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Smoker’s Club 2018 

Photographed by Bryana Schuyler 

Smoker’s Club is for avid weed smokers, hip hop fans, and streetwear enthusiasts. Smoker’s Club is for the Culture - the festival took over the Queen Mary this past weekend with a lineup of over 50 hip hop acts.

The two day event featured an expertly well-curated lineup, showing as much love and respect for the genre’s up and comers as it’s veterans.

If hip-hop had a business mixer, it’d be Smokers Club. Behind the stages, in and around the commune of artist’s Star Waggons, took place equal parts business and pleasure.  

Two men dressed in hand painted clothing, each equipped with a bag full of apparel gave pieces to Lil Pump (which he’s since shared on social media). Photographers networked with other photographers and exchanged socials with VIP Instagram girls and hip hop influencers. Adam of No Jumper interviewed The Flatbush Zombies, a video filmed on-site announced a collaboration between @reeselaflare1 & Ty Dolla $Sign. But, the best networking happens on stage and there was no shortage of that either! Mac Miller brought out MadeinTYO, Wiz Khalifa brought out Big Sean, Isaiah Rashad invited his Dreamville peer JID to his set following JID’s solo performance earlier in the day. It wasn’t all work backstage though, with a West Coast Cure sponsored Bong Pong competition, a Hookah Lounge, and a plethora of free weed-related products.

By Claire Epting

Summer Salt fans all seem to know each other. Large groups formed in the pit long before the show started, fizzing with end-of-summer vitality. Waiting for my own people to arrive during the opening set, New Orleans-based indie rock outfit Motel Radio encouraged the crowd to “spread the love” for their popular song “Midnight”. A teenage girl approached me and asked if she could give me a hug. This was the general mood for the entire evening-- everyone was happy to be collected under one roof for a night of resplendent tunes.

In support of their new EP HONEYWEED, the sonic equivalent to a summery romp through a wildflower-clad field, Austin-based coral reef rock band Summer Salt played to a sold-out house at the Fonda Theater in Hollywood, CA on August 15th, 2019. The show was part of the last stretch of their West Coast tour, with support from Motel Radio and Dante Elephante. 

Colorful paper fish and streamers adorned the stage, as if for one night the Fonda was turned into Under The Sea Prom. It actually seemed fitting, since a majority of the audience appeared to be approximately prom-age. In fact, a girl close by fretted that she had to be home by 11pm to make her curfew. The demographic wasn’t strictly limited to minors-- quite a few adults hung toward the back, simply appreciating the music. All three bands infuse elements from previous decades: Motel Radio with their Neil Young-esque folk influence, Dante Elephante’s Hall & Oates-tinged soul, and Summer Salt with their Beach Boys-adjacent harmonies and surf rock riffs. There’s really something for everyone. 

Compared to acts who have been on the touring circuit for nearly a decade, Summer Salt is still fairly new to the game. And yet, they’ve managed to solidify themselves as a unique voice in the indie rock scene while gaining a set of devotees who never miss a beat. With a collection of EPs and a full length to boot, they had more than enough material to fill a short-but-sweet set, met with voices from an audience who repeated every word. A girl perched on her boyfriend’s soldiers cheered at the top of her lungs, her hands shaped into a heart. The level of enthusiasm was not unlike something you’d see at a One Direction concert. But Summer Salt is a different breed of “boy band”-- one that evokes the retro-romanticism of cherry-lime snowcones, slow dances, and day trips to the beach. 

New songs “Honeyweed” and “Little Chimmy” fit right into place amongst established favorites like “Revvin’ my CJ-7” and “Candy Wrappers”. The encore began with a stripped down version of “So Polite” by frontman Matthew Terry. For the last song of their encore, the opening bands and their friends came out on stage to join in. Members took turns playing solos and crowd surfing, filling the room with a spontaneous, joyous energy. It lingered in the air as the crowd filtered into the warm summer night. 

Stay updated on future Summer Salt tours here and catch them next time they come to SoCal.

(Photo Courtesy of Goldenvoice)

By Claire Epting

As the long summer nights slowly come to an end, it feels important— almost urgent— to soak up the last of them. On August 12th at the Glass House in Pomona, hundreds of music-lovers stood shoulder-to-shoulder in front of a small stage to do just that.

Opener Hannah Vu, sporting her Taylor Swift tour shirt, packed a powerful punch into her short set. Her catchy songs were cut with a lick of garage buzz, setting the tone for the night ahead. Brooklyn-based No Vacation was next, capturing the audience from the first notes of “Sad Valentine”. Fans already initiated into No Vacation’s world embraced every moment of their set, while those who were unexposed slowly but surely found their way into the groove. The popular “Lovefool” and “Mind Fields” garnered particular attention from the crowd. “You’re Not With Me” was a standout, a gorgeous ode to lost love that rolled along as easily as a drive down the coastline. No Vacation’s sound ranges from exquisite bedroom-pop to jangly surf rock, and their live set gave them a chance to showcase both. Each element blended together seamlessly— shimmering keys layered with crisp guitars and breezy vocals to create a sound that felt sunny and melancholic all at once. Onstage, they seemed self-assured and comfortable, without missing a beat. Such a strong set alludes to a bright future on the festival circuit.

SALES’ set started in darkness with hip-hop samples booming over the speakers. The mood shifted immediately as each member made their way onstage. The hip-hop halted abruptly as it was replaced by the instantly-recognizable first chords of “Big Sis”. Lauren Morgan was dressed in black from head-to-toe. She commanded the stage with an easy confidence, complementing Jordan Shih’s mellow presence. Though exuding a laid-back vibe, the two exhibited remarkable musicianship and precision. The electronic drum kit (referred to on their discography as their “uncredited third member”), is replaced by Malcom Martin when the duo tours. Martin did a noteworthy job of supporting each song, providing a backbone for which Morgan and Shih could sprinkle their silvery guitar riffs over. Each song was met with such enthusiasm that it felt like a setlist full of hits. It was clear that the majority of the audience was keyed in to SALES’ entire repertoire, singing along to old favorites like “Chinese New Year” and dancing to newer singles like “White Jeans”.  Morgan and Shih took notice. 

Towards the end of the night, Morgan took a moment to ask how many people were attending their first SALES show, to which about 75% of the venue raised their hands. A look of genuine surprise on her face, she laughed, “Where’d all you guys come from?” A fair question, considering that SALES has neither a record label nor a manager. It’s a choice though— they live up to their self description of “all the pop, no industry bullshit”. They’re a band whose following grew organically thanks to attention from online music blogs. For as many disadvantages the internet provides for musicians today, from streaming to piracy, it removes the barrier of entry and allows for bands like SALES to get noticed at a much faster rate. SALES ended their set with “Best Times”, their first LP’s closer and a perfectly natural way to wrap things up. During Morgan’s customary “shout-out to Jordan on the computer”, they gave a shout-out to Pomona as well.

Despite their rapidly-expanding popularity, SALES still feels like a well-kept secret. Their songs are ones that accompany you throughout your day-to-day activities, from the malaise of late summer to that hungover commute to work. The old-school drum beats prevent it from ever sounding really “new”, and yet, it never gets old. There was a palpable energy in the room, one that felt resoundingly uplifting. The Glass House’s smaller size played a key part in the overall atmosphere—  such an intimate space had the ability to capture that energy and intensify it. SALES proved that it’s possible to sell out a venue without being sellouts.

NF’s music has always been about his life, always exposing the hits he took from life, how much he learned from them and trying to share that fire he carries inside of him. Rap music nowadays may have been corrupted by how artists only sing about drugs, sex, alcohol and other elements of that category causing this style of music to become something to only be consumed for pleasure and not taken seriously by the regular listener. However, that cannot be necessarily applied to NF’s music because of how blunt, honest but also vulnerable his content is and because of how passionately he sings every song, even weeping during certain songs.

The album begins with a song named ‘Intro III’, as this is his third official album and each album starts with an Intro song that will be somewhat of a preview for the album in general. The song starts very dramatic with abundant minor chords, like every other album until he starts singing with his always honest and passionate tone. In this starter song, he speaks about his old fears and how he conquered them and as it ends, he recognizes that he will always have fears because they can’t be fully destroyed.

Major highlights for the album comes in the seventh song ‘Destiny’ when he raps about how he wants to fulfill his destiny. This applies a lot to his career as a rapper, in which he started from the bottom and started growing and now he is at the top of his game. And now, he focuses on the negative. Another highlight is the most famous song of the album: ‘Let You Down’. In this song, he raps about his past struggles and laments over them.

Overall, the production of the album is great. Everything sounds very clear and concise, causing you to be able to capture every single piece of the songs and enjoy the instrumentals as well as the voice. NF as a rapper is very clear and smoother in this album, even though his songs are faster in general.

In conclusion, the album is very successful and great to listen to, and even to learn from. NF is very respectable and honest and that nowadays is something to really appreciate among all the great qualities.

Album Review: Perception by NF

Last show of the school year!! Thank you @chapmanradio