It doesn't seem like 10 years since Madlib and Freddie Gibbs collaborated on Piñata, but given this short tour and that pesky thing called reality, it's true. Madlib has a long history of incredible collaborations with the like of J Dilla (RIP), Talib Kweli, MF DOOM (RIP), and many more, so adding Freddie Gibbs to the list was a no-brainer. The pair laid down track after track of gold with that release, revisiting the team-up five years later with Bandana. And while there is no third collaboration coming that we know of, what better way to celebrate 10 years of Piñata at Salt Shed! However, things didn't necessarily go as planned. A few hours before doors opened, attendees got an email noting that Madlib would not be able to attend the show. While that certainly took the wind out of my sails, there was still plenty to appreciate at this show.
One of those things was opener Eyedress. Initially when I saw the lineup for this evening at Salt Shed I was a little surprised by Eyedress' inclusion. As a pretty big fan of Idris Ennolandy Vicuña's project, I thought the more psychedelic bordering on shoegaze soundscapes would be at odds with the headliner's more streamlined hip-hop. There were definitely a few people in the crowd that had no idea what they were in for. After a few moments though it became clear that while the vibes may not have been exactly the same, Eyedress was delivering a quality set.
Despite being a little under the weather and downplaying his on-stage presences, Eyedress put on an amazing set. With a pretty strict curfew at the Shed, there wasn't a lot of time for Eyedress to go all out with a full set. However that didn't stop Eyedress from letting songs swim around the cool evening air with a confidence you rarely see. He jammed away the night with songs like "Romantic Lover" and "Something About You", all the while oozing a cooler-than-cool vibe throughout. He ended his set powering through whatever lingering sickness with a straight-up punk performance of "I Don't Wanna Be Your Friend", ramping up the crowd's energy just enough to get them ready for Freddie Gibbs.
Then it came time for Freddie Gibbs. Before he could even make the stage the crowd was already buzzing. His band for the night was the wonderful El Michels Affair, who are no strangers to the hip-hop scene, having worked with members of Wu-Tang Clan, Black Thought, and Gibbs and Madlib previously for their Tiny Desk performance in 2019. But in the middle of the band this evening was Clairo. Fans in the front row were surprised to see her in the band providing vocals for a few tracks throughout the set, but considering whose upcoming release is produced by Leon Michels, it was a welcome addition to the night.
The crowd erupted at their loudest when Gibbs made his way to the stage. While Eyedress was laid back cool, Freddie Gibbs is maximalist cool. There is just so much energy teeming of the man as he dove right into the set, leaving not a moment to go to waste. Donning a Piñata emblem-ed Cubs jersey, Gibbs started things off with "Supplier" going right into "Scarface". Giibb's rapid flow had the crowd bouncing along to the song as El Michel's Affair instrumentation really held the the tracks together.
Gibbs was here to have a damn good time, dishing out 10 Piñata tracks throughout the set all the while sipping on some tequila and smoking non stop, really underlining the focal point of "High". Of course inbetween tracks Gibbs hyped the crowd up with his constant chant of "Fuck police". It's a staple of his performances and at this point should be no surprise. What was a surprise was BJ the Chicago Kid coming out for a pair of songs in the middle of the set; "You Know What Today Is" and "Shame".
As the night starting coming to a close, Gibbs made sure to cap it all off with some highlights. First came during the proper Piñata portion with "Thuggin". Its a banger off the album and every Gibbs set as every bit of energy seems to have been exponentially growing for this moment. By this point Gibbs nothing could contain him having lost the jersey and was rapping shirtless. After that maddening great set Gibbs and crew returned with an encore featuring "Gat Damn" and "Crime Pays" off Bandana, offering a taste of the Piñata sequel. While the absence of Madlib was surely felt, Gibbs and El Michels Affair made the most of the set giving the fans two perfect endings to the chilly night at Salt Shed.
All photos by Julian Ramirez
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