A Los Angeles native brought funky, electronic vibes down to Orange County, resulting in a sold out show at The Observatory in Santa Ana. Stephen Bruner (also known as Thundercat), his pretty pink six-string bass and his angelic voice set a mellow type of mood in the venue. For the majority of Thundercat’s set, the venue was dimly lit. He switched up the feel of the room from serenity, which had the crowd in awe of the production quality during his performance, to a groovy-like atmosphere, which then had every single person in the room moving their feet.
Thundercat engaged with his audience by telling a story in between each of his songs.
One song in particular, “Fair Chance”, is an ode to Mac Miller, of whom he shouted out love and the audience went wild — wild enough for the heavens to hear! Beyond dedicating the song to Mac, Thundercat’s lyrics talk about losing a loved one. Lil B and Ty Dolla $ign share verses in the song, as well, about their heartbreaks and missing a significant other. Neither of the artists made a guest appearance. Thundercat’s production couldn’t have been completed without two other musicians — one on keys and another on drums. Although any traditional band also includes a guitarist, the three of them put together a miraculous show, perhaps putting an influence on other musicians! Even a lack of instruments can produce something beautiful.
For any first-time listeners of Thundercat, many hip hop fans can catch him on songs with other well-known artists, such as Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus, Erykah Badu and SZA… to name a few.
All in all, March 8th in Santa Ana was a night to remember. Thundercat’s latest album, It Is What It Is, will be dropping on all digital platforms April 3rd, where his latest single “Fair Chances” can be heard. Make sure to check it out!
Photography by Eddie Alcazar
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