Blazed and Confused Tour Brings the Party to the Rap, Rock, Reggae Masses

While established summer tours like Warped and Rock the Bells have already found their niche with the beer and board sport set, a new up and coming festival may give both of those tours a run for their money. The Blazed and Confused Tour boasts an eclectic lineup that includes San Diego reggae/punkers Slightly Stoopid, veteran rapper Snoop Dogg, reggae/ragamuffin Stephen Marley and hip-hop provocateur Mickey Avalon. The tour is indeed all about the party and that party got off to a rocky start this past Saturday night at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater.

Mickey Avalon calls himself the Ron Jeremy of rap but onstage he comes off more like the Billy Squire of hip-hop. Avalon has chosen hip-hop as the vehicle for his catharsis about being a former male prostitute in Hollywood. While he might be the most unique mc in the genre, Avalon may need a serious therapist to go along with his serious, rock influenced beats. Son of reggae legend Bob Marley, Stephen Marley took the stage next and tried to get a festival atmosphere going with his brand of reggae. The crowd warmed to Marley's original offerings but his biggest cheers not surprisingly, came when he delved into his father's song catalog. Snoop Dogg maybe from Long Beach but Irvine welcomed the lanky rapper as if he was Orange County's favorite son. Snoop, backed by a live band (The Snoopadelics) took command of the stage and put on a "greatest hits" set that had the entire crowd rapping along and wishing they were all from Long Beach or Compton. Snoop even tossed in a cover of the House of Pain classic "Jump Around" which brought the party to a fever pitch and started the first of what would be several mosh pits.

Under a puff of smoke and enormous white cloud Slightly Stoopid hit the stage to close out the festivities. The San Diego band has an intricate reggae sound mixed with a bit of ska and old school punk rock with a Sublime edge. The band has amassed a significant following thanks to an intense touring schedule. The group showed their dexterity in fine form by starting and stopping songs on a dime and shifting from reggae to ska to punk at the drop of a hat. For Slightly Stoopid it's the party vibe that matters most, along with paying homage to their favorite herb.

If you are looking for a new music tour with an attitude and an emphasis on good times, hit the Blazed and Confused Tour this summer.