Photos and Review by Chris Besaw
This past Friday night in the small town of Waterloo nestled in the scenic Finger Lakes region of New York, The Vine at del Lago Casino and Resort hosted another amazing and legendary group, Cypress Hill.
The west coast hip-hop pioneers who are currently on tour in support of their 10th studio album Back in Black brought their blend of California and reefer-induced music to the smoke-filled showroom at The Vine.
Starting off the evening was DJ Lord who cranked out a mix of party music ranging from Nirvana to Dr. Dre and a little bit of everything in between to get the crowd in the mood and moving around for the main event. With his energetic and eclectic blend of music, I couldn’t help bouncing and singing along as well.
It wasn’t long after that those in attendance could see things off to the right of the stage moving along with the stagehands uncovering a very interesting percussion set up which could only mean that Eric “Bobo” Correa will be stepping out to keep things moving along.
After a brief pause, DJ Lord asked the fans, “Are you ready for Cypress Hill?” To which the crowd roared as B-Real (Louis Mario Freese) strutted out on stage going right into a very interesting medley of classic tracks “Roll It Up, Light It Up, “Smoke It Up”/ “I Wanna Get High”/ “Cisco Kid”/”Dr. Green Thumb,” and “Hits from the Bong.”
It wasn’t long before his cohort and co-founder Sen Dog (Senen Reyes) swaggered out in that laid-back Cali style and joined in the festivities. For a hip-hop group that has been recording and touring for 34 years, not only did they sound great but they still amazed me with the energy that they brought to the shows and their connection with their fans.
The Hill played an incredible set with a set list that would surely please both older and newer fans alike not to mention ending their show with their most recognized song “Insane in the Brain,” and a rare treat, a venue-shaking and crowd-jumping cover of House of Pain’s “Jump Around.”
Overall, this was an amazing show filled with positive vibes and fast-paced rhymes. Cypress Hill will be on tour through the beginning of December and if you get the chance, it is definitely worth attending.
Leave a Reply