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| Snoop Dogg @ the Concord Pavilion (Photo: Matt Pang) |
CONCORD — The duo who were once "classmates" in Mac & Devin Go to High School are now on tour together for a "high school reunion" over 10 years later. What seemed like a spoof idea for a film at first naturally brought two of the most weed-friendly rappers together for a legendary friendship. Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa are currently touring cities and have enlisted historical icons to open up for them, including Berner, Warren G, and Too $hort.
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| Wiz Khalifa @ the Concord Pavilion (Photo: Matt Pang) |
It was a sunny and bright day in Concord, which was the ideal weather for an outdoor show like this at the Concord Pavilion. Fans were lined up across the lawn and in their seats, ready to have a good time, with tons of smoke blasting through the air.
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| DJ Drama @ the Concord Pavilion (Photo: Matt Pang) |
The show kicked off with DJ Drama, who’s having a hot year after just winning a Grammy for best rap album on his collaborative project with Tyler The Creator. He played bangers and Bay Area classics to get the crowd pumped, along with some tracks off his latest project "I’M REALLY LIKE THAT".
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| Berner @ the Concord Pavilion (Photo: Matt Pang) |
Berner opened the show with an energetic crowd to "Best Thang Smokin", "Wax Room", and "Top Down". Berner, who’s most known for his weed empire "Cookies", was very enthusiastic about sharing his product and inviting the crowd to enjoy it. He threw little baggies of samples to the crowd throughout his set, having fans waving their hands to the sky inch by inch, hoping to score some goodies. He closed out his set with tracks like "Pass Me the Green" and "20 Joints".
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| Warren G @ the Concord Pavilion (Photo: Matt Pang) |
Next came the California legend, Warren G, who came out effortlessly to "This D.J.". He provided a laid-back vibe for the crowd to just chill and enjoy as the summer breeze was setting down behind the venue. This was perfect as he queued "Summertime in LBC" and provided an immaculate performance of a nearly 30-year-old classic. I think this song hits differently when hearing it in California compared to any other stop on this tour simply because of the fan love and reaction to hearing Warren G in this setting. While following the tour theme, he later played a Rick James cover of "Mary Jane" and performed a Nate Dogg tribute with tracks like "Nobody Does It Better", "Xxplosive", and "21 Questions". Warren G. later closed his set with the classic "Regulate".
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| Too $hort @ the Concord Pavilion (Photo: Matt Pang) |
The party didn’t stop with California legends, as Too Short came next to the stage. Again, I must emphasize that the crowd really appreciated these artists like no other, especially Too Short, who’s performing miles away from his hometown of Oakland. As one of the pioneers of West Coast rap and, as stated by himself "one of the first rappers from the Bay Area". He came out to "Ain’t Gone Do It" and followed up with classics like "Shake That Monkey" and "Blow The Whistle". He later followed up with a remix of Chris Brown and Tyga’s "Loyal" and "Gangster and Strippers". During his set, he takes a brief moment to thank the Bay Area while shouting out cities like San Jose, Richmond, and, most importantly, Oakland. Right after, he brings out his friends, like Stunnaman02, to perform "Big Steppin" along with Mistah F.A.B., who performed "N.E.W. Oakland". Too Short then closed out with classics like "I’m a Player" and "The Ghetto".
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| Wiz Khalifa @ the Concord Pavilion (Photo: Matt Pang) |
Similar to the Mac & Devin Go to High School movie, during the intermission of sets, the screen played the talking joint who introduced the next set. As soon as it mentioned Wiz’s name, the lights dimmed, and the band started an epic intro of "Black and Yellow" with matching visuals. Wiz came flying out onto the stage with enthusiasm, and smoke shot up from the stage. Truly a great and strong intro to come out to one of his biggest songs. He then follows up with other songs from that "Rolling Papers" era, like "Roll Up" and "No Sleep". Throughout the performance of "No Sleep", Wiz grabs a smoke machine and sprays it across the stage and into the crowd, prancing to the euphoric 808 melodies. Wiz was not shy to perform hits or features, as he did with "Payphone", his collaboration with Maroon 5, and his remix of Empire of the Sun’s "The Thrill”. He also did "23" by Miley Cyrus and "Or Nah" by Ty Dolla $ign.
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| Wiz Khalifa @ the Concord Pavilion (Photo: Matt Pang) |
During the intro of "Bake Sale", two guitarists came out to perform the intro, which led Wiz to perform on an elevated platform in the middle of the stage, rapping bar for bar. He then stopped the show to emphasize to the crowd "I’m Wiz Khalifa, and I’m a pothead!". Wiz carried on with his set, performing other anthems like "Taylor Gang", "On My Level", and "So High".
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| Snoop Dogg @ the Concord Pavilion (Photo: Matt Pang) |
While Wiz’s set ended, a short intermission of the talking joint introduced the California legend next up. The intro of "The Next Episode" comes on, and Snoop Dogg comes out of sliding doors in the middle of the stage, sitting in a classic old-school car, smoking. Fans were hyped and screamed every lyric as he walked across the stage effortlessly. Starting out his set with old classics, Snoop performed "Boyz-n-the-Hood", "Nuthin but a "G" Thang", and "B*tch Please". While performing, a hypeman comes out on stage, hyping up the crowd in a Bored Ape costume, which is a NFT project that Snoop has highly endorsed. Snoop treated old and new fans to his discography of historical classics. He even brought out Warren G to perform their funky smash hit "Ain’t No Fun (If the Homies Can’t Have None).
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| Snoop Dogg @ the Concord Pavilion (Photo: Matt Pang) |
Snoop was also not shy about performing collaborations, which included Akon’s "I Wanna Love You", The Notorious B.I.G.’s "Hypnotize", 50 Cent’s "P.I.M.P.", and Katy Perry’s "California Gurls". Throughout his set, Snoop had pole dancers across the stage enthusiastically dancing with him as he smoked and performed like a rapping Hugh Hefner. The fans loved the thematic performance that involved a whole stage production along with visuals that were inspired by all of his music videos. For example, they recreated the steps in Brazil that Snoop and Pharrell rap on in the "Beautiful" music video and had spinning disco balls for "Sensual Seduction".
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| Snoop Dogg @ the Concord Pavilion (Photo: Matt Pang) |
Wiz then comes out, and the two headliners of the night are seen performing together. Wiz performs his anthem "We Dem Boyz" and then transitions to "You and Your Friends". The two surface through their hits and later close out the show strongly with "Drop It Like It’s Hot" and “See You Again," which featured a slideshow tribute to some of the lost ones that the entertainment industry has lost. The duo then sent everyone home to good vibes with "Young, Wild, and Free".
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