Tech N9ne Independent Powerhouse Tour Review and Photos

I was invited to go take some pictures at the second to last stop on the Independent Powerhouse Tour for Strange Music.  I usually like to catch a tour early on so you can all see the review and pictures and get amp’d up for when it comes to your area, or if it’s bad, steer clear of it.  However there is a upcoming Summer of Strange tour this summer, and if it is a fraction of the quality of the Independent Powerhouse Tour, it is something you will not want to miss.  I did not get to take pics during the VIP time period, but from what I heard in the crowd it was a good experience.  Got to see some of the merch which Strange has always set the bar high on when it comes to VIP.

Usually the root of my complaints with shows has more to do with getting in properly and given the proper access as a photographer.  This was the smoothest and easiest show I have ever attended as a photographer.  Got right in when doors opened, without waiting in the long line, my name was on the list, and a photo pass was already waiting for me.  This is unheard of for underground shows. I’ve missed opening acts at shows, I’ve had to buy tickets and leave the camera in the car after driving hours.  So I would like to thank Strange Music and the local staff and security for a very well planned and executed event.

From start to finish, this was such a smooth and flawless event. You may never see a photographer say this. The lighting was epic, it wasn’t just a over blaring of lights to highlight the artists, it was a show in itself, there was no pointless lighting and it was all pretty predictable but in a good way for me. Great spots, strobes, flashes, and all that jazz.

Ok enough with the boring stuff. The local opener I was not familiar with him or his music.  P-Nut I believe. However was not overly impressed and the crowd did not seem to be either. However once Ces Cru took the stage, you could tell it was a full blown show. To say they opened the show is a understatement.  They got the place live, the crowd was up on the barricade and the Val Air Ballroom had a large number of people out on the floor, with very few sitting in the lounge/bar area, it stayed that way for the whole night.  I was able to capture some good shots of Ces Cru and enjoy the music at the same time. They did not have anything on my playlists that I tend to stick to on a daily basis, however I would not be surprised if a few tracks get dropped in there now.

ces

Seemed like no time at all between Ces Cru and Rittz.  I seen Rittz perform at the gathering, actually stood on the stage taking pictures during his full set there. Having been a fan for some time, it was amazing at the gathering seeing him perform live.  However on this night, it was like a whole new Rittz, confidence maybe, the tail end of a fun filled tour maybe, I am not sure but he performed amazingly.  Mixed in some acapella of some of his more known tracks, yet rocked out all his hits and some new stuff.  TJF’s Blackie is working up a review of the new album that we purchased day it came out.  Only issue I had with the whole show was the CD pushers, not sure they understood some people bought CD’s before the tour came to town, really the merch pushers where the only stale part of the show, we all know Merch is the main income for labels/groups/artists, however this was a bit much and it could be because the tour was coming to a end, but take a hint guys, be friendly at least and you’ll get much further in sales.

rittz

The photo pit was huge, I could of laid down arms stretched out and probably not been able to touch the stage and the barricade at the same time. Not a ton of security slammed up there with me and the other photographer either so tons of room which lead to some good shots of artists and crowd.  Very little intermission between all the artists so it seemed like I was heading back into the photo pit for Kutt Calhoun really quick.  The MC kept the show flowing quite nicely, and Kutt came out in shades and a jacket, huge chain of course. Jumped right into his arsenal of tracks that lifted the energy up a notch and you could see even the non-fans getting into it. At the end of the photo time period he broke out into a bit of a funky dance, and its moments like that I love to capture.

kutt

Brotha Lynch Hung was out on this tour – which is rare in itself, the theatrics of unchaining him was fun, heard new and old tracks alike and even though some of the younger in the crowd didn’t seem to know his stuff, many more did then did not.  Trizz was on stage with Brotha Lynch for his entire set and he had the balls to stage dive across that massive photo pit, and succeeded, wish it would of been during the photo set though.  BLH and Trizz both played to the camera while I was up front which is always nice.  Seemed to have a longer set then those before him, but that might of just been the overall feel of it.  I enjoyed BLH out of all the acts probably the most on the night, just for the freshness of it, I have seen Tech and Krizz live quite a bit.

BLH

Tech N9ne and Kirzz are pretty much a duo on this tour, whether doing tracks together or alternating their own tracks.  Of course with much more known tracks to the crowd. The whole place got wild when they both lit into their popular tracks. Tech and Krizz both have a huge stage presence and like me are getting old – yet seem to move like artists half their age. All over the stage and just feeding off the energy of the whole venue. Jumping, spinning towels, crazy moves, etc.  Of course its not a Tech set without some nice boobies in the crowd – something Ill always appreciate, lol.    Tech fed off the crowd, we had him doing Slacker Acapella at the end, which was fun.  Krizz tossed out some Monsters into the crowd and at least one of them was opened Juggalo style!!  With a large juggalo crowd in des moines it was a great show and a fun time. There were no security problems until the last 4-5 tracks of the night when suddenly security had to escort probably 4-5 people out for various things.  No one was injured.

krizz

Most of the artists found time to go do some autographs back in the merch area after their set for the fans buying their merch.  Nice way to get your 30 seconds in if you couldn’t swing the VIP.

Des Moines is pretty much the main tour attraction in Iowa, and for some reason all the easy food places close down right when the shows close down, someone needs to set up a food truck outside shows, I guarantee you’d make bank… Driving halfway back across the state before finding some gas/food for the car pool for the loss.

So the Summer of Strange tour will be starting up in the near future, with Krizz, Stevie Stone, and Mayday, and probably more.  Like i said you need to be getting anxious for this, if it’s even a fraction of the quality of this tour it’s more than worth checking out.

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