Following last year’s release of her astronomically spectacular powerhouse album, The BPM, multi-instrumentalist and singer Brittney Denise Parks, better known by her stage name as Sudan Archives, has embarked on her most ambitious tour to date. Making her stop in Chicago at the beloved Thalia Hall, it truly was a one of a kind sold-out performance that faithfully captured The BPM on stage. (And rightfully so!) Although her entire catalogue of music is fantastically diverse, The BPM is truly on another level of production and arguably her finest work to date. Joining Parks on a limited run of tour dates, the extravagant and equally talented violinist and singer Cain Culto not only warmed up the crowd; he ignited a blaze of rebellion.
Going into this show, I had never heard of Cain Culto but after his iconic set, I was left yearning to see and hear more from him. I was both ecstatic and shocked to see him pull out a violin for his set like Sudan Archives and knew we were in for a wonderful and unconventional night of strings. It was second nature the way Culto took the reins of the stage and effortlessly hyped up the crowd. His music is heavily rooted in traditional Latin music with his own modern hip-hop twist that includes that electric violin in the mix to really spice up his sound. With a few outfit and accessory changes; Cain Culto is an artist to keep an eye on. He easily won my heart over as I pretty much got lost in his set. Giving headliner energy, Culto closed out his opening set with his ballistic song “¡BASTA YA!” an upbeat yet pleading call to environmental and political action; enough is enough.
After an insane opening, Sudan Archives graced Thalia Hall with her first fully produced tour that absolutely blew me away. As if I haven’t been obsessed with this record already, her live renditions of her tracks from The BPM were just as faithful to the studio versions and then some. From her killer body suit printed with electrifying lightning bolts to her iconic talents with her violin; she knew how to get the crowd locked in from the second she set foot onto the stage. Opening with the lead single from The BPM, “DEAD,” Sudan showed Chicago her authentic showmanship that I can confidently predict will earn her well-deserved recognition in the music industry.
Sudan Archives' unique sound and performance spoke for itself; and those of us that were lucky enough to experience her show at Thalia Hall got to hear a good majority of The BPM live. The dancey beats along with noisy drums and her signature violin sprinkled in throughout the tracks create an eclectic collage of sounds that elevates her record as more than just another dance/hip-hop album. Performing some of my favorites from the album including, “YEA YEA YEA,” “A COMPUTER LOVE” and with an encore that featured Cain Culto’s return to the stage to perform “KFC Santeria” with Sudan. She closed out the evening with two anthemic tracks, ‘THE NATURE OF POWER” and of course ‘THE BPM.” Having recorded some of The BPM in Chicago; it truly was a special evening with Sudan Archives as she also has roots in the windy city. I was left yearning for more even after a jam-packed show that ran nearly two hours.
All photos by Andrew Lagunas.
