Live Review: Noname, Billy Davis & The Good Lords

The atmosphere in Metro Theatre is always difficult to predict, given the vast array of genres that flood through the doors and onto the stage. When Melbourne band Billy Davis & The Good Lords graced the stage, it was clear the vibe was joyful and excited.

The R&B outfit appeared as a five-piece, with composer and keyboardist Davis appearing alongside his band, each member right at the front of the stage. This created an immediacy and proximity for the crowd to soak in the mix of jazz, funk and hip hop that shone through on songs like the catchy No Longer Lovers.

After a raucous half an hour charged with anticipation for the main act, Noname's accompanying musicians took to the stage, opening the show with a demonstration of their instrumental skills. Then, amid a calamitous crash of cries from the crowd the queen herself, Fatima Warner, aka Noname, bounced onto the stage.

Noname and band kicked into gear with novel arrangements of her stirring songs the likes of which had never been heard before in Sydney. Since releasing her debut mixtape Telefone for free back in 2016, Noname has gone from strength to strength, winning fans with the candy-like candour contained in each of her lines.

Noname lived up to the hype, transferring the joyful flow she showcased on her popular NPR Tiny Desk performance to a thousand supporters who all sang along. Her ability to simultaneously calm and rouse her faithful was a pleasure to see, especially on tracks like Forever and Diddy Bop. Each and every song was charged with an electricity that passed between the performers and audience this evening.