Sad Moth Concert Tour Pt 2: Blurry Concert Pictures with Noah: Action Bronson

Author’s Note: Since this site has turned into a music review/Chance the Rapper fan club as of late, I’d like to clear the air right off the bat and say that, despite having multiples verses on Bronson’s songs and the concert being in a venue just a mile away from his high school, Chance the Rapper did not, I repeat did not appear at this concert.  If everyone reading this no longer cares what I have to say, so be it.

For those not acquainted with Bronsoliño, I’ll acquaint you.  He doesn’t like people jumping on stage, for one (see right).

He’s a rapper from Queens that breaks all the conventions of what a rapper can be.  He’s a former professional chef, and still considers himself a chef who happens to rap on the side.  He raps over absurd beats, makes obscure sports references, (Dillon Gee, anyone?), and spins tales of ludicrous drug-fueled sexual exploits, (face-to-face toilets anyone?).  Similar to may other artists I like, liking Bronson isn’t just about liking the music in a vacuum.  It’s about his persona, his interviews, his Vice cooking show called Fuck, That’s Delicious.  It’s about developing a complex love/have relationship with his best friend and major-league level asshole Big Body Bes.

Action Bronson has put out a lot of music in his career, but up until the recently released Mr. Wonderful (for which the tour is promoting) they have all been mixtapes.  My personal favorites are Blue Chips, and Blue Chips 2.  These two albums are able to hit on the nose the kind of bizarre production that Bronson works the best with.  On Blue Chips 2, he raps over “Tequila” by The Champs, multiple vocal soul samples, a stripped down electric guitar riff.  On It’s Me, he even tells you himself.

“I’m headed towards a magical past/rappin’ over African jazz/put the drug inside the crack of my ass”

The place wasn't packed when I got there,
and I got a great second-row view.

His new release Mr. Wonderful, is similar, but not as esoteric, as the Blue Chips series, and I don’t say that in a wholly positive sense.  I was worried that Bronson, who has such a unique and identifiable personality, might become more of a caricature of himself, over-emphasizing his most distinguishable quirks to appeal to a wider audience.  Before I saw the show, and having listened to the album, I was afraid that Mr. Wonderful was a step in that direction.  After seeing him live, I've changed that opinion.

The show was dope.  The first opener kinda sucked, but the second, Meyhem Lauren, was really, really good.  I’m certainly gonna give him more of a listen.

“I’m about to take a shit on this game, I need an orderly.”  -- Meyhem Lauren

A blurry pic. Note the
luxurious fullness of his beard can still be
observed, even at this low resolution

Bronson apparently drinks water in similar
volumes to a two-humped camel, as ten full
water bottles were provided on-stage before
his set.

The crowd was mostly mid-20s guys and girls, but it was also very diverse.  The crowd wasn't overwhelmingly any race, or anything else.  It just a bunch of people really into hip-hop.  Listening to conversations, I heard endless references to obscure tracks off his lesser-kown mixtapes, and a lot of people knew all the words.  Also, the vintage snapback game was strong.  Then came the man himself, preceded by a brief solo DJ set by Alchemist.  And I realized I was wrong about Bronson becoming a caricature of himself.  Because what he's like in his songs and interviews is entirely and exactly what he's actually like.  He's just a rapping chef from Queens, who feels completely comfortable on stage in a flannel, St. John's snapback, shorts and basketball shoes.  At one point, Alchemist's gear malfunctioned, and they had to pause the show.  Bronson just sat down on stage, and in true Jed Munson style, goes, "anybody know any jokes?"

Body Bes spitting horrible non-rhymes while
Bronson laughs to himself in the background.

Just a note, there was a lot of weed smoking going on for a venue with strict no-smoking policies.  Some dude passed out and fell on me, but that probably wasn't just weed.  Even Bronson, Alchemist, and Body were lighting up Js on stage.

Speaking of Body, yeah, he was there.  Big Body Bes is actually featured in a couple of Bronson's songs, and he came out and did his (horrible) verses/yelling.  Seeing Body on Fuck, That's Delicious, and other places, I completely despised him.  He seemed ingenuine, insecure, and untalented.  I couldn't understand why Bronson even hangs out with him.  Seeing him jumping on stage every so often, I haven't changed my opinion about who Body is as a person, but I get it now.  Seeing him making a complete fool of himself, and Bronson smirking in the background really defined their relationship for me.  Body's just a goon.  And Bronson, and the rest of Bronson's crew knows that.  But in his goon-ness there's a certain likableness, in his delusional earnestness, there's a charm. And it's probably fun for everyone else, because they probably shit on him and push his buttons constantly.  In summary, he's Mason.  At one point, Bronson shouted out to some guy in the audience who had a sign saying it's his birthday.  "Probably, like, your sixteenth birthday!" yells Bes into a microphone he's probably not supposed to have from shadows on the side of the stage.  Wow, you really got 'em Body. Nice one.

Bronson's set was disappointingly short, only about 50 minutes, but he killed it while he was up there.  He's the real deal live, sounding exactly, if not better than his recorded stuff.  The climax, "Baby Blue", "Easy Rider", and "Amadu Diablo" in a row, consisted of Bronson walking (not jumping, thank god), into the audience, and walking around the balconies, leaning dangerously off ledges as he did his verses.  It was kinda crazy.

See him. Listen to him. This was the second stop on his tour, so there's plenty more chances.  But no Chance.  Sorry.