Date: Wednesday, June 15th, 2016 @ 5:30pm
Line Up: Slightly Stoopid, SOJA, and Zion I, The Grouch & Eligh
Venue: Marymoor Park. Redmond, Washington
LIVE: Slightly Stoopid, SOJA, and Zion I, The Grouch & Eligh (Return Of The Red Eye Summer Tour 2016) – 6.15.16
The summer concert tours have officially kicked off! One of the first out of the gates this year is Slightly Stoopid‘s Summer Tour 2016 titled Return Of The Redeye. Additional friends will join Slightly Stoopid including SOJA, Zion I with The Grouch and Eligh, and Fortunate Youth on select dates. The nationwide tour commenced this week with numerous dates in the great Pacific Northwest and The Pier was in attendance for the opening show. 
After last summer’s successful Everything Is Awesome Tour, Slightly Stoopid returned to Marymoor Park, a favorite venue among Seattleites. Unlike last year’s tour following up on the release of the new album, Meanwhile…Back At The Lab, this year’s tour had no such support. Instead, Slightly Stoopid made Return Of The Red Eye special by introducing some reggae fans to new music with a diverse lineup.
The SoCal fellas brought the beautiful weather up with them and calmed down the locals looking the usual drizzly forecast. Despite a few clouds in the sky, the night was pristine and dry with the bright sun shining through the surrounding trees for the first set by Zion I, The Grouch, and Eligh. The rap crew stood out with the reggae lineup but they definitely did not disappoint and the reggae community welcomed the group with open arms as we all anxiously awaited the headliners. When posting about his expectations and excitement for the tour on Facebook, Eligh had plenty to say:
“The vibration this group of guys will bring every night will be bright, warm, healing, expansive, love infused, bass heavy delight…Come be present with us, we offer what we offer, music, and every ounce of magic in our bones. Make you smile is the mission. It’s worth more than gold.”
– Eligh
The crowd continued to grow as SOJA took the stage next. The group played a mix of both old and new songs throughout the set. SOJA opened there set with a sequential throwback to their older albums. “Creeping In” from the 2003 debut album, Peace In A Time Of War, went immediately into “Sorry” from their 2006 album, Get Wiser, and “Mentality” from the 2012 album, Strength To Survive. The group got together to treat the crowd to a fun drum circle samba during “Shadow” and “Not Done Yet.” The popular single “I Believe” from the latest album, …Amid The Noise And Haste, and fan favorite “I Don’t Wanna Wait” closed the set.
Finally, the fans got what they were waiting for after SOJA’s set. Slightly Stoopid took the evening stage to a packed “house” that quickly filled in any empty spaces left across the floor and grassy hills. After the “Stones” intro, Stoopid went straight into their hits with “Officer,” “Up On A Plane,” and from the latest album “Hold It Down.” Midway through the set, The Grouch and Eligh were invited to join onstage for “Just Thinking,” filling in for the album’s feature Chali 2na. Fans were treated to many other favorites throughout the rest of the night including “2 AM,” “No Cocaine,” “Collieman,” and the encore cover of “Express Yourself” originally by Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band and later by N.W.A. and others.
Return Of The Red Eye obviously took on the Star Wars-theme and Stoopid took it to a level fans probably did not expect. Besides the traditional Star Wars art onstage, new merch is now available in a variety of stoner-inspired Star Wars themes. All kinds of options can be found from guitar-shaped light sabers, to C-3PO in a flat-brim hat, to Storm Troopers on bicycles, and much more. But the real treat came to those hardcore Star Wars fans later in the night. The Stoopidheads chanted enough for a multi-song encore that started with a little ditty that many recognized and cheered for right away, “Cantina Song.” For those needing further explanation, “Cantina Song” is Slightly Stoopid’s unique cover of the song played in Chalmun’s Cantina, the fictional bar in the “pirate-city” of Mos Eisley on the planet of Tatooine.
There are plenty of dates left on the tour and very likely one is coming to a town near you. When all is said and done, the tour will span the U.S. with 44 dates in almost 30 states. Upcoming tour dates and tickets can be found here along with details about VIP packages and band meet-and-greets.
Watch: Slightly Stoopid – “Hold It Down”
Slightly Stoopid Set-List:
Stones I
Officer
Dem Fruits
Up On A Plane
Hold It Down
Wickedz
Prophet
No One Stops Us Now
Prayer 4 Your
This Version
Otherside
Bandoz
Just Thinkin (feat. The Grouch & Eligh)
Del Roy
2 AM
No Cocaine
Pussy
Collieman
Franklins Tower
Don’t Stop
Don’t Care
Anywhere I Go
Operation – Outski
ENCORE:
Cantina Song
Train
Express Yourself
Closer To The Sun
Serious Man
SOJA Set-List:
Creeping In / Sorry / Mentality
She Still Loves Me
Born In Babylon
Ancient Truth
Here I Am / Gone Today
To Whom
Shadow / Not Done Yet (Samba)
I Believe
I Don’t Wanna Wait
Related Links:
Slightly Stoopid Website
Slightly Stoopid Facebook
SOJA Website
SOJA Facebook
Zion I Website
The Grouch Website
Eligh Website
Article, Photos, and Video By: Eric Schoep
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