The phenomenally talented Thundercat rocked the Greek Theater in the Hollywood Hills last week in what must have felt like a homecoming birthday party.
The 38-year-old native Angeleno who's birthday is in a few weeks, sold out one of the finest outdoor venues in his hometown and was greeted on stage with some of his favorite collaborators.
Never heard of Thundercat who was born Stephen Bruner? Don't bother going to his Wikipedia where it says the Compton local's talents lie in: funk, progressive R&B, soul, electronica, acid jazz, psychedelia, thrash, yacht rock, and astral jazz. Although if you mix all those together you might have a hint of what the next generation Bootsy Collins is up to.
The first guest was Pedro Martins, the wildly talented guitar player who opened the show. The pair performed "It Is What It Is" for which Thundercat won a Grammy for in 2021, and then covered one of Pedro's, "Isn’t It Strange."
Although anyone can bring up the opener, it doesn't happen all that much, so kudos for Thundercat for sharing his spotlight with the jazz guitarist whose name you'll hear again.
After a few minutes, who came on stage but Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino.
Not only did they play Black Qualls along with 25 year-old Grammy-winning Compton native Steve Lacy, but he also did “II. Shadows” a track Gambino hasn't performed since 2015.
It was a special night on the In Yo Girl's City Tour.
And the guests did not stop coming out for yo boy.
Next Taylor Graves came out for a series of songs with Thundercat, whom he has collaborated a ton.
Then the real surprises occurred. When Thundercat was just 16, he joined his brother Ron in Suicidal Tendencies, the Venice thrash metal band. For nine years he toured and recorded with them. So naturally they joined him on stage to do two of their best songs: the aggro "You Can't Bring Me Down" and the classic ode to Pepsi - "Institutionalized."
But wait, there's more?
Yes!
Tame Impala featuring Kevin Parker, nursing a bum foot, came out and performed the Thundercat collab “No More Lies,” and then closed the night by covering Tame Impala’s “Apocalypse Dreams.”
Thundercat wanted to play more but there is a strict curfew in the tiny neighborhood of Los Feliz where the Greek is nestled - at 11pm everyone had to go home.
Which everyone did, with their minds blown and hearts warmed.
Thundercat has many more dates on this tour. Tonight he will be at Red Rocks, for example. Tickets available at theamazingthundercat.com/tour