Make no mistake, Toronto’s JAZZ CARTIER is destined for greatness. The local MC made waves this past week with a new project and his first magazine cover, but his sold-out headliner at the Phoenix Concert Theatre (February 5th) casually underlined his “talk of the town” hype. The gig itself elicited a euphoric buzz as Cartier’s two-hour set dove right into Hotel Paranoia and Marauding In Paradise while pushing posh visuals, circle pits, and various faves for the ladies (“Tell Me”, “Better When You Lie”) and the day ones (“Holy Shit”, “New Religion”, “Dead Or Alive”).
The clear highlight however was Cuzzi’s IQ as a performer. From start to finish, he was two steps ahead — keeping the 1,300+ crowd on an all-time high while utilizing tiny pockets within songs to actually rap. In other words, Cartier isn’t just an emerging talent that has a flair for theatrics; he’s an artist that knows how to direct moments that will sit with you for decades. For proof, check out our photoset above (via Matt Jumper).