Concert Review: Genesis Owusu at Germania Insurance Amphitheater
Genesis Owusu captivated crowds during his unmatched performance at Germania Insurance Amphitheater on September 24, 2022.
Written by Miranda Garza
Photos by Elizah Funke
Ghanian-Australian singer Genesis Owusu gave a stellar performance supporting Thundercat and Khruangbin at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater. No stranger to Austin, the Canberra native previously performed at Antone’s in April earlier this year while touring the U.S. for his debut album, Smiling with No Teeth. His return was celebrated and offered no shortage of liveliness and stamina.
Owusu strutted onto the stage promptly at 7:30 p.m., fashioned in a vivid red suit that bore haughty shoulder pads paired with a sheer fishnet top. And no Owusu look would be complete without his signature rounded sunglasses that perfectly match his stage presence: stark and confident. He kicked off the show with “The Other Black Dog,” which began with a spoken word introduction where he recited, “A tale of black dogs with golden leashes / Broken stories told facetious / Who’s the pet and who’s the teacher?” The end of his question was met with an avalanche of instrumentals and Owusu broke into a breakneck rap that quickly collected the audience’s attention. The singer strode back and forth on the stage without missing a step as the track transitioned from a fast-paced whirlwind to a sultry funk-derived beat. Owusu followed the song’s concluding electric riff with his hips, just before striking a pose on the track’s final drumbeat.
Unphased from the energetic opener, the Aussie belted “Austin, are you alive?” before introducing himself to gracious cheers and applause. Soon followed the groovy “WUTD,” where the singer wavered from high-pitched harmonies to velvety vocals and resumed his infectious dancing. The audience members were enamored with the singer, swaying their bodies to the rhythm of the heavy bassline as they watched him in awe. Owusu’s band, consisting of guitarist Justus West, keyboardist Maxwell Bidstrup, bassist and synthist Sol Was, and drummer Cam Johnson, was just as devoted to the performance as he was. The instrumentalists bumped their heads and moved their bodies to the song’s melodies, with their grinning faces unapologetically showing their exhilaration.
The melodic gem was followed by the magnetic “Waitin On You.” West’s psychedelic guitar licks led the performance, momentarily stealing the spotlight with an electric solo, while Owusu’s smooth dancing became a medley of spirited hip and arm movements as he mirrored West’s riffs with an air guitar. The singer spent the outro at the precipice of the stage, getting as close to the audience as possible. Owusu’s fiery suit contrasted greatly with the blue lights beaming from the top of the stage, which gave him an enthralling appearance. He knelt down, still moving his body to the guitar’s rhythm and serenading audiences as he repeated the lines, “Catch up, Catch up / I can’t see you, catch up” until the final note. The audience watched him intently, only breaking their spells to praise the artist.
The sun set as Owusu’s presence lured more audience members in. A thundering drumbeat signaled the start of the abrasive “Whip Cracker,” which reverted back to the high-intensity, fast raps of the show’s opener. During the first half of the song, his abrasive voice opposed twinkling keys that almost felt antagonistic amid his intense wording. Soon after, sharp guitar loops accompanied him while Johnson played relentlessly at his drum set, with an undismissable focus on the singer . With his back to the stage, Owusu mimicked the track’s final drum beats with four punches in the air and struck another pose, indicating its finale.
Showing no sign of tiredness, the singer quickly moved onto “Don’t Need You,” the standout track from Smiling with No Teeth. The chorus was met with synthy keys and sharp electric plucks that meticulously shadowed Owusu’s voice as he exclaimed, “Wait, could this be true? / I don’t need you / I don’t need you.” He spent the duration of the hit treading between both sides of the catwalk, making sure every part of the audience was left accounted for. Another hypnotic guitar solo from West closed the track and rang through the ears of the crowd. Owusu hit his signature one-arm-in-the-air pose, again with his back to the crowd. After turning around, he was immediately greeted with a wave of acclamations and engaged with the crowd, encouraging their cheers and then lowering his hands as a signal to cease them. He challenged each side of the crowd to see whose cheers could be silenced the quickest and this game continued before he posed the familiar question, “Austin, are you alive?”
A quick, yet gracious, banter with the crowd led the show to its closer, Owusu’s 2019 single “Good Times.” The keys took the lead with the upbeat track, but fused harmoniously with the flickering guitar waves and resonant drum beats. The energy on the stage seldom faded, and each band member played with the same vitality they began with. They each bumped their heads to the beat of the song, almost appearing synchronized. The repeated cymbal crashes signaled the chorus, where the singer's tenacious raps became low, warbling vocals. He continued his dynamic dancing through the rest of the animated track and paid visits to each band member to jam with them. He returned to the catwalk, where over the continuous instrumentals, he graciously thanked the crowd for their attendance and ended with “Peace!” before holding up a peace sign with his fingers and slowly strutting off of the stage.
Genesis Owusu packed a punch into his 30-minute set, and if the audience didn’t know his name before, they definitely do now. The singer will return to Austin for weekends one and two of ACL Festival in October, where he will doubtlessly deliver another powerhouse performance.