As opener Kitty Ca$h leaves the stage, the crowd shuffles into their seats, and whispers of conversation can be heard throughout the venue. The lights dim, let the party begin.

With the amount of energy Thundercat had during his residency in San Diego, you would not be able to tell that he held a groundbreaking, and vocally numbing, performance just a few nights before. Still recovering from his stop at the Greek Theatre, Stephen Lee Bruner, whom many know as Thundercat, sips on tea throughout his entire performance in San Diego on October 7th, 2023. The stage was set with a blowup castle that displayed Thundercat’s logo front and center with a panther settled atop.

Thundercat’s music may not have many lyrics, but listening to him give a spiel on the process of writing his song Tokyo allows one to gain an appreciation for his craft. It is easy to get lost in the lyrics and vocals of an artist, but with Thundercat, you can appreciate the instrumentation and the talent that unfolds before you from just his fingers and his six-string Ibanez bass. Each instrument on stage provides its own essence and commands attention at specific times in certain songs, but really allows you to cherish each one individually.

Concertgoers opted to sit down during the majority of the set to observe and appreciate the musical stylings of Thundercat and his band. Still, he encouraged fans to stand and sing during the few songs that did have lyrics. Even though his voice was healing, he was still able to command the stage and sing in beautiful harmony with the crowd by choosing to sing in a lower register. Being a well-known and respected bassist was adamant as he effortlessly ran through his setlist, strumming every string on the bass as if it were light work. Forget his credits on music with Kendrick Lamar, Gorillaz, and most recently, Tame Impala (Kevin Parker), Thundercat knows how to command an audience with just his fingers. 

The concert completely blew my expectations out of the water, Thundercat proves he’s the King Of The Hill even while feeling under the weather. Thundercat is an astronomically talented performer and needs no help to prove that.

Photography by Jennifer Perez.