San Antonio has continued its great year of shows, with Thundercat visiting the Alamo City for the second time this year this past Saturday night as part of his “In Yo Girls City Tour.” The sold-out Aztec Theatre was ready for a downright funky performance and the L.A. musician was more than prepared to bring it to them.
The crowd was treated to a wildly imaginative stage design, featuring a large inflated blue thundercat that took up most of the stage, complete with strikingly ominous red eyes. While Thundercat performed in the middle of the stage, his keyboardist Dennis Hamm and his drummer Justin Brown were elevated on each side of the stage, situated on top of each of the larger-than-life thundercat’s paws.
It was a two-hour show that was very lively and joyful. In every song, the musicians would always stay in perfect chemistry as they broke out into incredible jam sessions, smiling as they skillfully went nuts on their instruments.
Thundercat showcased his prowess as a bassist, playing so many groovy basslines and being so in tune with his instrument. The way he would sway with it back and forth demonstrated a passion that was very evident with the passionate fans in attendance. He also had excellent falsetto vocals, sounding identical to the vocals he lays down on his studio tracks.
He also took the time between every song to engage with the crowd and drop the funniest anecdotes. He was very relaxed yet in a very excited way, showing off his personality in a self-described dorky way by loudly laughing at his own jokes. It made it feel like such a genuine connection with the crowd.
Thundercat ended his set by performing two of his most popular tracks, “Funny Thing” and “Them Changes.” Each of them had the crowd grooving and partying in the pit all the way up to the balcony, excitingly recognizing the songs right from their opening basslines.
After he and his band bid a thankful farewell to San Antonio, the crowd enthusiastically cheered for an encore. Thundercat responded by playing a short and sweet rendition of “It Is What It Is”, with just the gentle sounds of his vocals and his bass filling up the beautiful Aztec Theatre for one last time.
