Thrust Me Out There With The Solar Waste And Let Go

It’s been an insane weekend of work, shows, and just trying to survive this thing we call life, but it all was made worth it the second I stepped into The Fine Line on Sunday night for the final show of my weekend. I was tired but excited, and after one more energy drink that I probably didn’t really need but felt the need to have, I was ready to party with some of the greatest hip-hop acts I’ve heard in a long time.

Kicking things off was Harrison Sands. I was instantly struck by his vocals. They were smooth and sweet with a very R&B-leaning vibe, but as his all too short fifteen-minute set moved on, I got to see multiple sides of this man, from this smooth-talking and soft gentleman to a more raw and emotional rapper. Although his impressive vocal range really hooked me, it was the charm that radiated from his persona and the music that really had me sold. There was just something almost vulnerable about the way he presented his songs. Whether it was one of the more R&B-leaning tracks or one of, the more tongue-in-cheek hip-hop-infused songs, there was just something so honest about what Harrison Sands was doing, and it was impossible to leave his set not feeling like you just made a new best friend.

Following Harrison Sands was Khary. After learning how to spell and say his name, as he has had issues in the past and wanted to avoid that awkward moment of anyone in the audience meeting him after the set and pronouncing his name wrong, Khary leaped into a set that, like that of Harrison Sands, was a bit all over the place. From harder songs that he wrote back in a former life (or at least that’s the vibe I got as he explained to the audience that he is actually a recovering f*#$boi) to some more sensitive songs that really highlighted the sheer talent of this man, I was firmly stuck in the palm of his hand throughout his set. Although Khary’s sound was uber-polished and so perfectly presented to the modest audience, there was something carefree and fun about his set. From him having the audience say, “This is Weird” every time he made a certain noise to even bringing a skateboard up at one point to do a little trick, it was that weird effect that I got from Harrison Sand’s set all over again– that feeling of watching a friend that you’ve known for years rather than a performer that you had never heard of before the show.

Both Harrison Sands and Khary enamored me, but I was at this show for the headlining act, Abhi the Nomad. I don’t give my brother much credit because he’s just my bratty little brother, but he is the one who turned me onto Abhi the Nomad, and I truly can not thank him enough for that. Like the previous acts, Abhi isn’t just a rapper– he’s a singer and, man, does he have a story to tell. Abhi was born in India, but due to his father’s work, he traveled a lot and has stayed everywhere from China to France to Fiji and now to America. I feel like all of those world travels give his music that special sauce that sets him apart from everyone else in the scene. Well, there’s that, and then there’s just his straight-up talent.

Although I’ve been listening to Abhi for years, I don’t know his song titles, so I can’t give you a rundown of his set list, but I do know I was thrilled to hear “Letter For God,” a personal favorite of mine, and that there wasn’t a single song throughout his all-too-quick set that didn’t have me hooked. Again, the vibe throughout Abhi’s set was raw emotion and raw power, but that came with a goofy, fun-loving aura that just could not be ignored. Sure, the audience wasn’t huge at this show, but he made sure that everyone in the room was having a good time just with the way he looked into the audience and didn’t seem to give a crap about what anybody thought of his dancing skills. Like the previous two acts, it was straight talent and charm radiating from the stage, making it the perfect way to spend a Sunday night.

I didn’t know this until the show on Sunday night because I really don’t spend much time on social media other than to see what shows are getting announced and post my own content, but apparently, about five weeks ago, Abhi the Nomad made a post stating that this would be his last tour and that his last solo album will be coming out next year. Honestly, knowing this breaks my heart because Sunday night was my first time witnessing his genius live, and it was one of those shows that I could witness night after night and not get burnt out. Although it’s not the end of Abhi, it is the end of Abhi the Nomad. Per his statement, he will be “producing and getting more into film”. Again, it is absolutely heartbreaking when he does what he does so well, but people grow, and, clearly, it’s time for Abhi the Nomad to evolve into something else. He also cited that he just doesn’t want to fight to get his music out there anymore. This is a real problem in the music industry as everyone seems to be fighting algorithms to get very little in return, and it breaks my heart to see someone as talented as Abhi the Nomad step away because of these issues.

Sunday night was my first and last time seeing Abhi the Nomad perform live, but it is not the last time that he will own my heart with his raw, honest, and relatable tracks and fun-loving energy. Abhi the Nomad is a superstar now and forever, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for him (whether in music or not).