Action Bronson’s The White Bronco Tour: Portland, ME

Written by: Benny P

Action Bronson’s White Bronco tour touched down in Portland, Maine this past Friday, April 12th. Being a longtime fan of Bronson and a Portland resident myself, I knew this show was a must-attend. The only other time I’d seen Bronson perform, he body slammed an excited stage-rusher with a perfectly-executed leg sweep. Expectations were high to say the least.

The show began with Queens native Meyhem Lauren. Meyhem’s set was a thunderous kick through the door, setting the night off on the right foot. With Daringer (s/o Griselda) spinning on the 1s and 2s behind him, Meyhem tore the crowd up with his booming voice and charismatic stage presence. The man ducked backstage at one point, only to re-emerge with a bag of t-shirts and goodies, tossing them into the crowd with poised vigor. Meyhem’s style balanced modern New York flavor with the soul of classic boom bap, and he had the crowd eating out the palm of his hand by set’s end. I was especially pleased by the cuts he played off his 2017 collab album with the legendary DJ Muggs, Gems From the Equinox. Don’t sleep on that one.

Soon after Meyhem bid adieu to my hometown crowd, the lion that is Action Bronson graced the stage. First things first, Bronson is a performer. He made the crowd spazz just by holding his hand sternly in the air, almost like a general positioning his troops for battle. I thoroughly enjoyed his most recent White Bronco album on its own, but witnessing the project live was a whole new animal. Action performed the album with primal ferocity, often Gronk-spiking the mic after he completed his verses. Fans and myself alike went apeshit to his antics, and the air in the room as live as it gets. Not only did he play his most recent cuts, but Bam Bam also reached back in his discog to projects such as Blue Chips and Mr. Wonderful. My personal highlight had to be Terry – that track is still cold as Italian ice front to back. Whether he was performing from the now or from the past, Action delivered wholeheartedly. After the show, the Fuck, That’s Delicious team stopped by High Roller Lobster Co. in town for the city’s best lobster roll, and all was right on the Eastern seaboard.

Action Bronson truly is larger than life. Seeing his live show solidified in my mind why he and his team are one of the faces of the current New York rap scene. Make sure to peep the remaining spots on the White Bronco tour if he hits your city, and in the meantime, peep his new book Stoned Beyond Belief on shelves now. Time to find some Baklava….