Review: Leon Thomas @ Hindley Street Music Hall 19/6/26
Leon Thomas put on a powerful performance that left everyone wanting more.
Words Jannah Fahiz // Image supplied
Leon Thomas @ Hindley Street Music Hall 19/6/26
Leon Thomas left fans smiling ear to ear from his Adelaide show at Hindley Street Music Hall as part of his Mutts Don’t Heel Tour.
The crowd was hooked from the moment he walked on stage. Thomas looked like an RnB superstar wearing a chain around his neck and diamante pants that sparkled under the spotlight with a fresh pair of shades to top it all off. The confident outfit was matched by the performance. It's obvious the time Thomas and his band have spent mastering their craft.
The energy was high for the majority of the show: there were multiple guitar solos, and Thomas also jumped on the drums to show off his multi-talents. Lighters came out for the slow songs, and every second person had their phone out to film the title track of his latest album, Mutt, a song that has now been certified platinum in Australia. His music felt authentic and soulful throughout the entire show, and the crowd loved it.
While some people knew Thomas from this Grammy Award-winning masterpiece Mutt, others (like myself) had been waiting 16 years to see him perform after they fell in love with him as André from the Nickelodeon show Victorious. Thomas helped inspire a whole generation of musicians and fans from his days on Victorious. His character was always the guiding light and best friend who encouraged you to follow your dreams and stay true to who you are. Seeing him perform live, you could feel the same energy, full of passion and positive enthusiasm.
There was a moment in the show when Thomas asked everyone to take their phones out and light up the room. He said, “Lighters out if you love yourself,” and reminded us that God loves us and he loves us too. As a long-time fan who grew up with Thomas playing my on-screen bestie, this was a healing and wholesome moment.
Of course, Thomas wasn’t touring alone. He brought along his friend DJ Toney Handsome to start the night off right. His set started off sultry and smooth, and then it got into all the upbeat RnB bangers you could want. It felt sexy and intimate, and it was a lot of fun. Toney definitely knew his audience and had the whole venue singing along, building their anticipation for the night.
He had everyone doing the ‘Cha Cha Shuffle’ and everyone jumping for ‘FE!N’. He seamlessly blended songs by Rihanna, Michael Jackson, Ne-Yo, Usher and more while he sipped on his wine between mixing. Before his set was over, he paused to get the whole crowd to introduce themselves to the people around them so that we all had new friends for the evening (or maybe for life!). He played a good mix of old and new songs, so there was bound to be a song you loved. DJ Toney Handsome wrapped up his set by playing some Victorious songs that the crowd went absolutely crazy for.
Leon Thomas is a world-class act adored for his music and acting. This show was truly incredible; from each band member shredding their instruments and dancing the night away to Thomas not missing a single note, to the small details like the way the colourful lightbeams encapsulated the performers in such an artful way. Roses were thrown at the end of the show and DJ Tomey Handsome, as well as Thomas’ backing guitarist/bassist, came out briefly to take photos with fans before they had to leave.
Overall, it was a little surreal seeing a childhood idol; someone I grew up admiring for their talent and hoping to follow in their footsteps. In the end, it was more of a full-circle moment for the long-time fans.
Thomas is definitely an artist you have to watch, no matter how long you’ve been following his journey. The amount of talent that was on the stage left me with stank face most of the night and smiling for the rest of it. I highly recommend you jump at the opportunity if you have the chance to see his talent live.
