August 26, 2005

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  So, slight break from the Viva Las Vegas series.  I had an awesome time last night at the Snoop Dogg Youth Football League benefit concert at the Greek Theatre.  I went with Bagal, and Lori (nurse from Olive View). The show is benefitting a pee-wee league that Snoop has started here in Socal.  Problem is that it’s so popular that it’s stealing players and coaches from the regular old leagues, so Bagal wasn’t so sure if he wanted to support the cause.  Whatever though, Chilipeppers!!!  So, when we got there, the amount of security was just insane (We were merely there a week ago for the White Stripes).  This time there were cops on horseback everywhere, and metal detectors at the doors.  The cops even had profiles of criminals at the door, that they presumably would not let in.  I guess it’s all cause Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg were performing.  The first on the bill was Ice Cube.  He was pretty fun, and the highlight were “Check yo self”, and “It was a good day”.  After Cube, Wanda Sykes came out and did some lame jokes.  After Wanda, Snoop came out and introduced the Red Hot Chilipeppers, and the place went nuts.  Early on they had some sound problems (You couldn’t hear the bass or drums well, and the whole mix was too low), but they seemed to work themselves out by the middle of the show.  The peppers have reached a level of musicianship, energy, and mental harmony that I have just never seen before in any group.  The energy level was just incredible.  John Frusciante just lets his whole body go during the performance.  His intro instrumentals where him and flea just improvise with each other, are just amazing and beautiful.  The partial set list was “Can’t stop”, “Scar Tissue”, “Parallel Universe”, “Throw Away Your Television”, “Otherside”, “Californication”, “Right on Time”, and “Give it away”.  Extra songs included John Frusciante singing “I feel love”, by Donna Summers with only Flea on bass,  They played a new songs that was really funky yet melodic at the same time.  I think they ended on “School’s Out” by Alice Cooper, in tribute to the time they got beat up by bouncers for trying to sneak into the Greek for an Alice Cooper show during their youth.  The energy just kept on going for Snoop Dogg, which was really cool to see, cause the whole crowd was into all the acts on the bill.  Snoop gave probably the best hip hop performance I’ve ever seen.  He had a whole horn section and backing band, but kept the act true to hip-hop and not corporate appearing whatsoever.  The sound was just amazing and full, which is really rare for hip-hop shows to have.  Highlights included “Gin and Juice”, “Next Episode”, and “Drop it like it’s Hot”.  Snoop also had his nephew Tommy the clown “dude in a clown suit” come out and referee a dance competetition between two little kids that were doing some seriously intense hip hop dancing.  I think the show went awesome, hearing the combination of acts initially I was worried that it might not gel together that well, but the show more than exceeded my expectations.  Here’s to Snoop and the Peppers. 

  • 2:19 pm
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