Photos by Todd Zimmer
The man billed as "The King of Rap" was upstaged and outclassed by a relatively unheralded Kansas City-based band Tuesday at Crossroads KC.
Les Izmore of Hearts of Darkness
Although most of its area gigs are in small clubs, the expansive stage at Crossroads KC suited Hearts of Darkness' thunderous grooves. The band's potent blend of African sounds and American R&B and hip hop seemed to acquire additional power at the outdoor venue's grounds. Highlighted by a five-piece horn section, Hearts of Darkness' transcendent dance music was dazzling.
Not everyone in the audience of over 2,000 appreciated the band's effort. Boos and disparaging catcalls intermingled with applause at the conclusion of the band's 75-minute performance. Impatient Snoop Dogg fans would have to wait. Snoop Dogg didn't appear until 72 minutes after Hearts of Darkness left the stage. Even worse, his set lasted slightly less than an hour.
Most fans cheered Snoop Dogg's every move, but their affection for the man certainly had more to do with his remarkable string of hits than his desultory effort Tuesday. His last few area appearances featured live instrumentation that served to greatly enhance his songs. While three alluring dancers offered visual stimulation, their presence failed to disguise the fact that Snoop Dogg was offering fans little more than glorified karaoke. An odd technical failure made matters worse. During opening song "I Wanna Rock" a bank of stage lights were twice lowered slowly but perilously, forcing Snoop Dogg to retreat to the back of the stage.
"These people paid money to see Snoop Dogg," the star said. "They don't want to see these lights."
People also paid to party to Snoop Dogg's vast catalog of hits. Beginning with the release of his profane but vastly entertaining debut album in 1993, the California-based rapper has recorded many of the most memorable celebratory anthems of the last twenty years. Even the canned and abbreviated versions of "Gin and Juice" and "Drop It Like It's Hot" heard Tuesday were rapturously received.
Snoop Dogg closed with "Who Am I (What's My Name)?" While less demanding members of the audience replied with the requisite chant of "Snoop Doggy Dog," others might understandably been inclined to answer with less flattering responses.
| Bill Brownlee, Special to The Star
FYI Hearts of Darkness will being playing a free show outside the Lawrence Public Library Aug. 4th 6:30-8:30.
Posted by: Steve J | July 27, 2011 at 04:12 AM
It is truly a privilege to play music in front of so many wonderful people and we had a great time. I don't know about the catcalls because from the stage, we only felt love and support from an awesome crowd. Thank you for the kind words, Bill, but we're all going to have to hide in our basements for a few days while the West Coast heat blows over ;-)
Posted by: Hearts of Darkness | July 27, 2011 at 10:13 AM
RIGHT ON "Hearts of Darkness"!!!
It is great to read you did so well...
Wishing you all the best in the future.
Keep on keeping on.
Posted by: Frank | July 27, 2011 at 10:23 AM
No set list?? I need to know if Snoop performed the song from the Pepsi Max commercial - "I'm up to my knees in zero cal-o-rees"!!!
Posted by: Paul J | July 27, 2011 at 11:18 AM
Shame on whoever thought it was a good idea to have the openers play for 75 minutes. (im guessing the set was originally supposed to be shorter, but they asked them to play longer to attempt to stall for Snoop, who was late, or didnt want to go on stage until well after the agreed upon time). They were a wonderful band, but any audience is going to get burned out hearing an act they arent familiar with for that long while waiting to hear a national talent. Local opener sets should be 30-45 minutes tops. That time can obviously go up if they are a touring national opener.
Posted by: Kyle V. | July 27, 2011 at 11:22 AM
I can't wait to see Hearts of Darkness w/ Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey Sept. 16th @ Crosstown Station. Last Hearts show at Crosstown before they close the doors. KC PRIDE
Posted by: WCPSIII | July 27, 2011 at 11:39 AM
I disagree that Hearts upstaged Snoop Dogg. I love Hearts and I thought they played a very inspired set that at least in my area was well received, but it did run a bit long and people were eager to see Snoop.
When Snoop finally did appear it seemed like the place turned into one huge house party. I do think the energy lagged about 2/3 of the way through his set when he played some of his newer songs, but over all I heard most of the songs I wanted to hear and I enjoyed myself.
I talked to a friend who said one reason it may have taken Snoop a long time to get to the stage was because some people bought a ticket package that included a meet and greet along with an autograph and a chance to take a picture with him and that took a little longer than they thought. Not sure if that's the full reason, but since he was playing in front of a set of turntables with two hype men it shouldn't have taken him over an hour to take the stage.
Posted by: Charley. | July 27, 2011 at 12:00 PM
I was prepared for Hearts to put on the better show. A full band with as much energy as they put forth, it was a given they'd upstage Snoop. It was still ok to see a legend in the flesh doing all the hits, so I had fun. I do feel bad for all the people that paid and anticipated this show for months in advance, you had to know he would pull the nonsense he did. Not even a DJ between sets?! Weak.
Posted by: holtron | July 27, 2011 at 12:31 PM
Our set (HOD) was originally scheduled for 50 minutes (typical) but we were asked to perform longer and we had to scramble to get the set re-arranged. We try to pack as much energy as we can into our "headliner support" shows.
One of our worries is that articles like this make it so that we aren't hired for these supporting roles. We know the job is to pump up the crowd and that's all we're trying to do - not "upstage" anybody.
Posted by: Bob Asher | July 27, 2011 at 12:33 PM
ANOTHER RIP OFF job by the crossroadskc.
Seems like other every show down there has MAJOR issues... e.g. dropping lights on Snoop's head, unsanitary dump conditions making the singer from Cinderella sick, the heat forcing people to play super short sets....
"how is this place still in business?"
ps
sorry to show up late today...
it was in honor of Snoop being late and in honor him doing a stupidly short set it seems apropos to do the same. bye.
Posted by: Richard | July 27, 2011 at 01:35 PM
Yeah, definitely an indictment on the Crossroads because rappers NEVER come on stage late or play abbreviated sets.
Posted by: Pellboy | July 27, 2011 at 02:04 PM
Touche Pellboy!
Meanwhile, over at Knuckleheads, The Band Of Heathens put on a slam bang 2 hour and 15 minute show that started right on time and delighted everyone in attendance.
And that followed a hugely entertaining and upbeat opening set from The Living Dead.
Great night of entertainment for a $15 cover charge.
You know my mantra, to each his own...
Posted by: onthemark | July 27, 2011 at 02:10 PM
You smoke that much "Chronic" and try and make it anywhere on time! No see easy is it? Sometimes a 45 minute set seems like a week when you are stoned to the Bejesus!
Posted by: Camille | July 27, 2011 at 02:31 PM
I was wondering if anybody caught that BOH show. Love those guys, but couldn't make it down there last night. Was it pretty well attended, otm?
No disrespect to Sade/Snoop or their fans, but I knew the Heathens show would actually be the show of the night in a night of great shows in KC. Alas, I'll have to content myself with a half as long set when they play the Paola Roots Fest in late August.
Posted by: Pellboy | July 27, 2011 at 02:42 PM
Band of Heathens were fantastic- a very talented band and damn good players. 15.00 to sit in the front row. And that chick bass player in the Living Dead is HOT!!!
Posted by: Mike A | July 27, 2011 at 02:46 PM
Pellboy, it was an indoor show. I would guess right around 150 or so in attendance, pretty good turnout for a weeknight.
And as Mike A noted, the upright bass player for The Living Dead was smoking hot!
Posted by: onthemark | July 27, 2011 at 03:17 PM
HAha! Fuck Snoop and his fans! This is Kansas City Bitches... You betta recognize! H.O.D. runs this city! MIDDLE OF THE MAP!
Posted by: Ace Fadal | July 27, 2011 at 05:10 PM
^Hearts of Darkness does not endorse the above comment^.
We loved the opportunity to share a stage with Snoop and to play for his fans.
Posted by: Hearts of Darkness | July 27, 2011 at 05:22 PM
No worries HoD, everyone knows all sorts of people post here, and most must be aware that you all have the class to not public post like that :)
see you soon, in the future
ps
Touche Pellboy!,
come on offthemark (btw- good for you for using your real name) "Touche"? .... really?... that comment was not even worthy of a retort from me, and I woulda... but... yawn...
Posted by: Richard | July 27, 2011 at 05:38 PM
Shaking my head in disbelief at how pathetic the corssroadskc is...
dropping lights on Snopp's head...
are you kidding?
Of course, ever asskissing, pellboy will write this off a rapper thing, which is kind of racist, but the reality is, it is a "crossroadskc is pathetic thing"
""An odd technical failure made matters worse. During opening song "I Wanna Rock" a bank of stage lights were twice lowered slowly but perilously, forcing Snoop Dogg to retreat to the back of the stage.""
wow..... just wow.
Posted by: Richard | July 27, 2011 at 06:54 PM
onthemark...I thought I saw you at the BOH show...it was terrific! Only two days 'til Paul Thorn! Frank has been spoiling us this month.
Posted by: kcmom | July 27, 2011 at 08:32 PM
Haha, there's a metal band called HOD. :P
Posted by: mankvill | July 28, 2011 at 12:55 AM
Haha, Homer says Doh, when he stubs his toe.
Posted by: Marge | July 28, 2011 at 07:14 AM
mmmm, that ass tastes like ice cream.
Racist, yeah, I guess so even though my comment was directed at the GENRE more than the particular performers, but I'll offer up just two recent BtR examples from INDOOR (too cold?) KC shows involving "rap" artists...
Ray J - maybe not a rapper per se, heck I'm not sure what he is, but...
"Ray J ambled onto the stage at 12:27am and exited 17 minutes later."
Rick Ross -
"Ross didn't appear until shortly before 10:45 p.m. His abbreviated set concluded about 30 minutes later."
Posted by: Pellboy | July 28, 2011 at 08:24 AM
Ok pellboy, you are right, I am wrong, I am sorry.
Posted by: Richard | July 28, 2011 at 09:44 AM
kcmom, see you Friday night. It is gonna be a good show.
I am guessing this one will be an outdoor show with a lot more people there.
Paul Thorn is very entertaining!
Posted by: onthemark | July 28, 2011 at 11:41 AM
To bad Snoop didnt perform longer, not sure who to blame for the lights, could be his own crew doing lights so caution before crossroads gets the blame, mistakes happen, its live music, its not gonna be perfect. Snoop should be seasoned enough to bounce that into a verse though. Kansas City has had some bad breaks with rap but you also have to figure not a lot of rap tours through kansas city so its easy to pick out a couple bad or short performances, I think short is the key word, not so much bad. Lets see how eminem handles himself next week, maybe he can give kansas city an amazing performance. JAY-Z & Kanye West are touring, kinda curious why they haven't shown up at Sprint Center, it would surely sell out, maybe we are not a strong rap market. By the way, Hearts of Darkness, sounds like you had a great set!!!
Posted by: Green | July 28, 2011 at 05:11 PM
OMG!!! ODD FUTURE in Lawrence October 11th!
Posted by: Steve J | July 29, 2011 at 09:15 AM
Odd Future has a big following, i dont think they are very good at all, be careful at the show, they have had a string of violence at shows for awhile.
Posted by: Green | July 29, 2011 at 07:19 PM
odd future = a good case for abortion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1Wci7j6dvs
actually they are a good example of why should allow 120th trimester abortions. fk these punks, they aint sht. They are what is wrong wit da world today. They got no respect. fk them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1Wci7j6dvs
Posted by: Walter | July 29, 2011 at 10:11 PM
Does anyone else see the irony in the above comment? Maybe it is intended. (doubtful)
If anyone tried to gauge Kansas City by the comments on this board... I shudder to think of how we represent ourselves, never mind Louis CK.
Posted by: KC Jones | August 02, 2011 at 08:45 AM
say, that reminds me, kc jones is another candidate for 240th trimester abortions, thin the herd, eliminate the stupid.
meanwhile...
I wonder where I can buy some online XANAX OR BLUE PILL VIAGRA????
ANY IDEAS???
ANYONE??? ANYONE?? BUELLER?
Posted by: Harry | August 02, 2011 at 12:30 PM
But Harry, if we were to eliminate the stupid, who would fill in for you?
Posted by: Just wonderin | August 02, 2011 at 03:04 PM
Its not the heat,
its the humidity....
NO!!!! IT IS THE HEAT!!!!
108!?!?!?!?... are you kidding me?
Posted by: Barry | August 02, 2011 at 03:22 PM
geeeeeeeeezz!!!! Cant one single new band be straighjt ahead rock and roll? WTF?? I keep sampling new bands, searching, looking hoping... but NO!!!!!
Tonight on Letterman, hoping finally....
Surely a band called "Explosions in the Sky" must be rock? eh? but nope.... more of the same boring, limp, lame, pussy music.. yawn, music to sleep by
I MISS ROCK AND ROLL :(
Posted by: Jerry | August 02, 2011 at 11:39 PM
Oh gosh... I'm sure you're sitting there in your Grandmama's basement (pity about your Mom being unfit and all that) with a lovely smirk of self satisfaction on your invisalign'd mug. You really got me good there, fella. I am so ashamed and will never show my cyber-face around here again. It's really tough to say things whilst hiding behind a computer screen, isn't it?
Posted by: KC Jones | August 03, 2011 at 02:47 PM
hahaahaha..
sheesh, jones is such a simpleton, easy douchereroo.. hire some writers boy, you need new material
ahahahahHAAHAHAHA
Posted by: Perry | August 03, 2011 at 03:14 PM
review of Viagra http://trustedtabletsonline.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/generic-viagra/
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