Photos: Jon Angel
Words: Slade Rand
October 18, 2023
Action Bronson clocked a full round of hard hitting punchlines and flexes during a slammed Tuesday night show at the Gothic Theatre in Denver.
Bam Bam rocked a retro Dikembe Mutombo Nuggets jersey and took the stage to a deafening roar as his new band locked into a jazzy rhythm behind him.
“Who could it be?!” Bronson bellowed into the mic.
“Running down brick lane / With a visible limp, and an alligator pimp cane…”
The crowd was all his from that instant. The opening run through “Picasso’s Ear” off of Bronson’s 2018 release “White Bronco” grew raucous as the former chef riled his audience with a repeated lyric.
“Don’t wanna drink, don’t wanna smoke, don’t wanna smoke no more… You fuckin stupid? I’m trying to do all that shit!”
You can’t help but smile along with him.
Without relying on catchy harmonies or choruses, Bronson maintained a bear hug on his fans throughout the hour-and-a-half show by letting them join in on repeated lines like that one. The rapper was backed Tuesday night by his new band, Human Growth Hormone.
The live quintet is a fresh addition to Bam Bam’s show, and it gave the big man some time to sit back and enjoy the moment as the band grooved on some of his more iconic tracks.
Human Growth Hormone is Matt “Yung Mehico” Carrillo on saxophone and keys, Wahkiba “9Ether” Julion on drums, “The Doctor” Julian Love on guitar, “The Professor” Nicholas Coleman on bass and Red Walrus on percussion. Bronson joined in on his own bongo, tambourine and a sound machine mounted on an iPad in front of him.
The crowd erupted each time he played a dolphin call sound effect, Bam Bam grinning wide as he punched it in.
“My next album’s only for dolphins,” Bam Bam said, referencing his 2020 release “Only For Dolphins.” Human Growth Hormone then began a spacey jam that led to another “White Bronco” tune, “Live from the Moon.”
Yung Mehico, who’s featured on the album version of the track, doused the Gothic in a passionate sax solo.
“Make everybody melt,” Bronson called to his longtime collaborator stage right.
Bronson delivered high-powered rhymes all more absurd than the one before, and during jazz breaks he’d throw his hand to the sky beckoning the band to push further. Human Growth Hormone lent Bronson a hand all night long, giving depth to the melodies he wove with just his voice.
Each song stretched beyond its studio version, and Bronson swayed along emoting just how good it felt to see his music performed so fully. Without pre-recorded hooks from featured artists or a backing track, the rapper left it up to the five musicians behind him to match his high energy.
He often took a knee and hung his head in gratitude for the time and place.
“It’s a whole new ball game,” Bronson said onstage. “From this moment on, it’s a whole new motherfucking ball game.”
Another highlight came late in the set with “Terry” off of 2014 release “Mr. Wonderful.”
“Pedicure foot slide in the slipper,” he belted, acting out his footwear selection along with the lyric. “I’m tryna do the remix with Pitbull.”
“Life’s ironic and it’s simple.”
After eleven songs and a brief break, the band returned to the stage under swirling, ethereal white lights. Bronson preached his 2014 hit “Easy Rider” to the ceiling, giving it his relentless all.
Bronson stuck to relatively newer music through the set and extended encore, and avoided some of his more popular verses featured on other artists’ albums. The crowd was grateful for every line, and at one point a fan gifted Bam Bam a homemade necklace from the front row.
Up in the balcony, another fan brought a copy of Bronson’s 2021 book “F*ck It I’ll Start Tomorrow” for the rapper to sign. The book, Bronson’s third publication, is a combination memoir and self-help book.
Check it out via Abrams Books here – and stream Bronson’s recent Tiny Desk Concert with Human Growth Hormone here.
Action Bronson’s tour with Human Growth Hormone picks up again Oct. 26 in Baltimore. See full dates for Action Bronson Presents: Dr. Baklava and Human Growth Hormone, via the emcee’s site here.
After Midnight 
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