Oddisee & Good Compny Fight The Good Fight in Toronto

On Monday October 12th aka Canadian Thanksgiving, Oddisee and Good Compny took a trip to Toronto to kick off their North American Tour at Adelaide Hall. Located down an alley off Duncan and Adelaide it’s easy to miss but hard to forget once you’ve found it. Upon entry guests descend a dim staircase that opens up to a brightly lit Marquee that embodies a classic theater feel. A quick walk past the marquee and down an unassuming hallway opens up to an intimate space with great soundproofing, a cozy, square dancefloor surrounded by bars and a raised stage that was set-up with Good Compny’s instruments. The room was lit up with a red hue and the stage speakers bumped a mix of hip-hop and forward thinking electronic music. Freddie Gibbs’ remix of Flume’s ‘Holdin On’ was a perfect representation of the sound. The perimeter of the venue filled in, while the dance floor remained bare as guests grabbed drinks and chatted amongst each other.  

As soon as the band took their places behind their instruments the floor filled with everyone ready for the show. A few quick notes had the crowd excited for what was to come and Good Compny delivered. Before the show I mistook them as just Oddisee’s backup band, but they proved they’re more than just that. The group easily moved between upbeat originals that were catchy and groovy. Their vocal talent surprised with each new track. From the keyboardist (Ralph Real) singing and rapping, to the soulful sing-songs of the guitarist (Olivier St. Louis) and the man behind the MPC (Unown) coming out to drop a few bars. Even though the first lines didn’t come across as the mic was cut off, it didn’t stop him from flowing and it was quickly turned up.

The band took a break from originals to play some familiar hip-hop classics which included a live rendition of ‘It’s All About The Benjamins’ and Black Sheep’s ‘The Choice is Yours’. The energy was the highest it had been and the crowd was primed for the main event. As they teased a few notes of ‘Ready to Rock’ those with a keen ear began to cheer while the remainder of the crowd joined in as Oddisee stepped from behind the curtain and took his place at centre stage. As he picked up the mic the track kicked into full effect and so did his verse. It was a powerful intro that was somewhat drowned out by the band. After the track, Oddisee took note asking if the crowd could hear him. After receiving a few no’s he apologized to the sound guy, claiming to be sorry for pissing him off at sound check and asking to turn his mic up.  

‘That’s Love’ was the sing along anthem of the night while Tangible Dream cuts ‘Killin’ Time’ and ‘Yeah and Nah’ both hit hard and had the crowd rocking along. Throughout the set Oddisee took time to pause and engage with the audience – telling stories, asking questions and segwaying between tracks. As he geared up for ‘First Choice’ he confessed that they had to cut the track on the European tour as the audience couldn’t rock with the 5 4 time signature, a pattern commonly found in Sudanese music, a big influence in his sound as it’s part of his heritage.

One of the biggest surprises of the night came when Oddisee decided it was time to truly turn up (and make fans work off that turkey). With the band near silent, Unown mashed the MPC creating a harder reimagination of ‘Want Something Done’. The trapped out sound was punctuated by Oddisee’s off-kilter, Yung Thug-esq flow. It sounds odd on paper but it was incredible live; a dash of fun and skill that was pure entertainment. When the band jumped into the track and Oddisee flipped his flow once again the place exploded.

As the intro to ‘Meant It When It When I Said’ came on Oddisee announced that it would be his last song. A lie that was true if you consider the immediate encore. Unlike most artists he didn’t feel the need to feed his ego by having fans chant as he waited to come back to the stage, instead he did the encore right then and there with the album closer ‘Worse Before Better’ all while giving a shout out to the West Indians as well as nearby Scarborough and Mississauga neighborhoods.  

The night wasn’t quite over as Oddisee took the time to introduce each of the band members and allow them one final moment in the spotlight with each artist breaking into a solo to showcase their immense talent. A true climax saw Unown bringing together ‘Simon Says’ on the drum machine while Oddisee channeled his inner Pharoah Monche as he made the crowd “Get The Fuck Up” one last time.

The show was yet another illustration of the power and excitement that a live band adds to a hip-hop performance. There’s something distinctly human, fluid and inventive that comes with live music and Oddisee & Good Company embody it to perfection. On stage Oddisee was on full display, not just through his music but with his conversations with the crowd that ranged from cracking Thanksgiving jokes to a heartfelt speech about the refugee crisis. Characterizing his down to earth persona, Oddisee hung out after the show to talk to fans, snap pics and give daps. Much like his body of work the night was moving and energetic, introspective and thought provoking and at times surprisingly turnt up. He gave fans a little bit of everything yet left everyone wanting more.