Berhana - Concert Review Toronto

Location: The Axis Club
Date: 04.18 2024

I think the first time I discovered Berhana was with his 'Han' album, specifically the track 'Health Food'. Man, I love that album—the sounds, the aesthetic, everything is amazing, especially the last track, 'I Wasn't Told'. Such an amazing song to end an album with.

Since then, Berhana has been on my radar, and I finally got to see him live at the Axis (Mod) Club. The line was short when I arrived there at 6:40, which indicated that this artist isn't very well-known yet. It might be the shortest line I've ever seen, and I come to concerts early, but there are always fans lining up. The crowd looked great—the fashion, the vibes, the manner, everything was great. It was a diverse crowd, but you could easily tell that Berhana is more popular with women than men. I got my answer after the concert started.

I think we waited until 8 PM, which is a normal routine, and Asha Imuno was the first opener. Dude was great, the energy was great, the music was great. His stage didn't have much other than a looping background video, which is expected from upcoming artists. The most fun part of his set was when he brought up a random audience member to the stage to perform one of his songs with him. Asha was really friendly and okay with it, and the greatest part is that the guy killed it; he was really good. His energy on the stage made the set much better. No problems, no weird stuff happened, and he went back to his friends right after that. Great vibes from the crowd, just like I said before.

After Asha Imuno's performance, DJ Yonas Michel took the stage. He did an excellent job of hyping up the crowd. Sensing the energy in the room, he deviated from his planned set and started playing freestyle, further energizing the audience.

Then Berhana appeared. The stage design was pretty impressive; despite limited space and decor, he achieved the illusion of walking in a desert surrounded by flowers. This effect was created using a walking pad, three to four pots around it, and a projector playing desert imagery behind him. The music, as expected, was great. He shuffled through his entire discography, spanning from his self-released 2016 EP to 'Han' and his latest release, 'AMÉN'. I'm glad he's still producing music—it's been about five years since his last album, and with still around 500,000 monthly listeners, it's obvious that Berhana could easily become one of the top artists if he chooses to.

His musical mind, lyrics, and visual aesthetics are all set for major success; hopefully, he will gain greater recognition over time. I personally don't want a talent like him to go under the radar. As for his stage performance, it was engaging, and he interacted well with the crowd. However, his repeated hand clapping and asking if we knew the songs made me feel that he might not be completely confident in his talent. Perhaps it was nervousness, but as someone who has attended many shows across different genres, I can easily say that he was a great performer. In show business, if something is making a performer self-conscious, it's better to remember that these people have paid to see you and your show, and they should deal with it as long as you're putting your best work out there.

He was kind enough to take pictures with fans and sign vinyl records after the show. He even invited people to the after-party, which my friends and I attended—that earns an extra point! In conclusion, my legs didn't ache at all; I was happy to wait in line and within the crowd. It was a great night; I loved the music and the atmosphere. I hope to see him again!