The High Road Tour: Snoop and Wiz Have a Bake Sale in Houston
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands, Texas
August 20th 2016
A cohort of great openers can sometimes be a challenge to come across when it comes to larger tours, but every now and then you’ll come across a line up that gets it perfect. With the innovative presence of artists such as Casey Veggies, Jhene Aiko, and Kevin Gates supporting the cause, there was no way this event wouldn’t be a hit amongst hipsters and new-school enthusiasts nationwide. In a nutshell, one might describe the events of Saturday night’s escapade as…”hazy.” To avoid a contact, you would’ve likely needed a gas mask or chambered oxygen tank. Which, admittedly, is what anyone would’ve expected considering, well, this is the High Road Tour we’re talking about, after all.
Wiz Khalifa performing, “Bake Sale” in The Woodlands, Texas
When it comes to putting on a memorable show and filling out arenas, this is certainly not Taylor Gang Lieutenant Wiz Khalifa’s first rodeo. In fact, the Pittsburgh native has consistently packed out major venues across the state of Texas for the past 6 years now, especially after exploding on the scene with the release of his smash hit, “Black and Yellow.” Indeed, Wiz is known for the livelihood of his solo tours, only this time, an extra layer of icing was added to the cake with a seasoned, unparalleled rap legend co-heading the bill – Snoop Dogg. With 25+ years of touring and performances under his belt, one might go so far as to believe that this old-timer might no longer have what it takes to keep a stadium full of adolescent stoners entertained for more than a few minutes, but this wasn’t so. On the contrary, the Doggfather hasn’t lost a step at all. In fact, the youngsters sung along to every one of his hits in unison, crip-walking in the corridors and bobbing their heads to the classics. Now, couple that with the notable club anthems from Wiz’s catalog, and there seemingly wasn’t a tune the multitude couldn’t recite verbatim. Long Beach’s own, Snoop is notorious for his chill demeanor and funky colloquialisms, all of which received jovial responses and nods from the horde of fans. With Snoop’s chronic coolness in tandem with Wiz’s infectious laugh and fun loving nature, this tour seemed to be the natural progression of things for both artists, paraphernalia in hand and an adoring platoon of fans hanging onto their every word. They’ve even alluded to themselves as, “Cheech and Chong” in a lyric or two in the past, and their bond is obviously as heavy as the smoldering fumes that surround them.
The duo amped up the night with collaborations such as, “That Good,” had everyone out of their seats with the club melody, “You and Your Friends” and the anthemic, summer-inspired hymnal, “Young, Wild and Free,” seemed to bring about the most authentic wave of good vibrations and smiles amongst everyone in attendance. The undeniable chemistry between these two solo artists is what makes their live show work so seamlessly. Both hailing from opposing sides of the spectrum, their bicoastal flavors evidently mesh well when combined with certain…ahem, “elements.” A once in a lifetime combination, this is definitely a tour you won’t want to miss.
Story and Photos By: Meme Urbane
