B.o.B - Melbourne. Is there anything this kid can’t do?

B.o.B Live in Melbourne, Australia

To be completely honest, when I found out I’d be going to see B.o.B in concert, my first thought was … who? And more specifically, how do I say his name?!

Now, I haven’t completely been living under a rock, because you’d have to be to have missed B.o.B.’s first two chart hits “Nothin’ On You” with Bruno Mars and “Airplanes” with Paramore’s Hayley Williams - both of which have made it to top #3 on the A.R.I.A charts.

His debut album B.o.B. Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray has reached #1 in the US and is currently just inside the top #50 here.

Surprisingly, B.o.B drew quite the crowd for his debut Australian performance and he didn’t disappoint. Joined by a five-piece band and two backing vocalists, B.o.B. ripped through a 17 song performance – a feat for any performer. The energy remained consistently high throughout the show, ending with a cover of the popular house track “Kids” by MGMT.

Although B.o.B. is well known for his hip-hop roots, he is doing all he can not to be pigeonholed into a singular genre. The vast array of songs on his album cannot simply be defined as hip-hop, many of them blend into rock, pop & R&B.  “Satellite”, “Haterz everywhere” and “I’ll be there” are all songs that demonstrate his eclectic sound. 

B.o.B. leaves no genre untouched - “The Kids” has a reggae feel and samples “Kids don’t stand a chance” by The Vampire Weekend. “Fame” could easily be used in a crump dance off, and “Lovelier than you” is reminiscent of a John Legend track. 

It’s clear that B.o.B. is eager to prove that he is not just another manufactured artist. His exploration of a number of different musical genres, his ability to play both the guitar and the piano, and his vocal ability sets him apart from most hip-hop artists of today. Is there anything this kid can’t do? 

Although I was impressed with the overall performance, I didn’t walk away with a sense of who B.o.B. really is or who he wants to be. It felt a little too much all at once and left me wondering … what other tricks does B.o.B still have up his sleeve?

The danger for B.o.B. is that playing all of his cards upfront leaves him with the difficult task of showing us something new when it comes time for a follow up album. He may also find that spreading himself across a number of genres will divide his fan base rather than unify it.  

One thing’s for sure, the evolution of this artist is set to be an interesting ride.

- Review by Keshanee