as they started to sway and dance to his dynamic beats.
Guapdad 4000 kept the same momentum going as the final opener of the night. The Oakland native hyped the crowd up with his top bangers and shocked the crowd with another surprise performance featuring up-and-coming rapper, Buddy. The audience roared as Buddy emerged from backstage and performed alongside Guapdad. The two lyricists exuded youthfulness, excitement and pure fun as they spit bars side by side throughout the remainder of the performance. Guapdad’s set embodied the perfect amount of intensity to balance the chill vibe of Thundercat’s discography.
As Guapdad left the stage, you could see crowds’ eyes light up knowing that Thundercat would appear at any minute. After a few impatient minutes of stage setup and light adjustments, the man of the hour finally appeared. Thundercat dazzled the crowd in a shiny, sparkling long sleeve collared shirt and an oversized baby pink bass guitar. As soon as he started playing his first song ‘Great Scott,’ the crowd was instantly mesmerized by his presence.
His shirt twinkled and glistened different shades of pinks, blues, and purples as he jammed out under the vibrant Wiltern lights. His fingers glamorously danced up and down the neck of his bass. His golden locks graciously bounced as he bobbed his head back and forth to his sound. His background visuals added color and a semi-psychedelic feel to the overall appearance. Thundercat embodied the vibe of a disco god, and the crowd couldn’t get enough of it.
Every song showcased that evening felt pleasantly unfamiliar. Each ballad was accompanied by spontaneous bass excerpts and moments, creating a new, elevated sound experience for Thundercat fans in the building. The whole evening felt like an experimental jam session with Thundercat fan favorites sprinkled in during his performance. If the music wasn’t enough, Thundercat’s anecdotes and jokes throughout the night transformed The Wiltern into intimate space where the crowd felt a deeper connection to Thundercat as a human, not just a musician.
The night ended with an encore performance of one of Thundercat’s newest singles, “Black Qualls” with help from musicians Steve Arrington, Steve Lacy and Flying Lotus. The final song performance left the crowd feeling whole and joyous as Thundercat’s LA show came to a close. With teasing out his single and music video Dragonball Durag, Cat himself is set to release his newest project, It Is What It Is, on April 3rd with Brainfeeder Records.
Related Stories:
WestwoodWestwood’s Valentine’s Day Playlist: The Soundtrack for the Lover’s Holiday
Paris Fashion Week’s Late Night Soirée with Saintwoods
Striking New Sounds with Lila Gold
