Rockhal, Esch sur Alzette, Luxembourg 9th July 2019
Cypress Hill, De Läb
As one of the true grandfathers of west-coast, Hardcore Hip-Hop, CYPRESS HILL has undeniably paid their dues to the music industry for over three decades. 2019, thirty years after the band formed in 1988, and CYPRESS HILL is still going strong. New music, a new tour, and some new surprises are currently on the road with the O.G. members of the CH crew. Not to mention, they made history as the first Latino American Hip-Hop recording to go platinum.
De Läb
DE LÄB is a Luxembourgian Hip Hop group, formed in summer 2006 from three young “Minnettesdäpp”, after years of making music and experimenting together. With southern origin and under the influence of the “Minetts” sun, the three friends found musical interests early on and also encouraged them. In 1999 they had their first cultural contact and since then they are unstoppable. Corbi (raps & beats), David Fluit (raps, beats & cuts) and Spenko (beats & cuts) skilfully embody the “new school” with a touch of irony.
Music & Performance
Before the main act the Luxembourg rappers DE LÄB was a good choice, even though they performed in Luxembourgish and many visitors from the neighbouring countries were at the concert. At the latest the song ‘Dag vun der oppener Diir’ brought the right mood for CYPRESS HILL and the audience joined in rewardingly loud towards the end of DE LÄB’s performance.
Setlist
01. Intro
02. De Läbdance
03. Dat schwarzt Gold
04. Di Roud Geess
05. Dag vun der oppener Diir
06. Henkebliwen
07. Pëllen/Lunten
08. Stop zum Boom
09. Superpollen
10. Schwéngsterten
Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 9
Sound: 8
Light: 8
Total: 8.3/ 10
Cypress Hill
Along their way CYPRESS HILL, they sold over 20 million albums, packed venues around the globe and embedded themselves in Pop culture as immortalised by a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2019 and getting animated for an episode of ‘The Simpsons’. They would also be sampled by everyone from JAY-Z and BLACK EYED PEAS to A$AP ROCKY and VIC MENSA with CHANCE THE RAPPER. However, some things don’t change and CYPRESS HILL keep forging ahead. That brings us to the group’s ninth full-length studio album, ‘Elephants On Acid’. Collecting possible ideas commenced as early as 2013. After dreaming of an out-of-body experience as a man with an elephant head, the vision of the album was born. In the end, ‘Elephants On Acid’ represents all things CYPRESS HILL through and through.
Music & Performance
Fans had travelled from around Luxembourg to come and pay homage to the old school icons with a bonus surprise… former BEASTIE BOYS alumni, Mix Master Mike manning the turntables for the tour. Mike, clever and masterful, worked his tables with finesse, occasionally launching a recognizable “Beastie” break as an ode to the ol’ fam. His whole set was a real show as he was moving like crazy around his table. Nearly fifteen minutes into Mike’s digital soliloquy, he asked the audience “Are you ready for CYPRESS HILL?” The crowd, already electric, bellowed in glee as the notorious triad takes to the stage. They started strong with their song ‘Band of Gypsies’ and really set the mood with the bass and amazing green and yellow lights. The crowd’s response were immediate screams of joy! The audience was already in a great mood by the previous DJ-set and you could see people danced almost everywhere and it seemed people “forgot” about not smoking inside of a building.
Next up was ‘Hand on the Pump’ and an intense version of ‘When the Shit Goes Down’. Bobo and Mix Master kept the groove tight and in the pocket while Sen Dog’s vocals boomed the hook through the venue speakers. New material was well received by the fans and CYPRESS HILL pushed forward with ‘Put-em in the Ground’, ‘Latin Thugs’, and a most memorable performance of ‘Tequila Sunrise’. And of course, the most famous song ‘Insane in the Brain’ was not missing and the crowd literally went “insane in the membrane”. The CYPRESS HILL concert was a really highly recommended experience that was energetic, engaging, and full of old school good times. It was also really impressing to see these iconic Hip Hop legends go off on stage and see their fiery energy (and the bass) pulsate through the main hall, including the audience.
Setlist
01. Mix Master Mike Warm-up
02. Band of Gypsies
03. Hand on the Pump
04. Checkmate
05. The Phuncky Feel One
06. When the Shit Goes Down
07. Throw Your Set in the Air
08. Shots Go Off
09. Put Em in the Ground
10. Lick a Shot
11. Latin Lingo
12. Latin Thugs
13. Tequila Sunrise
14. Mix Master Mike and Eric Bobo Instrumental Break
15. Roll It Up, Light It Up, Smoke It Up / I Wanna Get High / Cisco Kid / Dr. Greenthumb / Hits from the Bong
16. How I Could Just Kill a Man
17. Insane in the Brain
18. Illusions
19. I Ain’t Goin’ Out Like That
20. (Rock) Superstar
21. Jump Around
Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 10
Sound: 8
Light: 10
Total: 9.3 / 10
All pictures by Elena Arens
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