Thundercat sets $60 floor for Nov. 8 Dallas show

Thundercat will perform a stop on his ongoing Distracted AF Tour at The Bomb Factory in Dallas on Sunday, Nov. 8. The Los Angeles-based musician, known professionally as Stephen Bruner, has a history with the city and has previously played at Erykah Badu's birthday concerts in Deep Ellum. He has also collaborated with local producers and artists such as DOMi and JD Beck.

Tickets for the upcoming show start at $60. 54 Ultra, a Latin indie artist, will open the event. Bruner described the local music scene to the Observer as a family dynamic. He noted that even when the musicians are being serious, the interactions often feel like jokes.

The tour supports Bruner's latest album, Distracted, which was released in April. This record marks his longest gap between studio projects, following 2020's It Is What It Is. Bruner described the new record as his most introspective work. He said he balances grief and anxiety with his typical humor on the tracks.

Bruner discussed his connection to Erykah Badu, who he met through The Sa-Ra Creative Partners while he was a teenager. He played bass on several of her late 2000s tracks, including The Cell and Window Seat. Badu released the album Before the World Blows in August. The project is a joint effort with producer The Alchemist. Bruner is featured on the cut They Ain't You.

He attended a listening party for Badu's new record at ShyBoy in Downtown Dallas on a Wednesday night in August. People lined up for blocks outside the venue for the event. Bruner said he was excited for the world to hear the album. He called the collaboration between Badu and Alchemist a perfect match of rhyme and beat.

Bruner said he is still an eager student of music. He is currently listening to Chicago musician Ian Crumley and Steve Lacy's track Oh Yeah. Lacy is a close friend and frequent collaborator. Bruner also reflected on his 2015 hit Them Changes. He said he was going through a breakup when he wrote the song and never expected it to become his signature track.

He teased that the Dallas show will include surprises. He joked about bringing the unredacted Epstein files, strippers, and performing circus bears to the venue. He also suggested a weird car meetup or a flock of seagulls might join the band.