The Roots’ Australian Tour at Eatons Hill Hotel.
The Roots, Talib Kweli, and Nai Palm cultivate an energetic set celebrating hip hop history.
taken by Will Vanman.
“‘The Roots’ name has become almost self-fulfilling,” declared Nai Palm as she walked onto the stage for her opening act.
Indeed, The Roots have greatly impacted the development of hip hop specifically and music history at large since their musical conception over three decades ago. Led by the musical duo of drummer Questlove (named after his love for A Tribe Called Quest) and rapper Black Thought, the group was one of the first to perform hip hop in a live band format. The Roots have worked alongside influential and experimental musicians such as Common, D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, J Dilla, Roy Hargrove, Q-Tip, Bilal, and Mos Def as part of the Soulquarian movement at the turn of the millennium. Since then, The Roots have continued to grow their impressive discography and play as the house band for The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon.
The Roots have become a musical ‘root’ for many modern musicians. From jazz duo DOMi & JD BECK to Anderson .Paak and The Free Nationals, Thundercat and 9th Wonder to Yussef Dayes, the influence of The Roots work in the late 90s and early 00s can still be heard everywhere. This rich history of hip hop remained a strong theme shared among the concert’s acts.
On a warm, muggy summer evening in Queensland, stepping into the air-conditioned venue felt as refreshing as Nai Palm’s electrifying opening act. As the lead singer of Australian experimental jazz/neo-soul band Hiatus Kaiyote, Nai Palm is known for her eccentric style, distinctive voice, and tongue-twisting existential lyricism. Her versatile voice was on full display in her punchy half-hour set, showcasing many of her hits with HK.
She opened with a soulful rendition of “Have You Ever Been (to Electric Ladyland),” a nod to the legendary NYC recording studio founded by Jimi Hendrix, which has hosted artists ranging from The Roots and the Soulquarians to Taylor Swift, Lana Del Ray, Jay-Z and Daft Punk. A standout moment was her striking performance of “Crossfire/So Into You,” which showcased her exceptional vocal range and mastery of tone and texture.
taken by Will Vanman.
She also performed a solo rendition of “Nakamarra” on guitar, which is popular for Q-Tip’s guest verse. I saw Questlove backstage filming her performance—he seemed like a massive fan. Indeed, after the concert, Questlove and Nai Palm had a brief humorous exchange over Instagram Stories:
screenshot from @questlove on Instagram.
Next up was Talib Kweli’s punchy 45-minute set, accompanied by LA disc jockey DJ Spintelect. Talib Kweli, a revered hip hop titan, is known for his work alongside Mos Def (now Yasiin Bey) in the duo Black Star and his outspoken activism against systemic racism. While Nai Palm performed fluidly in place, Kweli confidently moved around the stage, adorned with a Brisbane Lions Cap, the local Aussie-rules Football team. This hat represented his intimate interaction with the audience: he artfully roused and involved the crowd to create an electrifying atmosphere. It also seemed like the crowd knew nearly every bar—Australian audiences certainly knew their Talib.
taken by Will Vanman.
Talib’s setlist featured a diverse mix of music. He paid tribute to J Dilla with a performance of “Raw Shit” from Madlib and Dilla’s iconic collaboration, honored reggae with a cover of Bob Marley’s “Is This Love?,” and energized the crowd with Black Star’s “K.O.S. (Determination),” which interpolates Roberta Flack’s “Baby This Love I Have.” Fans erupted when he performed “Definition,” and Talib delivered a heartfelt flow on his own “Never Been In Love Before.” A standout moment was when he freestyled over a sample of Heatwave’s disco classic “Boogie Nights” remixed by DJ Spintelect. By the time he launched into his signature hit “Get By,” Talib had the crowd in the palm of his hand, orchestrating their energy like a conductor wielding his baton. Wrapping up his performance, Talib announced: “The Roots crew is in the house today! If you’re ready, give me all the noise you got!” He was met with thunderous shouts and applause.
Finally, it was time for The Roots.
They started off strong with “The Pros,” followed by a cover of Instant Funk’s “I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get It Girl).” What instantly stood out to me was how energetic each of the band members was throughout the entire nearly 2-hour long set. The horn section frequently hopped and danced across the stage, including the Sousaphonist Tuba Gooding Jr, which I imagine is physically demanding. Since their guitars were cordless, even the bassist, guitarist, and keytarist had fun twirling around.
taken by Will Vanman.
This energy was infectious throughout, especially in their next cover of Kool & The Gang’s “Jungle Boogie.” Bassist Mark Kelley and drummer Questlove moved in lockstep to hold down the groove for the other players. Meanwhile, the crowd was moving synchronously with the band at each step.
After these funky openers, including “Soul Makoosa” by Cameroonian afrobeat musician Manu Djibango, the setlist moved into some Dilla-inspired grooves. Questlove is known as one the first musicians to integrate J Dilla’s irregular quantization of electronic drum beats on live drums. This included covering Dilla’s cover of “Think Twice” by Donald Byrd, which featured a killer trumpet solo by Dave Guy that briefly transitioned into a jazz waltz before moving into a trippy drum breakdown by Questlove.
Like the rest of the set, there was no pause or break. This breakdown fluidly flowed into a series of The Roots’ signature songs, including “Proceed,” “What They Do,” and “The Next Movement,” which featured some synchronized choreography by all the band members who playfully marched in a line while Black Thought effortlessly rapped. This was followed by equally electrifying songs “Dynamite!,” “Without A Doubt,” and “Web,” where Talib briefly returned on stage to rap alongside Black Thought.
The latter half of the set leaned back into covers, including a cover of “Just Gimme Some More” by James Brown. This performance showcased a playful duet between the sousaphonist and the keytarist, who used the iconic Roland jazz scat patch in an increasingly spicy exchange. The crowd erupted for “You Got Me!,” which featured a cheeky guitar solo by Captain Kirk Douglas. The Captain skillfully quoted many familiar licks, each met with excited cheers, including “Breezin’,” “Bag Lady,” “SpottieOttieDopaliscious,” “My Favourite Things,” “Immigrant Song,” and, to the delight of the Australian audience, “Down Under.”
taken by Will Vanman.
Finally, The Roots wrapped up the night with an energetic rendition of “Move On Up” by Curtis Mayfield. The song deviated with a magical drum and sampling breakdown between Questlove and Stro Elliot.
As Questlove tossed his drumsticks into the crowd, Black Thought expressed his gratitude: “You all have been so appreciative and responsive tonight!” One distinctive aspect of Brisbane is its passionate and engaged audiences. With many artists choosing to skip over the city in favor of Sydney and Melbourne, Brisbane crowds are consistently eager to listen to all music playing. This was certainly true tonight as all three acts provoked enthusiastic reactions from the audience.
edited by Celeste Alcalay.
photos taken by Will Vanman; screenshot retrieved from Instagram.
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