Kendrick Lamar stated to CFE Arena that he would be back, when he performed at the venue last year, and Sunday night he lived up to his promise. After taking a break in 2013, UCF brought back their annual “420 Concert Series,” with Mr. Lamar. He was supported by a vast of supporting acts, with the most recognizable act being his Top Dawg Entertainment label mate Jay Rock.
Mr. Lamar stayed true to his “Control” verse — where he stated that “I ain’t rockin’ no more designer sh*t” — as he hit the stage sporting a white tee, blue jeans, Detroit Tigers fitted, and a pair of white, blue and gold Nikes (possibly Lebron 9’s). He does not have many show dates on his schedule, so it’s uncertain what Mr. Lamar has been up. Based off of his scruffy look, possibly (hopefully) working on a new album. The Compton, Calif. rapper performed songs dating back to his first project “O.verly D.edicated,” up to singles past his “good kid, m.A.A.d city.”
Aside from his short set, Mr. Jay Rock would join Mr. Lamar on stage during his performance to play their song “Money Trees” together. During his solo set, he performed his 2011 hit “Hood Gone Love It,’ as well as his verse from Ab-Soul’s “Black Lil Bastard.”
Orlando-based rapper Caskey also made a brief visit to the stage. While he did not perform, he and his DJ Slim did manage to take over the microphone and hype up the crowd prior to TDE taking the stage.
A rapper that spits rapid-fast aggressive lyrics, paints his face, draws a hardcore cult fanbase, and is named after a semi-automatic handgun, just doesn’t sound like the guy you want to walk up to and attempt to start a conversation with.
Kansas City rapper Tech N9ne brought his “Independent Grind Tour” to Orlando Thursday night, performing at the Plaza Live — his first time ever at the venue.
“We like this place, so don’t do anything stupid. We’re trying to come back here next year,” said the show’s hype man to the crowd, before exhibiting his utterly disgust for another Orlando venue which Mr. Tech N9ne has performed at in the past.
In attempt to get a feel for his audience, Mr. Tech N9ne disguised himself under a red Jabbawockeez mask and wandered throughout the Plaza venue; grabbing a few drinks at the bar and even catching the entire set for opening act Psych Ward Druggies.
By the time it was his turn to take the stage, Mr. Tech N9ne had did a complete outfit change. Dressed head-to-toe in a black mechanic outfit with white face paint, the independent rapper out of Kansas City Mo. displayed his showmanship in his 90-minute set.
Quite interesting, fan were more into actually experiencing the moment instead of recording it on their smartphone. For most of the show — despite when Mr. Tech N9ne encouraged female audience members to climb on top someone shoulders and display their breast — if one was to look out into the audience all they would see is “strange” people with their face painted, dancing, raging and moshing, not being distracted by technology and the outside world.
Mr. Tech N9ne was accompanied by Strange Music labelmate Krizz Kaliko, dressed in similar attire minus the face paint. The two put on what appeared to be a choreographed hip-hop show; non-stop motion, timely stage exits and arrivals between songs, and synchronized dancing.
While his pop locking skills; Motown like moves; and machine gun type flowing were entertaining, he was at his strongest during his more intimate sessions of the set. He let the crowd in on his sensitive side as he introduced popular single “Fragile,” which features Kendrick Lamar, ¡MAYDAY! & Kendall Morgan. While none of the artist were their to assist in the performance, Mr. Kaliko would help provide backing vocals — much like he did the entire night.
Rapper Freddie Gibbs, out of Gary, Ind., acted as the main opening act and had no problem demonstrating to everyone why he is called Gangsta Gibbs. Throughout his set, he would get everyone of the audience to scream “f*** the police” every chance he got. Mr. Gibbs took a more simplistic approach, gaining the attention of the crowd with less attention to the production aspect, but more on his bars and Acapella flows.
Funk Volume’s Jarren Benton also served as a support act for the “Independent Grind Tour.” He was backed by “the worst DJ ever,” who kept his identity hidden behind a full-face mask; and a crazy-haired drummer. He wasted no time on the turn up, quickly heading to the guard rails to get close and personal with the crowd. Mr. Benton is a very charismatic artist. He commands the stage, while giving fans the opportunity to perform on a big stage, even if it’s only as his hype man.
It did not take T. Mills long to strip down to his white sleeveless hoody, and display his tattoos at his “All I Wanna Do Tour” when it played the Social here on Saturday night. In fact, it only took one song to be exact. His audience — 95 percent populated of females in their early-twenties late-teens — ate up every minute of it.
While the 24-year-old out of California, born Travis Tatum Mills, has played in the city multiple times in the past, this show was extra special to him. It was his first time headlining a show in Orlando.
Mr. Mills is a hybrid artist, with his sound switching between and mixing mainly three genres: rap, synthpop, and punk rock. While each song contained a different feel from the one previous, all the lyrics were the same, rude and catchy. During his high energy “Loud,” you could see Mr. Mills appreciation for his fans, as they battled back-and-forth with him through the lyrics.
The charismatic Warped Tour alumnus was all over the stage with his gold microphone, taking the time to perform songs from his earliest projects; new EP “All I Wanna Do”; and even unreleased content, which is most likely to appear on his debut album with Columbia due sometime this year.
The Social saw two opening acts prior to getting to the man on the poster, the popular Mod Sun was one. Despite taking the stage assisted by a walking cane, the “Hippy Hop” artist did not let his injured knee slow him down. Mr. Mod Sun amped-up his friends in the audience with stoner tunes and feel good lyrics. Backed by his DJ/ guitarist, who was a non-stop work freight, he ran through some fan favorites like “My Hippy,” “Stoner Girl,” “Free Love” and a new record, which will feature drums from Travis Barker on his new album.
Mr. Mod Sun is a straight hippy and is “Happy As F*ck” about it. If music was to get boring for the artist, a career as the stoner camp counselor all the guys want to smoke with, and all the girls want to hook up with wouldn’t be far fetched.
On top of opening the show, California artist Blackbear also took the stage with Mr. Mills to help him close the show. After performing the duo’s collaborated record “Coldest Winter,” one of Mr. Mills “sexy songs” (which contained thrusting and dry humping of the air); he would finish the show with the tour’s titled track, handpicking members of the crowd to join him on stage. After successfully blocking all selfie attempts possible, he would inspire those on stage to live in the moment and not behind their phone, as for the moment they were apart of his band.
It appears as if their is some characteristic in Bay Area rappers that leave men wanting them to have sex with their girlfriends.
Whether or not G-Eazy followed up with the young man after his show, and took him up on the opportunity to fornicate his girlfriend; when you’re a rising artist these things happen.
G-Eazy aka Young Gerald, 24, of Oakland Calif., lit up the Plaza Live Theater, Wednesday night, with one of the more extravagant productions the venue has seen in a while. It’s feels as if he thought he was performing on the granddaddy stage of them all. Neon sign spelling out his name hanged high, steps down below, drummer to his left, keyboardist to his right, and lighting trusses helping illuminate the stage — creating an energy the crowd could vibe off of and not leaving him having to depend on their reactions.
Luckily for him, the crowd’s energy level was either equal to his if not higher throughout the course of the night, so if that was the case he would have still been okay. While the audience could chant the lyrics to songs from his two most popular projects, “The Endless Summer” and “Must Be Nice,” down to a tee, they did not hesitate to show just as much enthusiasm to unreleased songs from his upcoming project “These Things Happen.”
His set is broken up into three clear pieces: rage with the fellas, prove my style can flirt with the mainstream sound, and sympathize with the ladies. He showed his more intimate side on popular singles “Runaround Sue” — sampled from Dion’s 1961 pop song of the same name — and “Kings,” a Jai Paul sample, which first comes off as cover to Drake’s “Dreams Money Can Buy.”
During his set, G-Eazy took the time to invite his opening acts on stage with him to perform. Rockie Fresh, a Chicago rapper who is signed to Atlantic Records through Rick Ross’s Maybach Music Group imprint, rejoined G-Eazy on stage, alongside up-and-coming Canadian artist Tory Lanez, to perform an exclusive remix of his track “Been On.”
After hearing the crowd chant for it all night, it was only right G-Eazy closed out the show with an encore performance of “Loaded”; following the black and white “These Things Happen” balloon takeover during “Almost Famous.”
Based off his demeanor and cool sleek 50’s school boy swag — slicked greaser hairstyle; black leather jacket with hoodie underneath, black jeans and Nikes, hater blocker sunglasses and gold chain — Young Gerald came off all the boyfriend all parents feared their daughter would bring home for Thanksgiving.
He didn’t get here by mistake; blending different elements from artist he toured with in the past (Lil Wayne, Drake, T.I. and Snoop Dogg, just to name a few), fans get more than just a guy walking back and forth across the stage — they get an experience. He use the lights, production and stage setup to help cultivate each song transitions.
Thanks to the internet, it’s becoming much less uncommon for a signed artist to be opening for someone doing music independently. G-Eazy is willing to spend whatever it cost to help him succeed and grow as an artist, so who knows for how much longer fans will be able to get an arena style performance in a smaller venue, with a small venue ticket price.
Paul Simon and Sting on stage together calls for a few things: A style and genre merge of two musical icons from different decades ; an unusually big-sized backing band displaying an array of random instruments; and the remixing of many classical tunes.
By appearance, the duo comes off as oddly stepbrothers, however sonically, the two come off as a force (even while causing a minor delay in the show time).
“Sorry we’re late. I cut myself shaving, and did not want to come out bleeding all over my partner,” said Sting, at Amway Center on Sunday night, before he and Simon begin their two -and-a-half hour set.
While the union did spend some time together on stage together, two-thirds of the show each artist was on stage alone with their respective bands. As they rotated on and offstage, singing together between mini sets one could see the differences in the two style. Simon and Sting opened the show together with “Brand New Day” and “Boy in the Bubble,” and closed the show with a four-song encore — “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Every Breath You Take,” “Late in the Evening” and “When Will I Be Loved?.”
Sting, 62, brings the personality and energy for the two. The tall, slender, balding rockstar setlist contained more of the explosive segments of the night. The singer-songwriter performed singles from the Police: “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic,” “Message in a Bottle,” and “Driven to Tears.” During the performance of “Roxanne,”
Sting also paid homage to a few other music icons, including the late-great Johnny Cash, performing single “I Hung My Head,” which he wrote. Sting would go on to tell the crowd about the time he and the Police first came to America during his early 20’s and toured the country in a station wagon. Prior to covering Simon and Garfunkel’s “America,” he stated: “growing up I wanted to be a writer, and Mr. Simon was the template.”
The production was far from extravagant — no fireworks or stage antics, just a display of good ole fashion. Simon dwelled on this to the fullest, focusing mostly on tracks from his solo career with “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” and “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes.”
Simon, 72, ignited the predominantly middle-aged crowd to be very animated, as many of those seated in the front rows remained standing for most of the show (including the older fellow to the left of me, who had to be helped carted out with his wheelchair and oxygen mask.
The floor security were kept busy the entire night, having to keep people in their seats and out of the aisle taking photos.
in New York.” On the main floor, ushers were busy keeping people out of the aisles, while alcohol-enforcement personnel in bright-red shirts searched for concertgoers gone wild. Still crazy after all these years.
While no one can replace Simon’s original partner Art Garfunkel, Sting and Simon showed that no one can have too many friends. Paul Simon and Sting’s “On Stage Together Tour” helps show that rock is the one genre where the older you get the more the people love you, rather or not they state is is only “experiment.”
When Juicy J is in town, you can expect to witness a side of your best friend that you may have never thought existed.
Juicy J performs at the ‘Never Sober Tour’ at the Firestone Live in Orlando, Fla. on Feb. 21, 2014. (Ty Wright / Valencia Voice)
If one was to drive past Firestone Live, Saturday night around 6:30 p.m. and took a long look at the crowd waiting outside the venue, it would have been hard to guess that all those kids were waiting to see an artist responsible for creating 90’s rap group Three 6 Mafia — as the “X’s” on their hand proved they were not even born when he started his career in the business.
Twerking, bottle popping and clouds of kush smoke are always on the schedule for a Juicy J concert, and the Orlando stop of the “Never Sober Tour” was no different.
Restless fans of all ages, races, social statues and backgrounds got extra lit as the trippy rapper — out of Memphis, Tenn. — took the stage at Firestone Live (three hours and fifteen-minutes from when the first act took the stage). For those who managed to make it all the way to see the trippy king, and not get kicked out due to fighting or fainting, they were in for a treat.
While Juicy J ran through a majority of his anthems, including “Bandz a Make Her Dance,” “Bounce It” and “Scholarship” — which got all the ladies dancing on the stripper pole off to the side of the stage — he did manage to slow it down and add a personal aspect into the show.
During his acapella version of “A Zip And A Double Cup” the crowd was at it’s all-time high, rapping the lyrics in perfect harmony.
Project Pat opens for Juicy J’s ‘Never Sober Tour’ at the Firestone Live in Orlando, Fla. on Feb. 21, 2014. (Ty Wright / Valencia Voice)
Before getting into some of my personal favorites Three 6 Mafia songs: “Slob On My Knob,” “Stay High,” and “Poppin My Collar,” Juicy J made it known that “In order to f*** with me, you have to know where I come from.”
On top of the many local acts, Project Pat and Travi$ Scott acted as supporting acts. Project Pat got the main card going, with possibly the longest set of the night. While it was uncertain if many of the people in the front row even knew who he was, it did not stop them from dancing — especially the two girls who hopped the gate separating the stage from the floor to dance along side him.
Scott, who is signed to both T.I.’s Grand Hustle label and Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music label, was nothing but a giant fireball full of energy. Watching Scott, aka La
Flame, perform is a full-time job in itself. If one was to blink — for even a millisecond — they could have missed the
Travi$ Scott opens for Juicy J’s ‘Never Sober Tour’ at the Firestone Live in Orlando, Fla. on Feb. 21, 2014. (Ty Wright / Valencia Voice)
opportunity to see one of his entertaining, yet borderline, dangerous stunts. As Scott crowd surfaced, you could see his team holding their breath as it appeared he was close to being dropped and smacking his head on the Firestone Live floor.
Whether he was performing more popular songs “Upper Echelon” and “Uptown” or singles like “Bad Mood,” it was evident that much of the crowd was there to see him as much as they were they were there to see Juicy J.
Random thoughts: Did Juicy J toss his shoes into the crowd after his set because the venue told him he had to finish after 45-minutes, but still had more songs he wanted to perform but couldn’t so he felt bad for the crowd? Or was he just tired of those shoes and was waiting to give them away? Why were there so many “opening acts” when the artist already has two other artist on tour with him?
Jon Foreman did not let 30 stitches stop him from headlining the seventh annual “Heavy and Light” show presented by To Write Love On Her Arms Sunday night at the House of Blues.
Foreman, who is the lead singer of Christian rock band Switchfoot, slashed his face during a morning surf last Monday in his hometown Encinitas, Calif. He fully recovered, however with more than 30 stitches — many of which are inside his upper lip — he was not able to sing for a couple of days and was forced to cancel Switchfoot’s album release party. This had the founder of To Write Love On Her Arms’ (TWLOHA) Jamie Tworkowski nervous that he would have to reschedule the yearly event.
Prior to getting into the first song of his set “The Cure for Pain,” Foreman was given a care package by event attendee Allie Sinclar. The package contained a list of miscellaneous items as well as a small note to go along with it.
Foreman took the stage backed by a cellist, Keith Tutten, and drummer, Aaron Redfield of Fiction Family and performed music from his solo projects as well as singles from his group projects including “Dare You To Move” which he performed with no microphone in unison with the crowd.
Grammy-nominated artist Mary Lambert opened up the musical acts with a combination of spoken word and song. Lambert mixed heavy songs with light commentary to keep the night at ease. The 24-year-old artist sang original pieces, including “She Keeps Me Warm,” which was the basis to Macklemore’s and Ryan Lewis “Same Love” chorus.
When Lambert was not singing and playing the piano, she would reminisce on her past and the time she wrote her first spoken word piece about being a gay-Christian. She even managed to make her way back onto the stage to help Foreman perform “The World You Want.”
Lambert was not the only artist on the bill to assist Foreman on stage following their set. Summer Set’s vocalist Brian Dales provided tunes for not one, but two songs during Foreman’s set. Dales and Foreman performed their own rendition of Lorde’s single “Royals,” and “This is Home” which appeared in a Disney film (I guess it’s only right to pay homage to the mouse when your in his home).
The tour’s name hits the nail right on on the head. While musical sets by Tristan Prettyman and The Summer Set where what brought many out, it was their personal messages in between songs which kept people engaged.
It was the stories from 20-year-old Kevin Breel, who discussed how the “hardest choice I ever made was staying alive” just hours after leading his high school basketball team to the State Championship in 2011. It was the spoken word pieces from poet Anis Mojgani, who showed listeners that everyone deserved to be loved.
The event was live streamed for those who could not make it out to the show, and ended with a finale which contained all acts from the night singing “Lean on Me.”
ORLANDO — Sex, drugs and more sex — “Warning this show contains mature content,” guest are advised as they entered the Hard Rock Live, Friday night for the sold out “Kiss Land Fall Tour”.
From the parking lot to the venue, everything belonged to Abel Tesfaye (who goes by The Weeknd). The music Gods provided a perfect setting for night — hipster chicks dressed in mom shorts, band tees and winter skully hats — natural herbal- substance aroma filled room, while a dark foggy overcast served as a welcoming background outside, mirroring the mood that would take place inside.
Serving as the perfect composer, Tesfaye added to the ambiance providing free condoms at his merchandise table, along with a video display of two girls fornicating with each other on his stage backdrop.
“How many of you have heard my new album ‘Kiss Land’?” asked the 23-year old singer out of Toronto Canada to the sold out crowd. “For those who didn’t I wanted you to experience the new songs like this, with the fans singing along and weed smoke being blown in the air.”
Who is The Weeknd and how did he get so popular? How has a guy who has made it his duty to stay out of the tabloids become such a fan favorite, hosting his second consecutive sold out show in Orlando not even a year apart.
The human nature of Prince with vocal abilities resembling a paranoid Michael Jackson, The Weeknd and his new age R&B style has taken over Generation Y.
Performing almost every song of his new “Kiss Land” album, which debuted at No.2 on the Billboard 200 list — The Weeknd transited over the Japanese themes to his performance, quick infomercials of Japanese hotlines and hentai characters served as transition pieces as he moved from one song to another.
About as mysterious as they come, Tesfaye opened up his set with “Adaptation” behind a sheer curtain, forcing fans to enjoy his singing skills and not dwell on his personal presence (much like how his career has been).
While it was the “Kiss Land Fall Tour”, The Weeknd made sure to perform “the fucking classics.” Paying homage to his first piece of work, Tesfaye performed songs of off his mixtape “House of Balloons”: “The Zone,” “The Morning,” “Wicked Games” and a few more. But he did not venture off into his other two projects “Echoes of Silence” and “Thursday” during his sensual 90-minute performance which fans sang along to every time.
At one point during the show you could tell that Tesfaye was caught off guard that he had such a loyal following, as the crowd managed to overpower him being so loud.
A good performance can truly increase an artist stock and take an individual song to the next level. During “Pretty” we got to see just how egotistic and heartbroken Tesfaye was. With all eyes on him, the video monitors switched from playing videos to a close up of Tesfaye performing live, where fans were able to see the agony this relationship has put on him.
Beauty, Banks, opened the show and served as a perfect compliant to The Weeknd. If there were a girl on the other end responding to his lyrics it would be her. Afraid to let her talent show at times, the dark themed artist comes off as the cutie that didn’t realize she was hot until way late. Taking a break from performing songs off her latest EP “London,” Banks true talents were displayed during her cover of Lauryn Hill – “Ex Factor.”
ORLANDO — With a work ethic like no other, rapper Nayvadius Wilburn out of Atlanta GA best known by his stage name, Future, has taken the music world by storm since releasing a series of successful mixtapes dating back to 2010 up until his debut album, Pluto, which was one of the best rap albums of 2012.
Future who has one of the hottest yet controversial song in the streets “Karate Chop”, featuring Lil Wayne, has not let the negativity get to him as he focuses in on completing his second studio album, Future Hendrix, set to release sometime this year.
Out Da Gate Entertainment looked to spice up Mother’s Day adding the Freeband Gang leader to their weekly “Super Smash Sundays” at Firestone Live.
While I love my life and would not trade it for anything I’m sure it would be pretty cool to switch with Future for one night as he gets paid to drink expensive champagne and look cool while his DJ plays his music in the background (which I will explain later). I don’t know about you but add that to getting to sleep next to R&B singer Ciara, the hottie who brought us hit singles “Ride” and “1, 2 Step” every night and waking up in a new Bugatti every morning sounds pretty sweet to me.
“At My Baby’s Show. Being Goofy BackStage:) The Girlz are Screaming LOUD!:) Show Is #CertifiedTrill” tweeted Ciara late Sunday night as she supported her boyfriend Future rock the stage from behind the DJ booth.
Before the rapper came out to perform his security took to the stage to clear everyone who was not apart of his crew no matter what ties they had to the promoters or venue. The artist stormed the stage right from his tour bus and headed right back concluding his set.
I am a huge fan of Future “the rapper” however Future “the performer” I’m not too sold on. I believe if people pay to see you rap then you should actually rap and not just adlib the prerecorded vocals your dj is spinning the entire night while dancing around the stage. However what do I know I’m just an avid music fan.
While Future set was semi short and a little unimpressive a jam packed crowd appeared to be pretty “turnt up” in the club like atmosphere as he managed to fit in both new and old songs that he either provided a hooks or verse to rangin from songs like; “Tony Montana”, “Racks”, “Buggatti”, and “Love Me” during his set which was under a hour long.
I have not lost all faith in Future who has brought me some of my favorite summer jams so I will brush this underneath the rug and forget it ever happened. He is a smart guy who has seemed to know what it takes to shine on on the big stage so if he wants to continue his growth an improvement in live rapping is a must.
OBK CHANNEL 