Thundercat’s European tour has made its way to London. The artist extraodinaire brought his infectious hooks and funky melodies to a sold-out KOKO in London to much anticipation. To kick off the second night of his four-day residency, he opened his set with extended cuts from the Grammy award-winning album It Is What It Is. Rhythms from his band drifted over the crowd and settled like a psychedelic haze. Between songs, Thundercat cracked open a bottle of water as if it were a can of beer, before casually conversing with the crowd who gazed up at him in mesmeric silence.
“I just love him,” someone in the crowd emphatically sighs. The atmosphere feels intimate, as if you were to sit in a room with your closest friend, except that friend is Thundercat, and you’re about to traverse space and time. Halfway through the set, strobes illuminate the stage like lightning, setting the mood for Thundercat’s transition into what he calls some of his “old shit.” Anticipation fills the crowd before we’re collectively swallowed by a funky jazz beat that Thundercat fans know well.
Thundercat’s set comes to a euphoric ending with a medley of old fan favourites like Funny Thing and Them Changes before a truly uplifting encore with No More Lies. The crowd becomes a sea of bobbing heads and swaying bodies all here to witness one thing: raw and passionate talent. Thundercat’s performance commanded attention, transcending the mere confines of earthly existence and captivating the audience until the very end.
This Schön! online exclusive has been produced by
photography. Isha Shah
words. Holly Turton
