MEANSTREET MAGAZINE
December 2002 Vol. 13.6

Smoke Out Blaze Craze
Annual Herb Celebration Lands at the Coliseum
by Jay Floyd

The air at the CYPRESS HILL smokeout version 5.0 was punctuated by clouds of exhaled herb smoke and lots of yelling, loud drums and guitars. It would've been a gazillion times better if it had been held inside the Coliseum instead of on the parking lot and field next to it, because then you could've sat somewhere. But sore feet, foul, vile restrooms (you guys oughta be ashamed of yourselves the way you can't piss straight to save your life) and food lines longer than the one to get aboard the ark aside, The Smokeout (now with more bland KROQ-metal) was merely OK. The CIRCLE JERKS actually complain about things like social injustice and not getting enough sex, while the loud and bland modern cock-rockers just holler petty little bitches about how rough life is. Seriously, start drinking a lot more--just stop trying to vent yourself with a mix of rap and rock until you can do it like Cypress Hill. But bands like ADEMA, TAPROOT, 3RD STRIKE, FINCH, POISON THE WELL (and a blurry mix of others) can't because they just don't have the skills. DJ Muggs, B-Real and Sen Dog are a cut above, reworking tough-street-stoner hip-hop classics with a stand-up bass. Host TOMMY CHONG could not handle their eight-foot bong. He took a hit off of it and then just kinda wandered off stage. Like always, last month's cover-pimp, SNOOP DOG, made us bitches wait and Chong had a healthy nap before the Tha Doggfather bumped it extra funky. AWOL-ONE was dope, too. Oh, and if you ever get a chance, go see THE IRON MAIDENS. Five girls covering Iron Maiden Classics. They were the best rock band all 12 hours.