FREE11

Of course this is the only song to hit Youtube so far.


Scored some freebies to see 311 last night. No, you didn't read that wrong -- I went to a 311 show. Why would someone with such fine musical taste torture myself in these sorts of unnecessary ways you ask? Maybe because Snoop Dogg, the S-N-DOUBLEO-P opened up, that's why.

Smooth drive from Long Beach to Irvine. No traffic. Good sign. Roll into the parking lot and hitch a right for the cheap parking, which turned out to be FREE! Girlfriend then announces this show is called FREE11, hence the headline.

Roll through the largest sea of bros and their accompanying chicks I've ever seen. We ain't in Kansas or Long Beach. We sat in the car and smoked a bowl. I mean, it's Snoop, you know we're getting fucked up. Roll down the window and it reaks of puke. Look down. The open spot next to mine? Full of vomit. Roll the window back up.

Cops, bros and Orange County girls everywhere. Yes, some were incredibly gorgeous, but I can't deal with all that fake shit.

Eavesdropped on some converastion while waiting for my tickets. "Dude, I drank like eight beers earlier." No you didn't. No drank three. If you drank eight, you'd smell like it and be way more fucked up than your 22 year old ass is. Fucking bros, always streching the truth to make a party sound better than it is. Look bro, you're a lightweight. Deal with it.

Security feels me up and asks "That's just keys, wallet and a chain, right?" Sure, whatever you say. I mean, what if it wasn't? It sure woulda been easy to get a weapon in there.

Snoop starts as we make that long trek from the entrance, down through the ravine, past the vendors and into the arena. Oh snap! We got fourteenth row seats! Snoop literally is upside my head. And he's got a full band. That's right -- drummer, bassist, guitarist, percussionist, dj, and a guy who played keyboards and sax, not to mention tha Dogg Pound (Daz and Kurupt) and Soopafly. Pretty dope setup.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I wanted to see Snoop at Irvine Meadows (I refuse to call this place whatever company sponsors it now. Cell phones have nothing to do with live music. At least they shouldn't.) so I could spark a doobie while he was playing. I've probably inhaled a few pounds while bumping his shit. I've seen him twice before, but a third was needed.

Dressed in a long white shirt and baggy black warm-up pants, Snoop was on fire. It took me second to see it, but above his stage was a massive prop pot leaf. Nice. I figured he'd play a decent mix of old and new and he did. Personally, I know all his recent singles and don't mind them as much as I should (but that's cuz I'm a fanboy), but Doggystyle shit got everybody moving. Gf pulled the joint from her bra during I Love You Mary Jane and we puffed the hell out of that thing. It's nice to know in the heart of the lamest place in the world to see a show (Orange County, not the venue itself), a guy and his lady can still blaze some chronic outdoors to some Snoop Dogg.

Good and fucked up, I bounced, threw my hands in the air, waved them from side to side and yelled out all the backups (SIX IN THA MORNIN'!!!!!). Sometimes I get paid to be a critic, but this evening I found nothing wrong with tha Doggfather.

I thought I heard tha Shiznit while we were walking in. Oh well. He did his verses from "Deep Cover," "G Thang" (in which he said "Death Row is still the label that pays me" -- I haven't heard him say "Death Row" in that part for a long time)and "Bitch Please," along with a fully rocking version of "Pump Pump" that was the highlight of the show. He did "La Di Da Di," "What's My Name" and "Gin and Juice," along with that R. Kelly song, that Akon song, "Drop It Like It's Hot," "Sexual Eruption" and a few more newbies.

At some point I looked at the crowd in front of me and noticed how many people were recording the show. Welcome to live music circa 2008, huh? I'll try to find a link and post it here. I wanted to bring a camera, but forgot.

Highlights -- bringing out Warren G (dressed in khaki shorts for the cool Cali night) for his verse on "Ain't No Fun" and Everlast coming out to do "My Medicine" and OH SNAP! "Jump Around." That was pretty cool, even if I felt like I was at the biggest frat party of all time for those three minutes.

Snoop asked people to blaze the weed for "My Medicine" and shit, that's why we came, so we did. There was a dude three rows in front with a pipe. How do you get a pipe into a show?

I wish he woulda done "Gzas and Hustlas" as I think that's the dopest song of all time (seriously), but overall I had a great time, which I hardly ever say about seeing live shows these days. If it's a weed-friendly venue, go see Snoop. I'm hoping his own show (ie, not opening for 311) would mean a few more old songs and a longer set, but I guess that means I'll have to go see him to find out.

Last song and we split. Finally we see the black people. They're the ones leaving too. I told the gf: "See these people walking out? These are the cool people, the ones we want to be associated with." She agreed. Although we were the two palest people in the room, I think we fit in better with the 40 black people than the 40,000bro dudes.

Best part? We were in the car by 9:45 and there was no traffic on the way home.