BLK ODYSSY brought infectious, electrifying energy to his Toronto concert on Sept. 13 with fans singing along to each of his songs from his latest album, 1-800 FANTASY.
His Toronto stop on The Fantasy House Tour this past weekend clearly demonstrated his dedication to his followers who clearly appreciate the artist’s impressive versatility across genres.
Having discovered BLK ODYSSY just weeks before the concert, I went in with mixed feelings but high expectations, especially after watching his NPR Tiny Desk Concert, as someone who enjoys and appreciates a wide range of genres.
For those unfamiliar, Juwan Elcock, who goes by his stage name BLK ODYSSY, draws inspiration from performers like Kendrick Lamar, D’Angelo, OutKast, and Funkadelic.
On Friday night, BLK ODYSSY was joined by his longtime guitarist Alejandro Rios,bassist Jimmy Blazer, another guitarist, and a drummer.
Though the main act didn’t start until 10 p.m., the audience was warmed up by two opening acts: rapper Benji. and hip-hop, R&B artist Asha Imuno. Despite some delays in setup in between sets, both artists engaged with the crowd, and pumped them up for BLK ODYSSY.
Benji., in particular, won over new fans with his interactive performance and diverse set, which included songs like “Better” and “Jorja.”
When BLK ODYSSY finally took the stage, he’d built anticipation with dim lighting before he emerged and launched into the first song for the night “XXX.”
With five band members on stage, including three guitarists, the space felt a bit cramped, and the band appeared somewhat squeezed together.
Despite the tight quarters, each member brought their own unique style to the performance. BLK ODYSSY stood out with his flashy, white-silver jewellery and made a bold statement by wearing a black-and-white keffiyeh, a headscarf symbolizing the Palestinian liberation movement and often used to convey political sentiments.
Most of the band members wore leather pants, adding to the rock or metal vibe of the performance.
Some of the other songs that the band performed were tracks from his latest album, 1-800 FANTASY, including “BLEACH,” “WANT YOU,” “LAST RESORT,” “STANK ROSE,” and “DELILAH.”
My favourite songs were “CHANGES and GEMINI,” both from the same album. When he performed these songs, the vibes in the room were electric as the audience sang along to every word of the song, often singing louder than BLK ODYSSY himself.
Though the crowd was small and the show wasn’t sold out, this allowed for a more relaxed experience with space to move around and enjoy the concert from different angles.
The intimate setting allowed for a deeper connection between the artist and his devoted fans, who knew lyrics to every song that he sang and were thoroughly engaged throughout the performance.
A special shout-out also goes to the venue team at The Great Hall for providing free water to attendees on the hot and humid day.
In the end, if you’re interested in exploring a blend of genres like R&B, hip-hop and rock, BLK ODYSSY might be an artist worth checking out.
