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All about the smokin' music

Snoop Dogg/ Cypress Hill/ Lil Uzi Vert/ Berner
AVA Amphitheatre
Tucson, AZ
April 19, 2017

Snoop Dogg

Cypress Hill

Snoop Dogg

Review and photos by Frances Sealy

Snoop Dogg's Mt. Kushmore's Wellness Retreat was the perfect kickoff for AVA's concert season. Snoop Dogg plays all of the Mt. Kushmore shows with Wiz Khalifa rotating with Cypress Hill during this year's tour. Cypress Hill was a big fan favorite during this show.

There seemed to be smoke clouds in the air periodically during the night. Mid set, Snoop asked the happy crowd, "Did you come to drink with me, smoke with me, or do both?" There was a resounding roar that was undecipherable. Snoop said, "I believe you said smoke with me." The crowd gave a loud and crazy affirmation in response.

Berner, a self made rapper and entrepreneur, opened the show. He has conquered the fashion and marijuana industry that includes his own medical marijuana dispensaries, Cookies SF, Collective Efforts, and H2C Cookies 707. He has evolved from being a bartender to being a 'budtender.' His fashion business is under the name of "cookies." Highlights from 30-minute set were "Float," "Pass Me the Green," and "Zanax and Patron."

Rapper, Lil Uzi Vert quickly followed Berner with another 30-minute set. Early in the set, he jumped off the stage and traveled down the aisle to the back of the venue to the lawn seats. His performance was about moving, getting the crowd in the groove, and leaving the fans wanting more.

Cypress Hill revved up the energy and volume of the show projecting their West Coast rap and hip-hop music and advocating the recreational and medicinal marijuana. The fans swarmed the stage as soon as the band started. B-Real and Sen Dog shared the vocals to a very lively set. Highlights included "Get High," "Get Stoned Get Drunk," "Hits From the Bong" and "Insane In the Brain." This was another set that ended too soon.

Snoop Dogg brought his band, his buxomly bottomed female dancers, Nasty Dogg (with his flexible dildo), and several overworked smoke machines with him that added a new depth to his show. It was obvious that what the fans wanted the most was Snoop's distinctive voice and his relaxed, unique laid back vibe, and his classic songs.

Snoop likes to give the fans what they want. "Sexual Eruption," "I Wanna F**k You," "Still a 'G' Thang," "Revolution," "Who Am I (What's my Name)?" and a moving tribute to those rappers that have passed on were highlights from the set.

This was a smokin' fun show. The crowd was very happy with a 'puff, puff and pass' attitude.