Through heavy heat and a whole lot of weed, Wiz Khalifa brought the ‘Good Vibes Only’ tour to Phoenix, Arizona with a stacked lineup, including Earl Sweatshirt and Dom Kennedy.
Earl Sweatshirt
It’s pretty rare that you get a comedy show and incredible rap performance from one artist, but Earl Sweatshirt is just that. While maintaining a laidback attitude – probably with a lot of help from some ganja – he made the performance feel like you were just hanging out with a friend. Other than a DJ on the far side of the stage, Sweatshirt stood alone. And yet, his presence was felt. At one point, he told that crowd that they had to bring good vibes – re: the tour name – or security was going to tickle them and take them to jail. He, also, did outwardly admit that he was high “as f*ck.”
Despite his chill demeanor, Sweatshirt delivered a crowd-hyping performance, with his lyrical genius taking center stage. With hits like “Ontheway!” and “2010,” he got the crowd alive and excited, briefly distracting from the horrible sweating everyone was inevitably doing. He set up an incredible opening for the rest of the lineup.
Dom Kennedy
Some artists don’t need fancy performance tricks, crazy lighting, or heavy imagery to put on an incredible show, and Dom Kennedy is one of those artists. I’ve never seen an artist do so little and get a crowd so hype, in the best way. Kennedy brings a heavy presence to every venue, and his flow alone can bring even the chillest, highest crowd to life. A legend in his own right, he works the crowd in such a way that you can almost feel every bar he spits. Walking from one side to the other, entertaining every audience member smoking in the pit and beyond, he breathes life into the space around him.
Tracks like “Don’t Call Me”, “Stilll Callin,” and “My Type of Party” brought the crowd to their feet, ready to spark up another joint for Wiz Khalifa.
Wiz Khalifa
The star of the show, Wiz Khalifa, began his performance exactly as you imagine he would: sparking up a fat blunt.
While that was expected, Khalifa’s incredible stage presence truthfully wasn’t. Backed by a full band and blinding lights, he took the stage like a star. Khalifa is no stranger the performing, as he’s been doing it for years now, but he still puts on a show that draws the audience in and keeps them for the entire show. Keep in mind, this venue is full of people who had been smoking for the past three hours (maybe it was sativa, but still). And yet, the energy was alive and electric.
His setlist was beautifully curated, bringing the energy up and down in a rhythm that flowed so well. “We Dem Boyz” rang through the venue loudly, and even people who had been in their seats the whole show couldn’t help but get hype. He then gave the crowd a few more chill bangers like “Roll Up,” and “Red Eye,” fittingly.
The show ended with arguably his top three biggest songs, “Young, Wild, and Free,” “See you Again,” and “Black and Yellow,” sending fans home high and hype.
