Who let the dogs out? The answer is Leon Thomas III. In 2024, Leon gave the world MUTT, interestingly depicted by his furry friend on the record’s front cover. The R&B record features tracks Vibes Don’t Lie, Yes It Is and Feelings On Silent, with the single MUTT achieving worldwide popularity with over 405 million streams as of April 2026 following its feature with Chris Brown.
In recent years, he has stepped forward into the spotlight as a solo artist, reminding viewers of his natural vocal talent. Last Friday, the final day of his Mutts Don’t Heel European and UK tour, Leon graced the stage at Hammersmith’s Eventim Apollo. As expected, there were no opening acts; appropriately, none was needed.
Photo Jonathan Azu (Culture Collective)
At 9 pm, the crowd’s energy suddenly shifted with screams and phones lifted in the air as red hues filled the venue. The heavy drums of How Fast blasted as Leon walked on stage, rapping the lyrics and layering harmonic ad-libs, adding his live twist to the track. The atmosphere felt like a private party, with draped curtains serving as the single backdrop and moody lighting that often changed or flashed from song to song.
Leon’s vocal range was agile and commanding throughout the duration of the show. He sang effortlessly whilst his band brought his tracks to life. He thanked the audience, saying, “I won 2 Grammys, and that’s because of y’all” before asking the crowd to bark for him, commemorating the theme of the album. As the band started playing Far Fetched,Leon introduced Ty Dolla $ign onto the stage, which was followed by echoing screams of excitement.
Photos Isaiah Johns
Things switched up when Leon sang tracks My Muse and Just How You Are from his recent EP PHOLKS; nostalgic funky grooves, an incredible drum solo by Rico Nichols, the crowd swaying hips and clapping hands, which was requested by the singer. His guitarist, Oscar Brown, appeared to be in pure bliss, grooving to the beats he was producing beneath him – it was beautiful to observe the joy music can bring amongst viewers and performers. Electric guitar and drum solos remained prominent in the show, with Leon moving seamlessly across the stage, alternating between playing his guitar and sitting behind the drums.
Sasha Keable joined Leon on stage to the crowd’s amazement, collaboratively singing Move It Along; a familiar face to the London crowd, and one that shocked many to see. As if the crowd couldn’t be shocked any further, Leon was joined by Odeal on stage, a moment highly anticipated by listeners. They joined together performing MIAMI live for the first time, which felt cathartic.
Despite having standout moments and high energy throughout, I was left wanting more. Running for just over an hour with no encore, the set moved quickly from one highlight to the next before ending swiftly. Leon Thomas is a confident vocalist who brought depth to the set, blending strong instrumentation with clear control and stage presence, but one whose live offering hasn’t fully reached its potential yet.
Words by Nancy Anekwe
Photography @cellotapes and Isaiah Johns
