Tag: MVP Arena

  • Cypress Hill Release New Album “Back In Black”, Announce Tour Dates With Stops In Brooklyn and Albany

    Critically acclaimed rap group, Cypress Hill, has a busy year ahead of them, not only having just released their tenth studio album, Back In Black, but a new video for album highlight “Certified” and months of touring ahead.

    Cypress Hill

    Cypress Hill is a rap group from South Gate, California that have been active since the late 1980’s. They have paved the way for the rappers that followed, especially considering their desire to use Spanish lyrics in songs. This group stood their ground during a time when rappers had trouble getting booked to perform live. Cypress Hill shifted the culture of the music industry and for that their accomplishments did not go unnoticed. In fact, they earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, sold more than 9 million albums, and were nominated for three Grammy Awards.

    Considering, Back In Black is their first full-length album since Elephants on Acid in 2018, Cypress Hill had to adapt to today’s culture and were pushed creatively as artists. Their newest work has reconnected the group with Black Milk (Slum Village, Lloyd Banks, Pharoahe Monch), who produced the entire album.

    Cypress Hill

    Within Back In Black, the group raps about cannabis but in an educational way. Knowing the impact it has had on people of color, as well as where it stands with the federal government, Cypress Hill believes it is a significant conversation to have and what better way for them to vocalize that than through their lyrics.

    We can talk about smoking, but there’s still a lot of people out there that need to be educated. As the scene has progressed and evolved into what it is now, there still are some road bumps out there. It’s not federally legal across the United States. It’s legal here in California and other states, but we still face a lot of obstacles in terms of the federal government. A lot of us are pushing to finally get it recognized federally. There’s still a whole lot of work to be done, so we just keep pushing along.

    B-Real

    Furthermore, their video for “Certified” was directed by Tillavision, who have a great reputation for creating 3D, augmented reality and virtual reality content for well-known artists such as Swae Lee, Pop Smoke, JuiceWRLD and Young Dolph.

    However, Cypress Hill’s agenda for 2022 does not end there. The rap group has plans to embark on a massive slate of touring including performances at Slipknot’s Knotfest Roadshow 2022.

    With the visionary photographer and director Estevan Oriol, Cypress Hill has developed a documentary titled Insane In The Brain: Cypress Hill. It will debut as part of Showtime’s HIP HOP 50 banner on April 20 at 8pm ET/PT. This film will take viewers on a cannabis filled journey of the lives of the rap group, highlighting their relevancy for 30 years, unique sounds, and genre-shifting sonic tapestry. With never before seen footage, Insane In The Brain: Cypress Hill, will most importantly reflect the group’s everlasting brotherhood.

    Tickets and VIP Packages for Cypress Hill’s tour are now available. For more information visit the Cypress Hill website.

    CYPRESS HILL LIVE 2022
    3/18 – Kings Of The West – Rio Rancho, NM %

    3/20 – Big Surf Water Park – Tempe, AZ

    4/2 – Smoking Gun Casino – El Paso, TX

    4/9 – North Carolina Azalea Fest 2022 – Wilmington, NC ^

    4/19 – Red Rocks – Morrison, CO %

    5/18 – Bryce Jordan Center – University Park, PA *

    5/20 – Barclays Center – Brooklyn, NY *

    5/21 – Dunkin Donuts Center – Providence, RI *

    5/22 – SNHU Arena – Manchester, NH *

    5/24 – MVP Arena – Albany, NY *

    5/26 – Bell Centre – Montreal, QC *

    5/28 – Videotron Centre – Quebec, QC *

    5/29 – Canadian Tire Centre – Ottawa, ON *

    5/30 – Budweiser Stage – Toronto, ON *

    6/1 – Heritage Bank Center – Cincinnati, OH *

    6/2 – Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, MI *

    6/4 – Alpine Valley Music Theatre – East Troy, WI *

    6/5 – TaxSlayer Center – Moline, IL *

    6/7 – Azura Amphitheater – Bonner Springs, KS *

    6/9 – The Broadmoor World Arena – Colorado Springs, CO *

    6/11 – Ford Idaho Center – Nampa, ID *

    6/13 – Climate Pledge Arena – Seattle, WA *

    6/14 – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater – Ridgefield, WA *

    6/17 – MGM Grand Garden Arena – Las Vegas, NV *

    6/18 – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre – Chula Vista, CA *

    % – w/ Ice Cube
    ^ – Festival date
    * Knotfest Roadshow 2022

  • John Mayer Welcomes Albany Into the Sob Rock Era

    Written by Alyssa Fasolino

    John Mayer hit the MVP Arena on Thursday, February 19 for the opening of his much awaited Sob Rock Tour, promoting his most recent album by the same name. The stage design and look of the show gave off the ’80s aesthetic that Mayer has aligned Sob Rock with, invoking the decade of analog, windbreakers and neon.

    Chicago-born Alexander 23 opened the show with an incredible 11-song set. Playing a good mix of songs off his just-now released (02/19/22) album Oh No, Not Again! he was an excellent crowd warmer. “Cry Over Boys” and “Brainstorm” were especially fun to dance along to.

    When John hit the stage the room filled with cheers of excitement and love for the artist. Opening with “Last Train Home,” the first single from the new album, the legend addressed the audience, “Albany, welcome to the Sob Rock era.” From that moment, the crowd was locked in for a full night of new and classic favorites.

    John Mayer has carved himself a place in music history, known for his smooth voice, and blues inspired guitar playing, which was plentiful during the show. His love for playing music is always apparent while he is on stage. The whole show combined the sing-along energy of your favorite popstar’s concerts and the groove of your favorite jam show. Mid-way through the show he told the audience very seriously, “We are prepared to make you move.” And move they did, everyone was on their feet the entire night.

    Just as integral to the night was Mayer’s backing band. One highlight includes a jam-battle of John vs. his keys player, Greg Phillinganes, on keytar during a particularly jam-heavy “Helpless.” The audience was also lucky enough to hear perhaps John’s most famous song “Your Body is a Wonderland,” played for the first time with a full band. The song, a classic, was made anew by the full band accompaniment. Even John acknowledged this telling the audience, “Only a band like this could make a song feel that good.” The full arena singing along certainly helped, too.

    One fan received a special shout out during the show when John pointed them out saying, “This person understood an assignment that hasn’t even been given yet!” The audience member donned 80’s inspired gear, Walkman attached to them. John was so delighted by this he even took a minute to get the camera on the fan who showed off their look with pride to the audience. 

    You could sense John was grateful to be there, like many artists who have had their live-touring plans disrupted or delayed these past two years. He even took a minute to share his gratitude with the crowd. “A lot of things have changed in the world, your tastes have changed, but you decided to come back and listen to these songs, and that means the world to me.” Which he followed with an early fan-favorite from his Continuum album, “Gravity,” while audience members held up phone flashlights to make the room sparkle. Even in a full arena, this moment felt intimate and special. The full show ended with an encore, including songs “Born and Raised” and “New Light.”  

    There was excitement and admiration as the audience left the arena following the show. John Mayer is known for his charisma and ability to make people fall in love with him over and over again. There is no doubt that he had succeeded at this once again during this Thursday night show in Albany. 

    This was the first stop on the Sob Rock national tour. Mayer heads to NYC for a two-night run at Madison Square Garden on February 20 and 21 and will be back in New York State on March 1 at the UBS Arena in Belmont Park, NY. Check out the full list of dates for the Sob Rock tour here. And if you attend one of the shows – don’t forget your Walkman! 

    Setlist: Last Train Home, Shot In The Dark, I Don’t Trust Myself With Loving You, Who Says, Love On The Weekend, Moving On And Getting Over, Shouldn’t Matter But It Does, Rosie, I Guess I Just Feel Like, Helpless, Stop This Train, In The Blood, Carry Me Away, The Beautiful Ones @, Slow Dancing In A Burning Room, Your Body Is A Wonderland, Wild Blue, All I Want Is To Be With You, Waiting On The World To Change, Gravity
    Encore: Born And Raised, New Light