Never happened, after the break?
Future, Ty Dolla Sign, & Friends @ The Hollywood Palladium (03/18/16)
All right, it kinda did. Got the photo proof below!
Fun night. Haven’t covered a show at the Palladium in, what feels like, ages. Three years? Not sure why. Their concert bills (sponsored & promo’d by Live Nation) are usually filled with EDM ravers, Heavy Metal Hangbanger Balls, and sketchy rappers. I consider the Palladium, one of the more wild LA venues. The security checkpoint rivals anything you can find at LAX. The security do bite back. Remember your manners children.
Got my first VIP pass for the upper decks of the Palladium. It was a trip. The stage left were for the normal folks as in stage right was reserved for all the big wigs. Personally, I hated feeling so far away. So I snuck onto the floor to watch Ty Dolla $ign, Future, and their friends (like DJ Esco & Juicy J) turn the Palladium into a Purple Reign Trap House. Epic show overall. Didn’t know I knew most of Ty Dolla Sign‘s major work. Future jumped around his epic discography for almost an hour, playing minute snippets from each of his more popular hits record (Beast Mode, DS2, What A Time To Be Alive, EVOL, Purple Reign Mixtape, etc.). A good chunk of which came from 2015’s DS2. That made me happy because that’s my favorite Future record. Totally recommend it.
Didn’t like the way both Ty & Future played their arrogant, Blasé, during each set. They even ended the show by celebrating how that single just hit gold status. Picture below.
But as with any HOT hip hop show Future and Ty brought out the youngsters. Had a group of High School & early college kids all around me. They were rude, drunk, and high as hell. Knew what I was getting into. This was the Palladium after all. The prom venue of LA music scene. Love being the guy in the back with a hidden flask BTW. The DJ Esco intermission came outta left field too.
Both Future & Ty deserve all the credit in the world. They are wonderful performers making the Purple Reign tour epic as hell: stage diving, special guests, huge set list, stellar graphics, great lights, confetti, etc. All requirements for the perfect showcase. The Purple Reign tour is a hurricane of fun, especially if you are drunk / high. Truly recommend it!
PHOTOGRAPHER NOTES:
The Hollywood Palladium is extreme hard to take pictures. Another reason why I avoid this ballroom. Unless you are the outside of the pit, by the railing. Once you’re on the hardwood floor… it’s all flat. You can’t readjust. Just gotta deal. Stage right is usually the less crowded area. The middle is stacked all the way to the doors. There is a science to any venue. The elevated stage does provide some camera comfort. Still tricky the farther back you are.
Used my Nikon Coolpix S9700 P&S with 32x lens! (my normal weapon).
