Smokeout gives fans taste of “˜high’ culture

ROSETTE GONZALES Busta Rhymes performs a
smoking set at Smokeout. The show included rap, hip-hop, rock and
reggae influenced groups.

By David Holmberg
Daily Bruin Staff

It was the highest of times, it was the lowest of times.
Saturday’s Cypress Hill’s Smokeout was a day of
extremes, including every aspect from the weather to the
performances to the crowd itself, there was a little bit of it all
rolled into this phat festival.

The show began with Rumblefish’s lukewarm set under a hot
sun. An energetic attempt to rile up the still small crowd was met
with a sedated response, caused by the noticeable and expected drug
influences mixed with a scorching heat.

Long Beach Dub Allstars, which remains popular primarily due to
the band’s role as the descendant of Sublime, is not usually
known for its live performances. Nevertheless, the band hit it up
with an enjoyable set, featuring its newest single “Sunny
Hours,” and the old crowd favorite,
“Summertime.”

ROSETTE GONZALES + Method Man and Redman had the spirit of
Smokeout burning strong when they took the stage, laughing and
forgetting lines but having themselves some high and enjoyable
times.

Kush Project, which featured members from Deftones, Fear Factory
and Cypress Hill, brought the crowd to a frenzy, inciting a heated
mosh pit and what would prove to be the first of many crowd
surfers. It also signaled the start of several more high-powered
performances.

Igniting the punk end of the show was NOFX, which despite a
rather self-deprecatory attitude and a few too many irritating
jokes, played well, although the band received a poor reception by
the audience.

By this point, the sun had set and a cold wind was blowing,
setting the stage appropriately for the ensuing artists. Busta
Rhymes gave way to Deftones and then on to the final act, Cypress
Hill, each reefing out their own impression of Smokeout.

One of the biggest problems with the show was a lack of overall
unity between the performers. While all were united under the
general marijuana leaf, everyone seemed to have their own agenda.
Mellow beats met head on with angry screams and the already
musically diverse audience was asked to switch moods approximately
every hour, as the bands cycled hurriedly through their sets.

As spilled beer, empty cups and trash littered the late-night
fields, the crowd began burning various items to stay warm. Fires
could be seen high in the grass fields, while in the pits below
people passed out and fights began.

For those who did not attend the 4th annual Smokeout, and
probably even for most of those who did, these pictures are the
only remaining evidence of a memorable event that many will have
forgotten.