The editor of US Rocker Music sent me a request from KennyHoopla's PR firm, seeing if we were interested in covering an upcoming set at The Echo. You can read my review of the set here.
Prior to saying yes, I took a listen to his music as I'd never heard of KennyHoopla (for his fans, don't kill me). I loved the pop-punk genre that had influences of Blink-182 (this comparison comes from the fact that Blink-182's drummer Travis Barker has worked with him). |
| KennyHoopla at The Echo |
I will admit that listening to his music and doing some minor research, I did have some concerns. First, I figured his fan base would be showing up early to pack the front of the stage as the show was sold out (The Echo doesn't have a photo pit). I made sure I showed up 15 minutes prior to doors. I ended up being 14th in line. Of course, that meant I was hanging out at the front of the stage for about 1 hour 45 minutes before the first performer, Suzy Clue, hit the stage. Second, I was concerned about getting caught up in a mosh pit while doing my photography. That was resolved by the fact that many of the 14 people in front of me immediately rushed to the front of the stage. I was therefore forced off to the side. During the set, my position to the side was perfect, as the mosh pit largely occurred just beyond where I was taking photos.
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| KennyHoopla at The Echo |
I have to say I was lucky to be standing where I was. KennyHoopla (the moniker for Kenneth La'ron Beasley) did a nose diving jump off the stage almost immediately during his opening song "silence is also an answer//." He must have grazed the individual who was two persons to my right. After the song ended, everyone around the individual took out their phones and had the flashlights on. They were searching for the person's glasses. No one could locate the glasses. The individual was obviously depressed as I heard him say, "I can't see without them." It all ended on a good note. He noticed that the glasses weren't knocked to the floor, but onto the stage. A small cheer erupted around him as all those who had helped with the search was happy for him. What did he do with his glasses once he found them? He definitely did not put them back on. KennyHoopla took notice of the temporary chaos and suggested that some people might want to head towards the back of the venue instead of being up front.
KennyHoopla put on one of the more physical sets I've seen in awhile. I swear he must know how to head dive without hurting himself, because he ended up sprawled on The Echo floor more than a few times. The Echo stage has to be about 3 feet above the floor so there was a bit of a drop there and he was taking some running leaps. It really was a thrill as the crowd also got involved (though I don't recall a lot of head dives from them) as there was a continuous flow of people getting up on stage to do some crowd surfing.
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| KennyHoopla at The Echo |
I've got to say that "hollywood sucks" was the song of the night. It is a song that looks at the pretentiousness of living in Hollywood. I've lived in Los Angeles for so long that I just don't notice what other people who are new to Los Angeles notice. For example, a favorite band of mind called Smoke Season (the band ended their run around 2019) got their name via their culture shock of living in Los Angeles. Fandom has this quote, "The band’s name is based in part on the now cliche Los Angeles disposition to show you smoke and mirrors instead of reality."
It's not my fault, throw my phone at the wall
Your friends are really morons, can we still date?
Coachella
Hollywood sucks, I'm moving to Wisconsin
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| KennyHoopla at The Echo |
KennyHoopla Setlist: silence is also an answer//. keep a window open//. MARRY KILL F*CK//. even as if never//. plastic door//. smoke break//.SABOTAGE//. 9-5 (love me)//. inside of heaven’s mouth, there is a sweet tooth//. hollywood sucks//. too many jocks//. orphan//. estella//. how will i rest in peace if i’m buried by a highway?//.
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