Oddisee & Good Compny
7th December 2018
Powerstation, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review & Photography by Sarah Kidd.
Oddisee may not be not be a hip-hop artist whose name pops up in mainstream media on a regular basis, but for those in the know, he is an artist of not only formidable talent but of humility too. In fact, humility was something that was on display in abundance throughout the acts appearing on stage. From the rap infused funk aesthetics of Hamilton based Jane Deezy to West Auckland’s own Melodownz, the local supports displayed both their skills and their gratitude to be appearing on the same bill as an artist such as Oddisee.
Melodownz has certainly been making a name for himself; while his career has been on an upward trajectory for quite awhile his latest album Melo & Blues is sure to take it to a completely different level. Appearing with friend and DJ IllBaz, Melodownz took the crowd through both the old and the new school; his latest single ‘Peace $igns, Gang $igns’ a definitive highlight. Inviting Bailey Wiley to the stage the two performed ‘The Anthem’ before ‘Son of A Queen’ had the Powerstation rockin. With performances and material such as this there is no doubt that Melodownz is only destined for bigger and brighter things.
Regardless of the genre of music that you associate yourself with, you would be hard pressed to keep your toes from tapping as Olivier St. Louis took to the stage, accompanied by three of the members of Good Compny – Ralph Real on Keys, Mr. Turner on Bass and Jon Laine on drums. Formally known as Olivier Daysoul the DC born / Berlin based vocalist and killa guitarist serenaded the audience with a set that had everybody dancing, his smooth falsetto vocals and expressive performance captivating from start to finish. Involving the audience within the songs themselves, St. Louis took the audience on a journey that pulled elements of funk, soul and the sultry undertones of R&B into the cab with them. From ‘Ain’t Cool’ through to the funky ‘Careless’ it was abundantly clear that St. Louis doesn’t just have a voice to die for, but off the scale guitar skills. Solo St. Louis could easily hold an audience but being supported by members of Good Compny turned his set into something purely inspirational, and completely uplifting; his latest album Road to St. Louis a must have for any discerning music lover.
As if chess pieces moving across the board, the members of Good Compny fanned out in a half circle, Olivier St. Louis remaining on stage and DJ Unown joining the mix. The arrival of Oddisee was celebrated by the crowd in true New Zealand fashion, those along the barrier some of the loudest.
Beginning his career almost nineteen years ago, Oddisee has crafted his skills to be sharper than a knife edge; his work with Diamond District as well as Low Budget Crew only adding to his impressively large body of work. Moving across the stage at speed, early tracks such as ‘Strength & Weakness’ and ‘That Real’ from his 2012 album People Hear What They See displayed his prowess for lyricism, ‘You Know Who You Are’ featuring the sumptuous backing vocals of St. Louis drawing the audience whole-heartedly into the music.
Oddisee is a conscious performer, many of his tracks both stories and calls to the audience to heed his messages and involve themselves – whether that be through celebration or the chanting of choruses. Asking a woman in the front row to hold his mic while he tied his shoe, Oddisee took his time, slyly encouraging her to use the microphone, and then laughing with her when she politely handed it back without saying a word. His sharp wit yet another addition to his repertoire.
With bassist Mr. Turner who also doubles as the group’s musical director at the helm, the set moved seamlessly from song to song, pausing briefly every so often as Oddisee would address the fans. Tracks from his latest album The Iceberg were received with enthusiasm, ‘This Girl I Know’ seeing more than just a few pairs of adoring eyes focusing in on the genial artist; ‘That’s Love’ from his 2015 album The Good Fight involving the entire audience in a chant of “That’s Love!” with collective emphasis. Finishing on an extended version of ‘Never Not Getting Enough’ the room was filled with a sound that could have come from the heavens themselves, each instrument playing an integral part without ever overpowering another, each tier an individual aural feast.
A hotly demanded encore saw Oddisee return, band in tow and in a moment that could only happen at a show such as this Oddisee (after good naturedly teasing a few people in the crowd about already missing the songs they were requesting) was given a traditional Sudanese greeting from a fan in the front row – the event captured on video for his Dad back in Sudan. Embracing culture in all forms Oddisee then invited a fan onto stage to rap; Jackson – who almost looked like he was going to choke – instead spitting bars. ‘Rights and Wrongs’ again from his new album was extended out to include formal introductions and solos from each of the band members, Jon Laine’s drumming almost taking out the top prize until Ralph Real and St. Louis busted out not only vocals that spanned the full octave scale but in the case of Real, dance moves that brought the house down.
Show over the crowd had barely begun to make their way towards the doors before Oddisee along with Good Compny were making their way towards the centre of the room to greet and chat with anyone that cared to.
It’s not often a show can score a perfect ten, but in this case it’s an easy eleven.
Were you there at the Powerstation to witness this brilliant hip hop showcase? Or have you seen Oddisee & Good Compny perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
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