Walking into the Auckland Town Hall last night, a quiet energy was building from the moment I crossed the threshold to that beautiful staircase. People were excited, and you could feel it in the air. It was the first stop of Leon Thomas’ Australasian Leg of the Mutts Don’t Heel world tour. Classic 90’s RnB hits and the odd rock track such as Black Sabbath’s War Pigs could be heard over the chattering crowd.
Cheers went up as DJ opener Toney Handsome took the stage. Officially the classiest DJ I’ve seen, with his own bottle of what looked like Pinot Gris gracing the decks. After some light introductions to the crowd, Toney brought the lights down to “make it sexier” and we were off. By track 3 the crowd was jumping to a delightful mashup of Don Dawson’s All Night and Victoria Monet’s Alright. The last minute switch to Heaven Can Wait by Michael Jackson got a massive round of cheers.
Toney stopped his set to ask “Chat, am I cooking right now?” – The Something’s Got Me Started/Don’t Stop the Music mashup that followed answered his question with a resounding yes. By the final tracks of the opening set, the crowd were primed and the energy was tangible. A final nod to his headlining act, a verse of the Victorious cast’s Make It Shine had the crowd chanting along (Thomas played Andre Harris for four seasons on the Nickelodeon hit).
With the crowd at their peak, the two-time grammy winner made his entrance to near deafening cheers. It was a sold out show, and the Town Hall was packed to the rafters with eager fans. A single spotlight showed Thomas by the famous organ, high above the stage. Immediately jumping into soaring vocal riffs. By the time Thomas made his way down to the stage, he had officially bought the hype. On brand with the title of his sophomore album and tour namesake Mutt, Thomas encouraged the crowd to bark between songs, to which they heartily obliged.
If it’s not already on Leon Thomas’ Wikipedia page, I would suggest adding that he is a highly talented multi-instrumentalist. During the course of the night, he performed jaw dropping solos on guitar, drums, bass, and keys, seemingly with ease. Thomas and band would also repeatedly swap instruments throughout the show, showcasing the additional talents of his bandmates. Rico on drums and Obe on guitar showed they are maestros in their own right.
Classic tracks like Yes It Is, My Muse, Sneak, and Treasure in the Hills prompted a hearty response from the crowd. The whole show was a masterclass in both musicianship and crowd control. Thomas had the Town Hall in the palm of his hand and based on how much fun he appeared to be having, I’d say he knew it. This was on full display with Breaking Point, Thomas’ strongest vocal performance of the night, and smash hit Mutt. For which the crowd gave the PA system a run for it’s money.
Ending with the encore of Safe Place, Leon Thomas delivered an electric set to Auckland last night. It isn’t an overstatement to say that he is one of the most proficient live musicians working at the moment. I am pleased to see it did not go unappreciated during his only New Zealand show. Leon Thomas is off to Brisbane next for yet another sold out performance at the Fortitude Music Hall. If tonight was anything to go by, it’s not to be missed.
