Everything about Bonobo's performance at the Royal Botanical Gardens is intriguing. The fact the show was announced just weeks prior made for instant excitement, and out of everyone in the crowd it seems unlikely that anyone knew what to expect. The Arboretum at the Royal Botanical Gardens created a perfect backdrop, with a single tree on either side of the stage, perfectly framing it. The forest behind helped create the feeling of being in a place separate from your everyday world. What was a brilliantly executed event, a beautiful shared experience, was there and gone in the blink of an eye.
The music of Migration truly came to life in front of that excited crowd. It's unsurprising that this was a packed house, filled with music lovers of all ages. From the moment that Bonobo took the stage that energy of anticipation was released. 'Kerala' was a stand out track, both in terms of being one we'd looked forward to hearing, but also as an example of the impeccable sound quality. Simon Green and his band have honed their performance through the lengthy tour in support of Migration, and bringing it to such a grand venue as they conclude the tour is a perfect choice. This was never more evident than following the song 'Ontario', as Green and pointed out the title and it started to sink in that this event was truly one of a kind.
With supporting acts Pick a Piper and Elderbrook leading the way, Bonobo took to the stage with vocalist Szjerdene. You may know this incredible talent from 'Towers' and 'Transits', both from Bonobo's album The North Borders. She artfully takes over vocal duties on a wide array of tracks from the Bonobo catalogue. One of the highlights was when they performed 'No Reason', originally sung by Nick Murphy. It's hard to explain the energy created by this performance that was somewhere between a group meditation and a dance party.
It was like a stage from a festival like Movement or Lollapalooza was tucked away in one of the most beautiful places around. Hamilton proves yet again to be an amazing music city, playing host to events of all kinds. An undeniable postive energy was pervasive throughout the space and the audience. It really felt like a really good place to be, even if it wouldn't last for too long...
