By Steven Burgess
Last weekend at White Oak Music Hall, I went to see BLK ODYSSY. The Austin-based collective has been embarking on their The Fantasy House tour as they promote the release of their newest record, 1-800-FANTASY. Before the show, I had very little knowledge of their music, but I was excited to see them live, given the tracks I had heard before the show.
The show openers, Benji. and Asha Imuno set the bar high with fantastic sets and distinct energies. Benji. opened the show with colorful production elevated by his lush vocals. Throughout the set, Benji. would experiment with elements of R&B, Hip-Hop, and even some Gospel. My favorite moment of his set was when he had the crowd sing along to “Jorja” with him, second to when he brought out his bass and played over his melodic tunes.
Following Benji. was Asha Imuno, delivering a high-octane set with energy flowing throughout each song. What I loved most about Imuno’s performance was how much fun he had on stage. He would jump around on the stage, interact with the crowd on multiple occasions, and portray himself as a very authentic personality. Imuno’s stage presence consistently elevated the songs he performed live with such instances as “DO u WANNA BE HIGH?” and “ZIG ZAGGING.”
After 20-30 minutes, BLK ODYSSY came on stage and immediately hit the audience with a wall of sound. With a set that lasted over an hour, frontman Sam Houston brought his catalog alive with ear-grabbing and captivating performances. BLK ODYSSY exhibited astounding versatility, seamlessly shifting from Rock to Pop to Neo-Soul to Hip-Hop. I was very impressed by the backing band, exuding just as much energy as their frontman. Highlights from this set were “WANT YOU” and “GHOST RIDE,” both performed with passionate delivery to a crowd that reciprocated their energy.
As someone who did not have BLK ODYSSY, Asha Imuno, or Benji. on their radar before this year, the energy and passion behind their music was most apparent in their live performances. Even when taking photos, I could not help but dance and enjoy each set. Each delivered a unique energy that made them memorable and had the audience in sync, strangers dancing alongside one another. I loved how receptive the crowd was to the melting pot of genres performed, making this one of the most surprising and memorable concerts I’ve attended this year.