Courtesy of Ashly Othic
“So let’s celebrate while we still can,” the crowd sang loudly as they watched Grammy-award winning singer Anderson .Paak bounce around the stage like a blaze of energy while performing his song “Celebrate.”
Rapper, producer and drummer Brandon Paak Anderson, better known by his stage name Anderson .Paak, and his band, The Free Nationals, made their triumphant debut at the Santa Barbara Bowl on Sept. 26 for their Malibu Tour.
The tour presents Anderson’s 2016 album “Malibu” in its entirety, along with a few of his greatest hits. The album earned Anderson his first Grammy nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album, though his music transcends genre with mixes of hip hop, R&B, disco, soul and funk.
Anderson grew up in Oxnard, and displays a great adoration for Southern California by naming all his albums after cities in the area, such as “Ventura” and “Venice.” With the glistening coast visible directly to the right, and the golden-brushed trees towering behind the stage, the Santa Barbara Bowl provided the perfect backdrop for the audience to be transported to “Malibu.”
The show openers were trumpeter Maurice Brown, who is a part of Anderson’s band, and R&B duo GAWD, who also offered back up vocals for the entire show. As the seats filled in, the crowd grooved to the breezy and soulful sounds of GAWD, accompanied by the pink and purple hues of the sunset. Their mesmerizing movements were perfectly in sync with each other, garnering screams and claps from the audience. Once GAWD left the stage, the crowd was palpably buzzing with anticipation.
Anderson’s entrance did not disappoint as he immediately shouted “What’s up 805!” with the strong tone of pride in his voice. He explained that it has been one of his dreams to perform at the Santa Barbara Bowl, and that it felt like home because of his upbringing.
He started the show by playing the entirety of “Malibu” in order of the tracklist, starting with “The Bird.” This relaxed R&B ditty was the perfect song to ease the audience into the show. He picked up steam effortlessly as one of his most recognizable tunes, “Heart Don’t Stand a Chance,” followed. By the time he was playing “Put Me Thru,” the entire stadium sprung out of their seats to sing along with him.
The transition in energy was marked by his performance of “The Season/Carry Me,” in which he stopped singing to tell the story of getting his first pair of Jordans, mirroring the lyrics of the song. He explained that when he walked out of the store, he asked his mom to carry him so that his new shoes wouldn’t get dirty on the pavement. Then, the entire crowd erupted, chanting “Momma can you carry me?” in unison with him as he finished his performance.
Anderson’s stage presence made it impossible to remain seated. He dripped of seemingly effortless confidence and cool in a bright blue suit and black shades. The musician often called out for audience participation, yelling “Let me see those hands!” and at one point asked the entire stadium to turn their flashlights on, creating a sea of stars that lit up the venue. Most impressively, he spent time behind the drums showing off his one-of-a-kind musical chops.
Courtesy of Ashly Othic
The energy in the amphitheater was electric, due in large part to the careful crafting of the setlist, mirroring that of a symphony. Anderson left room for highs and lows, taking the audience on a journey. The music only stopped shortly for interludes of visuals featuring crashing waves, further driving the theme of a trip to Malibu.
The laidback and groovy “Celebrate” was next and served as a thesis for the night, marking the end of the first act of the show. The song sounds distinctively like Southern California — the kind of tune you’d listen to with the windows down on the Pacific Coast Highway. With lyrics like “Let it go, let it go,” the crowd could not help but sway and forget about anything beyond the warm-toned rocks of the Bowl.
Once Anderson finished with “Malibu,” he played a mixture of songs from his discography such as “Come Here” and “Make It Better,” as well as some Free Nationals songs like “Beauty & Essex.” This second act began with an outfit change as Anderson came out in a cherry red suit with a sparkling belt spelling “ANDY.” Anderson’s band did not let him take the spotlight though, as they showed off all of their talents with masterful piano, guitar and trumpet solos. Watching incredibly talented musicians fully display their wide range of instrumental skill was awe-inspiring. Anderson showed plenty of appreciation for his band, especially by introducing them via the title sequence from the sitcom “Family Matters” (crediting himself as Steve Urkel).
The crowd was electric as Anderson transitioned from “Bubblin,” the song that earned him his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance, to “Milk n’ Honey,” which features similar lyrical themes and a familiar fast-paced, upbeat hip-hop rhythm. This marked the last transition of the night into the encore portion of the show.
Anderson told a comedic story about his past work on a marijuana farm in Ventura, where he picked the plant and attempted to sell it, laughing as he admitted he was never that good at dealing. If the story didn’t cue the crowd into the next song, perhaps the smell of marijuana in the air and thin layer of smoke over the arena did. Anderson began the intro to his most popular hit with Bruno Mars, “Smokin Out The Window,” and from the first bar to the very end the crowd was dancing and singing along. Despite not having Mars on stage with him, Anderson never let that stop him from bringing infectious energy and remarkable vocals.
The song brought the show to another high point, seamlessly transitioning into the upbeat closer, “Places to be,” where the singer rightfully chanted “I got places to be!” the perfect thematic harmony to end the show with.
However, before the artist left the stage he sang a tribute to his late friend and collaborator Mac Miller, while a photo of them smiling together appeared on screen. As he sang Miller’s song “Dang!,” he went into the audience high-fiving and hugging fans. He used this to seal the show with the stamp of connection and pure emotion, a poignant conclusion to a night filled with rawness, immense talent and a whole lot of joy.
