Very much a personal setting, the EchoPlex, which hostsed RedBull’s 14th night in Los Angeles resembles a scene from 8 Mile: no windows, dimly lit and smoky. But their latest show brought artists and fans close together where there are no media pits or VIP sanctions keeping fans away from the action. Music will touch the crowd and the crowd will be able to feel the unadulterated energy of some very talented artists.
3 silhouettes stand onstage to the backdrop of fog and blue and purple lights: Jack, Lachlan and Alex make up Mansion Air, a trio from Sydney. The band opened their set up with “Pick me Up.” Their lead vocals are adorned with heavy reverb and effects; three instruments are at work during this set, a synthesizer, guitar and drums, but the complexity of the sounds tells of a much more complex arrangement than meets the eye. Oscillators and arpeggiators merge elements of electronic music with more traditional sounds of guitars and drums. Altogether the sound can only be described as atmospheric, with a hint of alternative rock. The vocals are soulful, and the dancing very much similar to the moves of Gallant. Crowd participation was expressed through unsolicited hand claps to “Hold Me Down.” The group expressed gratitude and addressed the newness of such an the opportunity to be performing in LA: “We don’t normally perform at event like this” one of the members assures the crowd. After a short monologue, the show continues with “Speak Easy”, the drummer shaking a shaker ever so in pocket with the beat, adding a special touch of humanness to their very synthesized sound.
It only got harder to deny the anticipation building up for the appearance of TDE’s Isaiah Rashad. Isaiah blasted on stage with enough energy to launch a rocket ship. “God Damn!” the crowd screamd during “Smile” as they jumped in excitement and hands reached toward the stage like a literal representation of Kanye’s “Father Stretch my Hands.” Fans fervently recited lyrics to “Brenda,” however “Soliloquy” seemed to be the people’s favorite as the crowd executed the lyrics with perfection and unison. Isaiah periodically reached out to touch the hands of his fans as they pushed one another’s wedging bodies in between the crevices of neighboring bodies every time he neared the edge of the stage.
Pulling from his first project, he performed “Cilvia Demo.” The venue put fans in very close proximity to the artist which, makes Isaiah not so far away from his fans that have kept his music dear to their ears. With a sultry feature from SZA, “Heavenly Father” he asks the Heavenly Father “Why you so far away?” Ronnie Drake played next, just before the Chattanooga native paused in between songs to tell the crowd how crazy it is to be performing in Los Angeles even though he now lives in here. When asked about how his experience is performing in LA, Isaiah replied, “It’s easy when everybody knows the lyrics.”
If asked, it would be apparent that this group of fans got love’for Top Dawg Entertainment as a label by the compelling excitement that erupted when SZA emerges from backstage dancing without inhibition and singing the chorus to “Stuck in the Mud,” a single from “The Sun’s Tirade,” his latest project release. Isaiah kept the set moving at a brisk pace leaving little breathing room in between songs; the set closed with “Meal ticket ticket, meal ticket ticket, comma uh” a verse from “Free Lunch” the last song of the night. The crowd petitioned for more music; Isaiah says a few words to his DJ, and blasting from the speakers was “If Pirus and Crips, all got along…” the venue went into an uproar and as one voice yelled “Yawk Yawk Yawk Yawk!” to Kendrick Lamar’s “Maad City.” Isaiah rocked out with the crowd before officially ending the night. The crowd cheered relentlessly in excitement while asking for an encore.
Overall, this was another successful night in Los Angeles with a few more days left to complete Redbulls’s 30 Days in LA music experience.
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