Last night was mad thrill. Man, I wish I could say that. But it was actually two nights ago. After getting a fresh haircut, I was ready to hit the streets to fulfil my purpose as a sweet boy. I linked up with my friends and we headed for Tarkwa Bay to attend a party by Utopia. Lagos traffic took from us a couple of hours, as usual, before we arrived at CMS where we were supposed to take boats to the beach. I don't have a phobia for water but I'm not exactly in love with the idea of travelling on the water by boat. The vulnerability that comes with it is almost disarming. Finally, we got to the beach and joined the party. Earlier, while we were on our way, ykb received a call about a show later that night. Whose show? I asked. Tomi Thomas'. His response evoked a surge of excitement in me. WHAT?
Once we left the beach, we steered toward Lekki. We were supposed to meet with ykb's friend, the one who invited him to the Tomi Thomas show. We hung out at one of our favourite spots, waiting to be summoned to the venue of the show. Eventually, the time came and we sped down to Patio, a lounge somewhere in Lekki Phase One. The street was jam-packed with cars. We swiftly found a parking spot, making our way to the entrance. One of the girls at the gate asked if we had tickets, to which ykb responded that we were a certain person's guests. (You have to forgive me but I cannot exactly use ykb's friend's name due to specific reasons. Let's just go with 'Our anonymous friend').
As we stepped into the lounge, there was a palpable force field of unadulterated love. The Alté community is remarkably supportive of its own. The ambience of the lounge suffused with coziness and amiableness. Rays of lights bounced all over the place but it was the smile on the people's faces that brightened the place. We advanced toward our anonymous friend's table. Five of us, with a longing for what the show promised. It was during that brief moment that we tried to settle down that my attention was snatched by Tomi Thomas. His long dreads poured over his shoulders. His voice powering the souls of the audience. He was dressed in a loose long-sleeved white shirt and a pair of patterned pants. The man of the night. Performing alongside the vivacious act was a band. They gave an impression that they didn't come to play. Okay. Maybe to play music.
Even though the lounge was teeming with a crowd of people, you could easily tell that everyone there was genuinely interested in the event. It wasn't unusual that the likes of SDC, Tems, Ayuu Safi casually gathered at a place, cheering a comrade on. In a conversation with a friend, he informed me that Tomi Thomas serves as an anchor in the Alté community and although I didn't fully grasp what he meant, it was evident enough to me at the show that Tomi Thomas represented something in the community.
Music execs, producers, artists interacted heartily. The show already started before we got there. There was a slight hint that Tomi Thomas had been performing for a while yet his energy wasn't waning. Instead, he seemed like he was becoming more invigorated by the second. The band tried to match his pace, the guitarist pulling passionately at the strings, churning out scintillating melodies. We all watched in awe as the singer performed like he was auditioning for a role in God's own choir. He performed Love Me Now, per Ghost's request, unleashing the beast that we caught a glimpse of on his latest tape, Hopeless Romantic. Love me now. Please don’t love me later.
Tomi Thomas isn't new to the game. I got to know about him when he was actively part of the LOS Boys crew - a trio of musical acts, the other two being Zamir and Bridge. They were the coolest kids back then, making the kind of music they wanted to make, wearing whatever they wanted to wear. They were boundless, bursting with creative energy. Tomi Thomas started pursuing an individual career, and since then he has successfully earned a name for himself. So far, he has put out three projects. He is inspired by the likes of Bob Marley, Fela, Kendrick Lamar, Wande Coal, Queen Sade. The gifted singer has often stated that he's not concerned with trends, instead, all he wants to do is change lives with his music and leave a legacy.
He does the show every month end. Higher Vibrations Live, as it is known. On the stage, there was a backdrop with the design of the name on it. Above it was a glass with neon letters forming the word Higher Vibrations Live. One of the highlights of the night was when Ayuu came on stage to perform a song with Tomi Thomas. In his idiosyncratic outfit, he regaled us with his lines, rapping with zeal.
The show was approaching its end, but you could tell that the people wanted more. If only the night could halt for a moment. Tomi Thomas closed his set and began exchanging pleasantries with fans, friends, and colleagues. Lojay's LV N ATTN tape was playing in the background as we exited the lounge. I won't be forgetting that night in a while.
What do you guys think of Tomi Thomas? What music are you currently listening to?
I think he’s an amazing performer. I wasn’t familiar with his songs but I was in an entirely different realm. 👏🏾👏🏾