Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre’s stage was hazy behind a cloud of smoke as Wiz Khalifa’s Good Vibes Only Tour Part 2: Smoker’s Edition kicked off the weekend. The prolific rapper brought out fellow Taylor Gang artists and all his friends for an evening sure to take the audience to a higher level.
With so many artists showcasing their flow on this bill, each of the early acts braved the extreme heat to deliver some heat of their own. Fedd the God, Chevy Woods and Ab-Soul all performed brief sets to a slowly growing audience, keeping the energy levels high despite the oppressive temperatures. Curren$y brought out the first full band of the night, pacing up and down the stage to hype up the fans sweating in the pit. Earl Sweatshirt emerged to huge applause and proceeded to chill out the party with his laidback rhymes and mellow presence. The party was in full swing when Dom Kennedy appeared, lending power and charisma to the night’s lineup.
After a lengthy parade of hip hop talent, it was finally time for Wiz Khalifa to bring the hits to the amphitheatre. Backed by his own full band and a dazzling array of lights, he sauntered up to the mic, lit the largest blunt of the evening and kept the good vibes going. Khalifa has a plethora of hits that have taken over hip hop and pop radio over the years and the crowd was ready to jump along to “We Dem Boyz”, “On My Level” and so much more. Naturally the greatest hits came at the end and the night closed out with “See You Again” and “Black and Yellow”. Despite the high temperatures, the energy remained positive and fun for another amazing evening under the Arizona summer skies.
