You Just Missed BLK ODYSSY
On Sunday, September 22, crowds of hip-hop heads and music enthusiasts collected in the moody lower level of Larimer Lounge. Slim Tha DJ prepared the antsy crowd with hip-hop favorites and a special emphasis on Earthgang and JID.
“Y’all ever heard of Spillage Village… Dreamville…?” Slim teased the crowd. As fans know, the first opener of the night, Benji. is a member of the legendary collective and label founded by J. Cole. With a hearty shout-out to Pittsburgh and Mac Miller, Slim showed off his live record-scratching and mixing skills.
With a calming and wholesome stage presence, Benji. moved through his discography with ease. His remarkable vocal range and deep understanding of harmonies quickly mesmerized the crowd.
After a quick vocal lesson, fans joined Benji. during the chorus for the dreamy love song, “Josephine.” Despite Benji.’s mentions of a girl he recently met, the iconic name of the song was actually the street name of a place where he and Slim lived together.
“I’m gonna take us through something I don’t know what to call it, I haven’t known all tour, but we are gonna get through it,” Benji. assured the crowd with a charming smile.
Benji. led the audience through a short breathing routine as he transitioned into a soulful rendition of his song “Terms & Conditions.”
Much to the crowd’s dismay, Benji. explained that this was his last stop on the tour.
“Love gun three is dropping soon I promise,” Benji. revealed. “I’m so glad I ended the tour here in Denver, what a great way to go home.”
With a few more Spillage Village and Baby Keem tracks to keep the audience entertained, the room buzzed with anticipation.
Asha Imuno and his DJ came out in full force. Imuno jumped to a beat pad at the front of the stage live mixing alongside his DJ with a rowdy version of his most popular song on Spotify, “ZIG ZAGGING.”
Fans matched Imuno’s bouncy energy and joined in on his track “FLORIDA WATER” with Imuno winding up his arm to cue the heated adlibs.
Working through much of his most recent album, PINS & NEEDLES, the crowd moved with each unique beat.
Playing through some slower tracks Imuno checked in with the crowd, “Is this cool a few more of these?” he asked. “I like to jump around, but I’m a lover boy.” This posed no problems for fans and was a perfect opportunity to experience more of Imuno’s impressive vocal range alongside his lyricism.
Imuno’s modern R&B sound rose and fell with energy and remarkable production. “I will be out there moshing with y’all,” Imuno said before closing his set. “Don’t be afraid to come say hi.” This energy set the stage perfectly for the dynamic act to come.
Under smokey red lights BLK ODYSSY settled on stage. Two guitarists, a bassist and a drummer prepared their instruments awaiting lead singer Sam Houston. Adding their personal flair to the dark ambiance, the lead guitarist was concealed by a black ski mask covered in small metal spikes and the drummer lurked behind a classic clown mask.
The lights flashed with intensity as a disembodied husky femme voice, who narrates the group’s newest album 1-800 FANTASY prepared the crowd for the frequencies and emotions to come. The voice teased the alluring option to press three and “fulfill your deepest desires,” as the sinister melodies built.
“XXX” rocked the crowd with no hesitation as Houston burst onto the stage with contagious energy. Blasting through the upbeat and punk-forward songs off the new album, the steam and tension from heavy emotions were palpable.
With raw frustration and complicated relationships at the forefront of the lyrics, “WANT YOU” was a cathartic release on all levels. Each rhythmically complicated and rich soundscape blended seamlessly and rose with smoldering intensity.
“DELILAH” transitioned with echoes of the iconic Arctic Monkeys riff “Do I Wanna Know” over to “GEMINI.” With a quick Radiohead interlude for the true bass heads, the band continued into interludes of heavy instrumentation.
“This is the BLK ODYSSY, and the odyssey is the journey.” Houston asserted.
Now stripped of his mask and shirt to reveal a large tattoo of Texas on his peck, the drummer dove into a lengthy and sweat-inducing solo. The unbelievable stamina and variety of his rhythms baffled the crowd.
Houston donned a keffiyeh handed up by a fan and paused for the group to catch their breath.
“I love y’all, and I wish I could tell you more,” Houston said with sincerity. “This is so much more than me, all the people you see here making this event happen are so important.”
After ensuring each band member got a moment to showcase their talents, the group recollected to play a few songs off their timeless 2021 album BLK VINTAGE.
“BIG BAD WOLF/SOBER,” “GHOST RIDE” and “FUNKENTOLOGY” settled over the crowd with hypnotic waves of gospel, deep G-funk undertones and creaking percussion.
The bass and rhythm guitarist dripped through each track like thick sap crawling down a tree’s bark. “MURDA” kept the crowd bouncing and “HANG LOW” brought out the vocal talents of dedicated fans.
“If I do this one, it’s gonna damn near kill me,” Houston emphasized before launching into the final song of the night.
“Not like Us” by Kendrick Lamar played as the band left the stage, surrounded by lingering fans. With an unbelievable texture and raw punk energy pulled together by Daniel-Ceasar-level gospel vocals, BLK ODYSSY is a live show you can’t miss.
All Photography by Victoria Glidden.