Two-time Grammy award winning musician, singer, producer, and songwriter Thundercat came to the Southside Ballroom in Dallas and didn’t disappoint.
Where to start? If I were to only describe the concert in four words, I would say it was an “funky, stunning, specular experience” to be a part of. To call this a concert would be an understatement. It was like Thundercat invited you to his studio to chill and vibe out to his wizardry. Honestly, it amazes me how he plays his signature 6 string bass guitar without messing up or slowing down.
But before I go crazy explaining this musician, we should start at the beginning of the concert.
Let’s start with the opener for the concert. Thundercat brought out DJ Mike B to get the Dallas crowd excited and hyped up. Usually whenever I see a DJ open a concert, I get discouraged and cringe at the performance. The exact opposite with Mike B.
The man wasn’t playing just safe music to get very hyped. He was playing hits from Tyler, the creator, MF Doom, and even Bernard Ward. Mike B did his research well. Everyone was singing along with every song and was just vibing out. There’s a reason why Mike B was voted Dallas’ Best DJ for 2020 by Dallas Observer.
Once the opener was done, it was time for the man of the hour to come out to his packed crowd in Dallas.
Thundercat came out from the tunnel of his ThunderCats inspired inflatable Lair entrance and began the show. Literally, he took the Cats Liar from ThunderCats, put his logo on it and made it his stage. Also, to note, he came out to Mac Miller’s song “Inside Outside.” Mac Miller and Thundercat were best friends before Miller passed away in 2018. This was Thundercat’s way of paying tribute to his best friend.
Thundercat started his set of strong with “Lost In Space / Great Scott / 22-26” and went off the rails. What’s amazing about Thundercat is that he’ll play the song exactly the way it was recorded for a little bit but then he’ll add a few new bass lines to mix in. He did this with every song, and I loved every single bit of it. It’s what makes the concert unique to each city. Thundercat doesn’t stick with the same bass line. He goes with the flow of the energy from the crowd.
My favorite part of the concert was when he was talking about one of his very good friends Austin Peralta who died in 2012. Peralta was a regular collaborator with Thundercat and would help him with any project Thundercat was working on.
Thundercat was explaining how much Peralta meant to him and how helpful he was when Thundercat started his musical career. He later explained how Apocalypse, Thundercat’s second studio album, slowly turned into a tribute album to Peralta and was very emotional making the song “A Message for Austin / Praise the Lord / Enter the Void.”
Once he played the song, I got really emotional. The song made me think of my great grandmother who passed away in January 2022. Those emotions came back to me, and tears began to run down my face. These weren’t “sad” tears. These were “happy” tears. In the song, there’s a lyric in the song that reads Though we say goodbye, we will say hello again. You’ll always live in our hearts and our minds.
This concert managed to have me dancing my butt off to crying my butt off. If Thundercat comes back to Dallas or is in a city near you, I most definitely recommend you buy a ticket ASAP. You’re not just buying a ticket to a concert. You’re buying a ticket for a mind-bending experience.
DeAnthony McChristian is a UTA Radio staff member
