Category: live blogs

We are well into fall 2021 and the entertainment scene around here doesn’t seem like it’s slowing down anytime soon. Promoters from all over New England are doing a great job keeping the night life vibrant and filled with events.
CONCERT CRAVE has been turning heads with all ages events that have been going up. There latest show in partnerships with PLATINUM ENTERTAINMENT GROUP was held at the Tsongas Center at UMASS Lowell’s main campus. The two promotion companies have sponsored the AVA COLLEGE TOUR and had a great line up for the night!

The first act of the night was a rising local star from South Providence, HENNESSY!

HENNY came through with a smooth laid back vibe that captivated the attention of the crowd. She was the only female act of the night and it was dope to see her command the stage with R&B. The audience received her well and it’ll be interesting to see what comes of her career. This tour was a great look for her!

The next act to hit the stage was HIGHBRIDGE’s latest signee, LIL REKK! The Philly native was a good pick as a following act, his melodies and smooth tracks made for a good transition. LIL REKK performed a couple songs and had the audience reciting every word.

The young artist has only been on the scene since 2019 with two projects out, ‘The Ticket’ and ‘World Plus’. It’s nice to see HIGHBRIDGE snatch up the talented artist. By the way REKK hit that stage you know he knows that it’s GAME TIME.

The person with the most energy of the night may have been the youngest person to hit the stage. BOUBA showed us all why they call him SAVAGE .

BOUBA SAVAGE came to make his presence felt and he did just that. He performed a few songs including his latest track KIDNAP WHO and was really looking like an African giant on that stage.

It’s fire to see BOUBA command the crowd like he did. Son’s no more than 15 years old and he is holding his own like he’s been doing this for a decade! Can’t wait to see where he takes his career.

Ok so New York has been producing this new sound that has a mix of a nostalgic vibe and a new drill flow. The combination gives an unorthodox feel which is catchy and packed with energy. Rappers that have embraced the style include SHAWNY BINLADEN and KAY FLOCK. But the artist that appeared on the AVA COLLEGE TOUR was no other than South Bronx sinsation B-LOVEE!

B-LOVEE and KAY FLOCK have been a duo that have been making noise and even have made a few stops in the area before. Tonight though B-LOVEE rocked the stage dolo. Well he had his guys with him but, he was the only one of his crew the rock the mic.

B-LOVEE performed his tracks that had NY and tic tok going crazy since the end of the summer, IYKYK, NEAKY and MY EVERYTHING!

B-LOVEE said he got his name from the Nutty Professor. Thought that was pretty dope, it says two things about him; that he’s a ladies man and that he appreciates the 90s .

Speaking of ladies’ men, A BOOGIE WIT DA HOODIE was the headliner and he came out that night as ARTIST!

ARTY was out there on stage wooing the audience with his vocals and dance moves. 2.0 came out like Michael Jack reincarnated and everyone loved it.

No cap, you can tell BOOGIE enjoyed performing. He was vibing with the crowd all night and had everyone singing along. He mostly performed tracks from ARTIST 2.0 but also dug into the archives for the fans that have been rocking with him since he was ‘stepping over puddles of pain’ in the JUNGLE.

One thing that had us puzzled though, is how he performed his whole set with that jacket and hat on!

Talk about super cool, you got that ARTY!

It was dope to see A BOOGIE perform tracks we all have been singing in the shower since 2016. And not for nothing but he kinda birthed a whole new sound, so it was dope seeing it from the source.

All in all it was a great show. Hats off to PLATINUM ENTERTAINMENT GROUP and CONCERT CRAVE for a well curated show. We hope the rest of the tour is as much of a success as it was at UMASS!

Shout out to @shotsbysp_ for the great flicks. Be sure to show her some love on IG and tell her we sent you!

Click the SHOWS tab to see some video clips of the night and look out for the full recap of the show out soon on 2BLUNTLIVE!

Halloween just passed and things around the town seemed spookier then normal. We don’t know if people were itching to get out since COVID canceled the festivities last year, but this year’s spooky season was type wild. The weekend was so packed with things to do that the fun spilled over onto Monday the 1st of November.

To quickly touch base on some of the things that went down last weekend; there was Ella Bands over at LIT Lounge in Providence, RI.. That same night in Plymouth was supposed to be a star strutted event with a couple major local acts on board. Unfortunately, due to police intervention, the show did not go down and is rescheduled for later in the year. Due to ‘gang activity’ the show will be split into two, one in New Bedford with D the Flyest and another in Plymouth with Cousin Stizz. Stay posted for more info.

This article however is about a show that took place on the third day of what felt like a long weekend. Who else but Vasjan put this one together. Fresh off of a show the night before at Lower Level in Pawtucket with Brooklyn rapper 22Gz, Vas managed to get the logistics right in time for the following day.

This time around the eastern European promoter brings out one of Detroit’s most active artist, TEE GRIZZLEY! There was a bit of confusion due to a venue change caused by (yet again) a “gang affiliated” threat. But Vasjan prove that he his #BUILTFORWHATEVER by booking and packing Centro Nightclub last minute and making it work.

The motor city rapper was suppose too headline a show in Lowell, MA that very night but did not for whatever reason and the only chance fans got to see of him was at Vas’ event.

TEE GRIZZLEY was also spotted in the city shooting a video with @TYT_Management’s artist BOUJEE LEEK.

We didn’t get a chance to pull up but did check him out at the show where he performed several tracks. Look out for the full performance on our SHOWS tab coming out later this week.

Big shout out to our guy Drew for the flicks! Be sure to show him some love on IG @DrewDummer1 and look out for more content exclusively here on 2BLUNT!

The weather is cooling down here in New England but the night scene seems to be only heating up!

On Friday 10/15/21 The L.O.X pulled up to the Strand Theater in downtown Providence, RI. All three members were present and brought along some additional star power. We all know these hiphop legends are more than enough to bring out a big crowd but NAV ENTERTAINMENT was sure to pack out the venue by adding some local celebs to the show.
The concert was put together by as previously mentioned NAV ENTERTAINMENT, event promoters LMB Promotions and the local recreational marijuana dispensary KIND FARMS.

Boston’s own ‘Mayor’ LOU ARMSTRONG, participated that night but not as a musical performing act but as the host for the event. He’s been doing a lot of that lately, think he may have found a new career path as he continues to be an influencer in the community ?

Notable open acts in turn defer to rising star from Cambridge, MILLYZ! It makes scene to have MILLYZ have the bill considering his relationship with JADAKISS and the SO RASPY team. MILLYZ has been consistant with the pressure all year! Be sure to click our MUSIC VIDEO tab to see some of his latest videos. Harlem’s own NINO MAN had a set as an opener as well. He performed some of the tracks he’s known for like ‘I HATE YOU’ and ‘ALL I GOT’. NINO reminded us all why the OGs rock with him.

The L.O.X continue to demonstrate why they are legends in the game. They make the shit look so easy. JADAKISS, STYLES P and SHEEK LOUCH performed a flawless set for about an hour and a half. They took us to some of their classic albums leaving the audience with a nostalgic feeling. Watching them command the stage, enjoy the audience and themselves while performing showcased their experience in the game.

Technician the DJ was on the 1 & 2’s and kept the vibe right all night. He and JADA managed to pull a prank on STYLES and SHEEK with out them realizing. It was pretty funny. Look out for our video of the performance coming out soon! Keep an eye out on the SHOWS tab to see more.

JADAKISS had just finished performing on of his latest classics ‘HEAVEN OR HELL’ and had us thinking the show couldn’t get any better. At that moment, a special guest was announced to the stage. To our surprise that special guest was no other than JUNIOR MAFIA’s LIL CEASE! He came out and did some of his iconic songs like ‘PLAYERS ANTHEM’ and ‘CRUSH ON YOU’!

All in all it was a great show and we gotta tip our hats off to the man who made it all happen NAV ENT ?.

Follow @LBMPROMOTIONS @NAVENTCO @PLUGEmIn_Ent
@NaviPromo @Kind_Farms for more info on the people responsible for the event.

Big shout out 2 @rcam_imaging n @rafeakspvd for the great photos ? ‍?

 

BIA and DON TOLIVER hit the House of Blues for their stop in Boston on the LIFE OF A DON TOUR early this month. Although DON TOLIVER was the headliner and the tour was meant to promote his latest album LIFE OF A DON, people were most excited to see Boston’s reigning princess BIA come back home to perform. The show felt like timely a homecoming.

This article, however, is about the AFTER PARTY which took place downtown Boston at ICON. The smaller more intimate venue allowed fans to get up close with the home town royalty. Shout out to NETA, a premium cannabis company who sponsored the party and to 6one7Events who brought out photographer Marika who provided these pictures!

BIA performed some of her high charting tracks and vibed out for the night. It was dope to see her interact with the audience she seemed to still be in tuned with the people and down to earth. It’s clear that the rising star is touching ‘A WHOLE LOTTA MONEY’ as her jewelry was giving DON TOLIVER some competition.

No BOGUS though, DON TOLIVER is a vibe. He has been steady taking off since his inception on the scene in 2018. If you have NO IDEA, go back and check out that DONNY WOMACK project! Fast forward 2 years later in 2020, DONNY dropped his first studio album HEAVEN OR HELL.

His sound is reminiscent of his label-boss TRAVIS SCOTT, who appears on DON’s latest project. The two mix melodies and fire instrumentals that help you zone out. However, DON TOLIVER’s style varies from TRAVIS in more ways than one. On the song ‘SWANGIN’ ON WESTHEIMER’ DON demonstrates his ability to sit in his pocket, providing a vibe that feels nostalgic but new at the same time.

LIFE OF A DON is a great project and frankly we have to thank BIA for putting us on to it.

The two compliment each other perfectly and make for a great show. The LIFE OF A DON TOUR wraps up this week. We are excited to hear the feedback from DON’s latest project and see what else BIA has in store for us! Btw, did you get a chance to see her at the BET awards ???

Photo cred ?: @marikarosegold

“Teeterin’ between enlightened and insanity” – JCOLE

  Its the return of the Dreamers! JCOLE and the DREAMVILLE team packed TD GARDEN Friday night for the OFF SEASON tour. As any JCOLE fan can attest, Jermaine Lamarr Cole is basketball nut so seeing him perform in the Garden is pretty dope. Especially because he paid tribute to Boston by wearing a custom Celtic/ DREAMVILLE jersey!

COLE stepped up his production set by adding a basketball hoop on stage with a burning rim complimented by the venue’s big stage lights.

There were several acts before the DREAMVILLE founder hit the stage. 21 SAVAGE was included on the bill and made for a good addition to the tour. We first saw the two work together in late 2018 on 21’s lead single for his second studio album ‘A Lot’. North Carolina rapper, MORRAY also came along with COLE on tour which makes sense because they come from the same state. Both 21 SAVAGE and MORRY ended up on stage with JCOLE to perform their new song ‘ m y . l i f e’.

This was the first time we seen JCOLE in some while and we are still getting used to his new found style. I mean the music is still straight fire, and his delivery still on point providing great vibes to zone out, relax and do some reflection to. It’s clear that COLE has been having a lot of that in his life, relaxation and reflection that is. You can hear it all in his music and by his unorthodox style.

Wether it’s the grey sweats, the freeform dreads or the high top PUMA’s, JCOLE gives off a real personal vibe. He legitimately feels like an old high school friend who made it in the music industry. COLE attire wasn’t the only part of him that was personable that night. While performing JCOLE took the time to interact with the audience. He chimed in on his influences on certain songs and what they meant to him personally. He even performed some songs that he himself was was surprised to see that fans knew.

The concert was sold out. At this point we are no longer surprised by COLE shows selling out but it is still very impressive. What was also not so surprising but pleasant to see was the diversity in the audience. ALL AGES were present to the show, reciting and jamming to Jermaine’s lyrics.

JCOLE started off the show by performing new tracks from the OFF SEASON project. He then took some time to go down memory lane where he performed old classics dating back to ‘The Warm Up’. COLE also took the time to remind us all that he breaks records too! He went on for 20 minutes straight with songs that have been on heavy rotation since our college days. DREAMVILLE label mate, BAS, also hit the stage. He performed some of the crowd favorites like ‘TRIBE’ which made Haitians like myself particularly happy.

After about 2 hours of great performances, JCOLE left the stage abruptly. This prompt the audience to chant for his return. With the help of 21 SAVAGE, COLE returned to perform one last song leaving the audience with a lasting impression. COLE came to remind us that even on the OFF SEASON he’s  p u n c h i n’. t h e . c l o c k.

“..Pride is the Devil, it left so many R.I.P”

“Had 2 trap to make a way, it’s a cold business..”  The goat POLO G’s HALL OF FAME tour hit Lowell, MA on September 18th. Tsongas arena hosted the concert providing a light show for all in attendance to enjoy. Who else but Concert Crave to bring you an event of this magnitude.

POLO G is unarguably a figure to pay attention to. Whether it’s how he effortlessly expresses himself in such a relatable manner or his poise mystique, POLO attracts listeners and fans of all ages and demographics.

Can’t help to be both glad yet disappointed to see these shows. In one hand it is great to see these inner city kids get the opportunity to have their music and points of views heard by thousands but it is also a bit disheartening to not see other inner city kids present at the show. I mean don’t get me twisted, that’s clearly a generalization. But really tho, these shows are catered to universities and their students. Just feel like POLO’s music may resonate a bit more with others who grew up or went through similar situations.

The mixture of pain and confidence allows POLO G to make music that transcends demographical barriers. The mix crowd reciting his lyrics made it evident. The contrast between race, class and music is interesting and definitely an area we would love to explore.

At the end of the day, we are all blessed enough to have access to POLO’s music and can purchase tickets to the events when in town. Information is key. The first step to experiencing these exciting events, is to know about them. Stay posted here on 2BLUNTLIVE or any or our social networks to keep up with the latest events in your area!

”..Bitch just be grateful you got 2 witness that.”

Photo cred ?: @shotsbysp_ ?‍?

Lyric cred: ‘ZOOTED FREESTYLE’ POLOG ?

Show Cred: CONCERT CRAVE

It’s dope to see so many fire shows going on in and around the city. This weekend alone hosted four notable shows that we wish we could have been present for.
VAN BUREN RECORDS ended their tour with a show that they headlined on Friday. The showcase also featured a cast of raising stars from city; BORI ROCK, DUN DEALY, and P89 (HOOTERVILLE) BBLAZO, CASSH CARTEL and BANDO BABY (GMC). For more on the BAD FOR TOUR, click the SHOWS tab on the 2BLUNTLIVE page!
Saturday, PARADISE ROCK CLUB doubled back with another show with GRISELDA’s CONWAY THE MACHINE as the headliner.
Meanwhile on that same night over at the House of Blues, JACK HARLOW’s tour hit the city. He brought out BABYFACE RAY with him and the two seemed to have gotten the chance to check out the city before performing.

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The show that we are highlighting on this blog post is BIZZY BANKS at the MIDDLE EAST NIGHTCLUB.

East Brooklyn native and Woo affiliate BIZZY BANKS came out to Cambridge’s MIDDLE EAST NIGHTCLUB. The show drew a good crowd and was put together by east coast promoter @SOTALENTED and local  promoter @VASJANZISI.

This show required proof of vaccination so naturally not as many people attended as expected. This requirement raises an eyebrow for some as it gives us a glimpse of what maybe expected from guests to enter local venues post COVID-19.

Nonetheless, the show was high energy packed.
The MIDDLE EAST Downstairs is a great sized venue for intimate and personal performances. It provides a space for the audience to get a good feel of the performer.

Local Brooklyn drill fans came ready to see BIZZY perform his latest hit records like ‘MY SHIT’ and ‘DRIFTIN’ but also for his more recognizable tracks like ‘30’ with the late POP SMOKE.

PHOTO CRED ?:

• @TDVISUALZ (BIZZY BANKS)
• @_GOYABEAN (VAN BUREN SHOW)

Fall 2021 is officially here and we’ve gotten a glimpse of what concert life will be like post pandemic. Last Saturday a vaccination awareness event took place at Malcom X park in Roxbury. The event was thrown to inform the public about current health concerns. Local acts performed to draw an audience and to be frank it was the names on the bill that caught our attention.

We stopped by once we got wind of the show and got there in time to catch BORI ROCK’s set. Some of the acts that we missed included PIMPDADDY_DANE, BIG SOSA, MAYE STAR and more.

BORI kept it light and graced us with his unique flow and catchy ad-libs, it’s gonna be dope to see him under the big lights at Paradise Rock Club this Friday.

The Teflon Hoot was proceeded by Grammy nominated and now Cali based rapper CALIPH. CALIPH performed a few of his hits and got the crowd involved. He had high packed energy throughout his performance but it was most exciting to see him perform ‘PALTIES’.

 

CLARK D the odd yet intriguing rapper really got the audience going. We didn’t get a chance to chat with him but it was dope to see him perform some of the songs we have been bumping over the summer.

It was hard to tell who the headliner actually was. CHAVO, the Atlanta based rapper that has ties to the MADE MEN and other Boston rap pioneers, hit the stage second to last. He seemed to have gotten the most camera phone lights and brought a celebrity presence to the show. His song RYUK got a dope response from the audience and got us excited to bump the rest of his latest project ‘CHAVO’s World 2’ produced by PI’ERRE BOURNE!

 

The last act to hit the stage was MOST HIGH KINGDOM. The rap group is compiled of 3 individuals who each have a different style and bring a different element to their act.

We were at the event for a short amount of time, but definitely got enough to catch a good vibe. We run into CARTER, the photographer responsible for these photos! Big shout out 2 him! Head to his page to show him some love @isthisCarter ?.

Summer 2021 officially ended September 6th and was topped off beautifully on the 5th with a crazy show for the home team!

   

#JOYNERFEST was a well curated end of the summer concert which included the likes of GIO DEE (who was a surprise guest), Cambridge’s own MILLYZ (who has been carrying the MASSACHUSETTS flag), LIL SKIES (a RocNation artist) and the headliner JOYNER LUCAS who is actually raised in Worcester!

The show was packed with fans from all over New England and Massachusetts eager to see the up and coming stars perform.

JOYNER LUCAS has taken the industry by storm over the past several years. With appearances on EMINEM’s album, countless tracks with big name features and an arsenal of witty lyrics and polished flows JOYNER has created a movement that is definitely worth paying attention too. It’s nice to see a Massachusetts native to be creating national attention.

JOYNER however wasn’t the only one on the bill to be generating national sale numbers.
MILLYZ, who has just recently released his BLANCO 4 project (that topped at 93 on BILLBOARD: Top Current Album Sales to date) also hit the stage that night as mentioned earlier.
MILLYZ had fans excited to see in live in action. With nation wide buzz surrounding his project it was nice to see him perform in his home state. The Cambridge native brought out his mascot to help him hype up the crowd and to add some flare to his set.

High Level Rap was the tone MILLYZ set but he brought out well known Boston rapper GIO DEE to help assist him with some more versatility.

The next to hit the stage was LIL SKIES. The Pennsylvania native was the only one of the main acts that is not from Massachusetts but is nice melodies and pain references made him a good fit for the show. SKIES definitely added some star power to the event being that he still pretty young he has been active and creating buzz since he started making music in 2012.

Concert Crave currently holds the torch for throwing top notch events especially as of late and for the upcoming weeks. Be sure to keep an eye out for more information on upcoming shows! Big shout out to the hard worker and great photographer SAMANTHA POWERS! Be sure to visit her Instagram fro more pics and show her some love!! @shotsbysp_