Concert Review: Tash Sultana's "Return to the Roots" Tour Awakens the Magic of Music in L.A

It's not often one gets to say this, but tonight I find myself taking cover and dodging puddles as I make my way to The Novo in downtown Los Angeles in the midst of a rare rainy occurrence.  Although the weather is dreary, the energy and joy inside The Novo are anything but dampened.  Tonight, fans are utterly charged with joy as the insanely talented Tash Sultana will perform their last US show of the year on their "Return to the Roots" tour.  

Tash Sultana has been creating music and writing songs from a very young age.  By age 13, Tash, accompanied by their dad, would go to open mic nights in Australia to play for whoever would listen.  At the age of 18, they got their first loop station, giving way to their signature sounds. Following high school, they began busking, gaining an impressive following, as observers would record and post their performances online. YouTube was the platform that truly started it all for Tash.  They began uploading videos dubbed "Live Bedroom Recording" around 2011. But it was the song "Jungle," posted on YouTube in 2016, that garnered millions of views and catapulted their career. 

Tash is not only a singer-songwriter, but they also mix, master, produce, and record all their music.  Not wanting to be constricted to the confines of just one music genre and never truly having the support of a major label, Tash carved a path of their own.  They established their own record label, named Lonely Lands Records, and purchased a music studio in Melbourne, Australia. The name Lonely Lands Studio is now Tash's sanctuary dedicated to creating and writing music free from external forces.  

Tash has a rich discography of albums, EPs, and singles. Notion was their first EP, released in 2016, followed by their celebrated debut album, Flow State, in 2018. A second album, Terra Firma, dropped in 2021.  Their second EP, Sugar, hit the music scene in 2023, preceding their latest body of work, Return to the Roots, unveiled in May of 2025.  Tash’s sound effortlessly fuses rock, reggae, neo-soul, R&B, and funk. For the fans at the Novo tonight, witnessing this musical craftsmanship unfold in real time will be an experience like no other.

Both levels of the Novo—the seated balcony above and the standing room below—are completely packed as 9:00 PM rolls around. A killer DJ set has been energizing the crowd from the moment the doors opened, flooding the room with danceable beats and excitement, priming fans for an unforgettable night.

Upon the stage is a huge screen and three elevated platforms spanning the rear: one with a bass guitar, another with a piano, and the center one with a Ludwig drum set.  Three shorter platforms span the front of the stage, lit from below, each equipped with a custom-made loop station.  Front and center stands the musical control center. This epic setup includes a beat pad, Korg and Arturia keyboards, a Mastermind GT MIDI foot controller, a Roland cymbal, chimes, an electric bass drum, and a dedicated snare.  Shining in the light are a trumpet and an alto saxophone as well.

As the house lights fade, Tash's band takes their positions on the rear platforms and begin to play. Tash emerges on stage shortly after in black pants and a black tank top, topped with a hat and white Adidas shoes, accented with rings and silver earrings.  The crowd breaks out in a monstrous cheer as the night begins.  Behind the epic setup, Tash sings a masterful rendition of Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff," followed by the hit "Kiss the Sky" from their most recent album, Return to the Roots.  The energy in the room absolutely erupts during the latter track as Tash leaps off the stage with a sky-blue Fender Stratocaster (guitar) and shreds an epic guitar solo. The room embraces the emotion hammered into every guitar note as they play.  

Tash is joined by their band throughout the night as they glide through a setlist of songs spanning from the most recent EP to older fan favorites. At other moments, Tash masterfully crafts entire songs on their own, looping and layering tracks like “Milk and Honey,” “Jungle,” “Hazard to Myself,” and “Mystic.” It's truly incredible to watch them build from the foundational beat to the intricate vocals, harmonies, and all the magic in between. Wielding an arsenal of instruments, all self-taught, they display their immense talents.  They play alto sax, flute, drums, piano, and trumpet.  They also rock the fretboard with effortless skill on an array of guitars, ranging from acoustic to Stratocasters, a Telecaster, a bass, and an impressive 12-string.  Tash's voice and lyrics are incredibly dynamic, textured, and powerful, which permeate the room during "Notion" and "Ain't It Kinda Funny."  

Tash ends the evening with an encore that includes the song "Blackbird," under a hue of red lights, playing a 12-string guitar with mind-bending precision.  Observing the crowd fully captivated by Tash's artistry is a testament to the transformative power their music brings. 

The performance tonight, though rehearsed in structure, is beautifully spontaneous and improvised with subtle nuances and special musical moments for those only at The Novo. It's hard to describe the magic Tash Sultana creates on stage. The absolute appreciation I have for the technical mastery and artistry delivered tonight is even more than I had before.  Tash's "Return to the Roots" tour leads us back to the root of it all, where the true magic of music is created.