The Clackamas print., April 24, 2019, Page 8, Image 8

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Ballroom
PHOTO AND STORY BY PRESTON DREWS
AD’MANAQÊR
/opened up on stage. I’d never heard sauntered offstage, while asking came on however, a deathly silence
of him prior to this moment, but her fans if they wanted to “ buy her fell over the concert. This was the
it felt like I’d been a fan my whole a new set of teeth,’’
song I had been waiting for since I
life. The crowd screamed out as he
“W hile listening to the interim .first entered the CrystalBallrodm.
told his sad story under the eerie music from the show, you could feel Listening to music on your iPhone
red lights silhouetting him ; the the crowd slowly doing the math. is one thing, being able to enjoy
look of Mike grabbing his face while If the two openers were finally rap as it was meant to be enjoyed,
telling us the tragedy of his own done, then surely that meant in the presence of others, sharing
life felt like the perfect way tó show Earl him self was the next to be the reverberation of the notes in
the painhe’s endured. As quickly as hitting the stage. Theexcitement our chests, it felt like we had found
he had hit the stage he faded out, was mounting around me as each our way home.
leaving the crowd hungry for more. patron looked frantically for Earl
Sadly the night was brought down
Lil Nas’ s Old Town Roadcam e Sweatshirt to come kill the show. by some reckless fans who chose
blaring out o f the speakers,
Kill it he did.
fo fling their water over the crowd
catching the whole room off guard
From the moment his hooded and toss the empty bottles at Earl.
- this huge tonal shift was met with figure hit the stage there was S “ If you want me to perform at 100
shrieks of joy, as well as disdain. new type of energy buzzing around percent, knock that shit o ff,” he
Next thing we knew, thè stage went us — it was the feeling of hundreds said. After a few problematic guests
dark, save for one word shining of people finally seeing a man who were removed, the show resumed
bright, “ Liv.E." A mosh pit stirred meant so much, and accomplished' full force with Liv.E still dancing
as a dark figure in a cowboy hat so much with his music. The image in the background, her cowboy hat
slowly made her way on stage. that burned brightest in my mind bobbing to the beat.
Slowly the lights softened and the is of Earl just before he dropped
As the music faded and Earl
figure began singing her dark and his first line of his hit “ Chum .” looked out at the crowd for the
seductive tune. While she swung He wore the world’s largest grin as last time, everyone was still vibing
around the stage brandishing her he cast his eyes around the packed to an incredible show that ended
bright orange plastic revolver, I venue.
too soon. Several concert goers
found m yself entranced by her
Earl’s opening song was met with still lingered as the lights came
unique sound. With every song she a cascade of screams from loving on, helping guide the way toward
performed there was a
fans; my chest was shaking, as his the exit. While making my way out
beat you could really feel
brooding voice matched with some of the m aze-like tunnels under
your body grooving to.
of the loudest beats of the night the Crystal Ballroom I listened I
Everyone in the crowd
roared out of the speakers. to other attendees crooning over
so ftly swayed as
Everyone in the crowd was the amazing show we had just
she belted her
feeling the same way withLessed. While I passed the
bars to a.somber
too, even the ones who crowd of fans ;under t h iteglQwmg
b a c k g ro u n d
hadn’t danced to any of Crystal sign outside the venuj, I
track; she
the other performers knew I had just enjoyed one of the
were now nodding along greatest shows of my life.
to every word that came
out of him. Track after
track of the rapper’ s set
■MR
D e p a rtin g the
parking structure I
could already feel the energy of the
line wrapping around the Crystal
Ballroom forthe April 16 show. Even
the grey clouds rolling in couldn’t
have dampened these people’ s day.
Making my way to the back of the
monolithic line I was treated to
Earl Sweatshirt himself in front of
his tour bus greeting fans. Finding
my place in line, 1 began chatting
with my neighbors. Several of
them confessed their long time
fandom of Odd Future, and more
importantly Earl Sweatshirt. After
clearing the security check).! took
a brief look at the merch table.
After purchasing a sweatshirt of
my own, I made my way to the
mainstage — up the ballroom’ s
magnificent stairway I ascended,
each step vibrating harder than
the last.
Entering the room, I was greeted
by a sea of bright-eyed fans — I’d
never seen a more diverse display
of style at a concert. Several of the
patrons were repping the rappers’
OG brand, Odd Future. That didn’ t
stop a young couple in my section
from vibing in some beige overalls.
The one thing everyone at the
show had in common was their
huge smiles. Banger after banger
pumped through the speakers as
the DJ k ep t us amped lo t the acts
to come.
Mike was the first member of Earl
Sweatshirt and Friends to hit the
stage. There was a roar as he
Clackamas Print
th e d a ck a m a sp rin t.co m
A p ril 24, 2019