The first time I heard about Thundamentals was when their catchy hip-hop track Something I Said hit number 30 on Triple J’s 2014 Hottest 100.
Now I’m a pretty competitive person. Since I discovered Eminem in Year 7, I’ve embraced the challenge of learning as many rap lyrics as possible. From The Real Slim Shady to Chris Brown’s Look At Me Now, I learnt them all (I even managed to remember all of Love The Way You Live at Rege-oke last week!) On the 26th of January 2015, I was exposed to a whole new world- the world of Australian Hip Hop. From there, I listened to Hilltop Hoods, Illy, Urthboy, and A.B. Original.
Having missed out on seeing Thundamentals live at Groovin the Moo this year (the set times clashed with German duo Milky Chance), I was thrilled to get the chance to see them at the Enmore Theatre on tour, celebrating the group’s fourth album, ‘Everyone We Know’, specifically titled as a continuation from the third (“So We Can Remember…Everyone We Know”).
As soon as I arrive at the theatre, I know it is going to be a great night. The three supporting acts, including Big Village Allstars and Coda Conduct, warm the crowd up. The mosh is packed, and from the moment that Thundamentals hit the stage, everyone in the seated areas stand up. The Enmore Theatre vibrates with the booming beats of hits like 21 Grams, Think About It, Wolves and Reebok Pumps.
The mood shifts gears from rave to a musical eulogy during the performance of Blue Balloons (BB’s Song), perhaps the show’s most powerful moment. Opening with the line “I wrote this for my friend, the friend I never knew”, the song commemorates the life of Jarrod Samson-Hills, a nineteen-year-old Thundamentals fan who died tragically in 2014. MC Tuka and MC Jeswon’s heartfelt lyrics are delivered with sincerity, “This a dedication to the life / Of a beautiful soul I wish that I could’ve known”. The lighting dims to a solemn blue wash and the crowd’s roar grows to a hush. Soon everyone’s phone is in the air, the mosh a sea of flashlights, gently swaying.
However, instead of finishing with this somber mood, the group end the show on a high. They bring the house down with their hit song Sally, the upbeat, funk-fest featuring Mataya, which had everyone dancing, even those in seats. In typical concert style, the group pretended the show was over (fooling no one), before finishing with a banging rendition of Something I Said.
The show was a non-stop party, with some epic beats, perfect for a boogie. If you get a chance to catch these guys live- don’t miss it (and make sure to learn some rap lyrics for good measure)!
Jo Bradley.
This review was originally posted on Blitz at June 2017.
Scribbles of Stage and Screen 