Anderson .Paak is one of the greatest artists of his generation. If you hesitate to agree on that statement, then you must’ve not heard any of his music before, and more tellingly, you must not have seen him perform live before either.
The California artist was the latest headliner of the incredibly dope House of Vans Chicago House Parties summer series, and I can honestly say that this must be the best one of the 2019 edition.
The art installation had a Cali vibe, with a skateboarding VR experience, a foliage-covered drum kit, plus artwork along the walls. A green neon sign featuring .Paak’s signature “yes lawd!” also provided a photo-op for attendees.
Kadhja Bonet & Anderson .Paak’s band The Free Nationals were tasked with being the opening acts for this packed-house event. Bonet’s smooth, R&B stylings built-up nicely throughout her set to get fans grooving. The GRAMMY Award-winning star came out to introduce his band, charmingly telling the crowd, “this is my first time seeing them live without me” and showing genuine excitement to have them do their thing. The Free Nationals brought a lot of soul into the HoV, and provided a sweet taste of what was to come.
To kick off his headline set, Anderson .Paak’s trumpet player came to stage by walking from the back of the crowd and then jumping into the hit song “Heart Don’t Stand a Chance.” From there on out, it was a full-on spectacle. .Paak would jump in and out of his drum kit for different tunes, he showed he’s got baaaaars on tracks like “Tints” & “Bubblin,” slowed things down just enough to deliver a heartwarming rendition of “Make It Better,” and even made time to let the Free Nationals show a little more as they played parts of “California Love” to rep for their home state but also doing a little of Kanye’s “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” to pay respect to the Chi.
The evening delivered several highlights, like the way the crowd turnt all the way up for “Bubblin'” that saw .Paak finish the song by hopping on the drums for big finale, topped only by his coming into the floor with the rest of us to sing “Reachin’ 2 Much” while walking from the stage to the VIP stars right across and then back. The cherry on top to an already fantastic house party came when they closed with “Dang!” in honor of the late, great Mac Miller. Anderson .Paak shouted “We miss you Mac… we know you’re here” before playing the track.
Check out the photo gallery below.
Photo Credit: Oscar Oliva Jr / Pursuit Of Dopeness
RSVP details and more info on the 2019 House Parties click here.
House of Vans Chicago Announces 2019 House Parties Lineup feat. Vince Staples, Anderson .Paak, BANKS
