Review: Craig Eriksson and Greg Phillips. Photos: Jason Rosewarne.
Last time we experienced Mononeon was in 2022 during the Melbourne International Jazz Festival and we didn’t quite believe what we were seeing and hearing. The avalanche of funk and colour coming off the stage was extraordinary. Needless to say, it was with a great deal of anticipation that we arrived at The Croxton Bandroom to see what Dwayne Thomas Jr had in store for us this time on his 2025 ‘I Want Snacks & Gifts’ Tour.
MonoNeon is a bassist/musician prodigy from Memphis, Tennessee. He has released a mountain of solo albums and collaborated with many artists such as George Clinton, Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram and Mavis Staples over the years and has built up a global cult following. His eclectic artistry and unique bass playing was noticed by Prince who asked him to be part of a new band he was putting together back in 2015. They performed a number of concerts at Paisley Park, worked on the ‘Black Is the New Black’ project and recorded the track, RUFF ENUFF before Prince’s untimely death in 2016. These days, everyone wants to play with Mononeon.
In true unpredictable Mononeon style, the gig began with a drum solo from the energetic Jackie Whitmill Jr (‘Sir Juice’ as introduced later by Mononeon. Spelled SirjVice), which gradually saw guitarist Peter Knudsen and Dominique “Xavier” Taplin the keyboard player join in on the jam. After around four minutes Mononeon strolled onto stage, clad in his signature multi-coloured, quilted top and pants and crocheted balacalva with ski goggles, completely hiding his face and adding even more mystique to the man. He then proceeded to launch into a dynamic version of ‘Jelly Roll’ off the Quilted Stereo album. Without a break the band slid straight into ‘I Wish Our Party Would’ve Last’. Even after two songs, the Prince connection was vividly apparent in his music.
The talented musician and singer songwriter is a left-handed bassist and plays a right-handed five-stringed electric bass guitar upside down ala Hendrix. The bass is his Fender signature MonoNeon Jazz Bass® V, which features a stunning neon yellow urethane finish, complemented by a neon orange painted headstock and pickguard. A striped sock hangs on his bass headstock just to add to the quirkiness. His name is written on his goggles, bass, boot flap, guitar strap, on top of his hand, and also on his new signature Digitech Whammy pedal, reminding us all of who we’re in the presence of, not that we’d be likely to forget anytime soon.
MonoNeon is one of those artists that you need to see perform live rather than listen to in order to fully appreciate his musical mastery. It’s jaw-dropping to watch his incredible bass chops, featuring his lightning fast fingers running up and down the fretboard like a crazed spider. He’s one of the most fluid bass players we’ve ever seen. In fact, each member of his band is incredibly talented in their own right. They played a relentless 90 minute set of funk, jazz and fusion grooves with strong emphasis on improvisation, unique basslines and experimental sounds. The music doesn’t stop, songs merely segue from one spirited jam to another. Respite from the frenetic dance music onslaught eventually came in the form of the laid-back ‘Basquiat & Skittles’, the title track from his 2021 album, which then jammed into an explosive version of the funky ‘Hot Cheetos’, featuring some fiery licks from guitarist Peter Knudsen. An inspired, extended organ solo took us into prog rock territory leading into an uber-soulful rendition of ’Stereo’. The catchy swing of the joyous ‘Invisible’ followed, showcasing an extended keyboard solo from Dominique “Xavier” Taplin and had the Croxton throng dancing like nobody was watching.
Was that a sneaky nod and wink to Australia in the form of a disguised Need You Tonight INXS motif blended into a funky jam? I think it may have been. The jam then progressed into ‘Tell Me That This Love Aint Real’, a song which features a very Prince sounding vibe. As the tune motored along, Mono took the opportunity to launch into an expanded esoteric freeform jazz solo, utilising all of his fretboard tricks with the band following his every move. Jackie Whitmill Jr’s (Juice!) drumming had been incessant all night and even at the pointy end of the night, his momentum was still as fresh and vital as when he began.
Standing up front of stage directly in front of the keyboardist, it was wonderful to view Dominique’s incredible level of musicianship and interaction with his fellow band members. Kundsen’s rhythmic guitar contribution was also as integral to the overall sound as his scorching solos. Meanwhile Juice’s solid foundation and infectious grooves powered the whole system.
The band ended the night the way it started with a freeform jam merging into Life Is A Glittery Fu¢kery, again giving each member their time to shine. Having seen Kamasi Washington and his amazing group earlier in the week, there really is something to be said for experiencing a band of skilled musicians going for it without the restrictions of structured pop songs or the limitations connected to lighting or pyrotechnic cues, just pure skill, intent listening and delivering greatness as a result. As this was Mono’s last gig of the Australian tour, we can’t wait for his return asap!
It would be remiss of us not to mention that the show was warmed up perfectly by Melbourne-based electronic keyboardist/producer Kuzco who conjured some delightful sounds and beats from her Nord stage keyboard and connected gear. linktr.ee/akakuzco
