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Rapping, Bucking, and Rocking: There's Plenty of Weekend Events in the Central Valley
STEVEN HEADSHOT 1
By Steven Sanchez
Published 4 weeks ago on
April 4, 2024

From left to right, Ludacris, B-Real of Cypress Hill, Pablo Cruise, and PBR will bring great entertainment to the Central Valley this weekend. (GV Wire Composite/Paul Marshall)

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There’s no foolin’ around this April when it comes to entertainment options. No joke. The variety is staggering. Whether you’re in the mood for a concert, a stand-up comedy show, or a boxing match, there should be a selection that tickles your fancy.

This weekend will set the tone. There’s hip hop, rodeo, and pop rock. And that’s just naming a few.

A reminder: Jerry Seinfeld will be at the Saroyan Theatre next week on Thursday. Ticket info here.

Here’s a look at some of the big acts and events taking place this weekend in the Central Valley:

03 Greedo

L.A. rapper 03 Greedo (Jason Jamal Jackson) made a name for himself off of mixtapes from 2016 to 2018, leading to his debut studio album God Level in 2018. He’s put out new albums with Netflix & DealĀ (2019) andĀ Load It Up Vol 1 (2020). And he collaborated with prolific Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker in 2019 on a joint EP Meet the Drummers.

This guy will be doing a double header of shows Thursday at Strummer’s and at the new nightclub Club Encore later in the evening before he sets out on his Hella Greedy Tour.

I got the chance to see him perform at Club Encore last October. The way he commanded the audience not only with his rhymes and flows but his smiles and humorous expressions was entertaining. It showed why his fans relate to him.

Get tickets at this link (Strummers) orĀ this linkĀ  (Club Encore).

Ludacris

Fresh off his cameo appearance during this year’s Super Bowl halftime show with Usher and Lil Jon, the rapper and actor Ludacris will perform at Eagle Mountain Casino’s Event Center on Friday at 8 p.m. in Porterville.

One of the pioneers of the Dirty South hip hop sound from Atlanta, his music provided the soundtrack to my high school dances and locker room shenanigans before and after football games with hits like “What’s Your Fantasy,” “Rollout (My Business),” “Saturday (Oooh! Ooooh!),” “Welcome to Atlanta,” “Stand Up,” and “Money Maker” (featuring Pharrell).

He’s had three chart-topping singles as a guest performer with Usher’s “Yeah!” in 2004, Fergie’s “Glamorous” in 2007, and Taio Cruz’s “Break Your Heart” in 2009. Who can forget his guest spot on Justin Bieber’s single “Baby”? That effort became one of the highest-certified singles ever in the U.S.

His albums “Word of Mouf” reached No. 3 and “Chicken-N-Beer” reached No. 1 on the Billboard charst. In 2006, he released “Release Therapy,” which hit No. 1 and won him a Grammy for best rap album.

Ludacris also had supporting roles in “Crash” and “Hustle and Flow.” His most recognizable role is portraying the character, Tej Parker, in the “Fast and Furious” franchise, starring in six movies.
You need to roll out to Eagle Mountain Casino. His hits will make you STAND UP and shout YEAH.
Get tickets at this link

PBR Rodeo

What makes you think of pyro, music, and bull riding? The PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour is the answer. It’s not just a rodeo, it’s an experience. These bull riders will be riding away at Save Mart Center not just for one day, but two days this weekend. You can catch them on Friday and Saturday.

Promising a star-studded lineup of the worldā€™s best riders and animal athletes, the tour delivers edge-of-your-seat action.

The PBR has been doing it since 1992, and the rules are simple, hang on to the bull for 8 seconds. ā€œThe Toughest Sport on Dirtā€ has the cowboys compete against one another in a season-long battle to claim the year-end title of World Champion, and a share of more than $10 million in prize money including the $1 million year-end bonus for the seasonā€™s best bull rider.

And, its appeal continues to grow with more than 600 bull riders from the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico holding PBR memberships.

Man vs animal. Here’s your chance to see who wins.

Get your tickets for Friday or Saturday

B-Real of Cypress Hill

B-Real, the legendary hip-hop artist and lead vocalist of Cypress Hill who founded the cannabis dispensary chain Dr. Greenthumb, will be in Fresno on Saturday.
In conjunction with the opening of his newest dispensary in the Tower District , B-Real is hosting a day-long celebration for those 21 and up. It’ll include VIP giveaways for the first 100 guests, food trucks, lowrider car displays, live music, and celebrity appearances.
The brand launched in 2018 and was named after one of the group’s songs. There are seven Dr. Greenthumb locations ā€” sixĀ  in California and one in Detroit. The rapper has been at the forefront of advocacy for cannabis for a long time. He took something that he enjoyed and made it into a business.

ā€œThis store has been a long time coming, and it is exciting to serve the Tower District Community,” said B-Real. “We want the community to feel connected to the legacy of cannabis and how we have played a role and how we can support them. When we open a store, it becomes all about the people and ensuring they can trust our name and products as we want our customer experience to set us apart from the other dispensaries.ā€

For more information

86thĀ Annual Big Hat Days

The 86th Annual Big Hat Days Festival comes to Old Town Clovis on Saturday and Sunday. This yearā€™s event features over 350 food, craft, and business vendor booths.

This is one of the biggest events every year in the town of Clovis. It kicks off rodeo season and it attracts thousands of visitors each year. Other activities include a carnival, a petting zoo, and a beer garden. Fun for the whole family and community. I’ve made it to Big Hat Days almost every year and it’s always been a blast.

For more information. here’s the linkĀ 

Jim Messina and Pablo Cruise

70s pop rock is still alive and well. The Tower Theatre will host Jim Messina and Pablo Cruise this Sunday. That’s decades of rock and history taking place under one roof.

Messina, a California native, does it all. He’s a songwriter, singer, guitarist, recording engineer, and record producer. He’s been a member of several bands in his heyday:Ā  folk-rock superstarsĀ  Buffalo Springfield, the pioneering country-rock band Poco, and half of the soft rock duo Loggins and Messina with Kenny Loggins. He’s been a solo act since 1976. He dabbles all kinds of genres including country rock, folk rock, Latin rock, soft rock, and jazz.

Messina proclaims: ā€œThe road most traveled in my innocence was with this band of poets, and is the same road that ā€œTwists and Turnsā€ as I journey along my musical road of life. For ā€˜I ride with ā€œSinnersā€ and I sing with ā€œSaintsā€ and I do what I can to avoid what I canā€™t, Iā€™ll pass on the judgment, now you make the call, Iā€™m a playinā€™ my hand. Oh.. the way the cards fall.ā€™ ā€

Pablo Cruise lives and plays by their motto, “In a world that’s going crazy, I say maybe we take a time out. And break away from all the madness, the sadness, and just breathe.” They been around since 1975, formed by original members David Jenkins (guitars, vocals) and Cory Lerios (keyboards, vocals).

Get your tickets here

Additional Events:

Loveless at Strummer’s, FridayĀ 

Loveless is an LA rock band consisting of Julian Comeau (vocalist/producer) and Dylan Tirapelli-Jamail (multi-instrumentalist) that plays pop-punk, alternative rock, and emo.

Get your tickets here

Jake Shimabukuro at Tower Theatre, Friday

If you know the ā€˜ukulele, you might know the name, the innovator who is Jake Shimabukuro. He has captivated audiences around the world with his unique and dynamic style.

Get your tickets here

Fast Times ā€” ’80s Concert Experience, Visalia Fox Theatre, Saturday

Straight off Hollywoodā€™s legendary Sunset Strip, Fast Times isnā€™t just a rock band, they are an all-encompassing, ’80s-themed excellent adventure.

Get your tickets here

 

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Steven Sanchez,
Content Manager/Entertainment Editor
Steven Sanchez, a resident of Clovis, graduated from Buchanan High School in the class of 2007 and obtained his film degree from University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Steven is a multifaceted artist, working as a filmmaker, writer, photographer, videographer, and published author. He has a profound passion for movies, comic books, and rock ā€˜nā€™ roll. A dedicated football enthusiast, he cheers for the Las Vegas Raiders. In his leisure time, he indulges in reading and collecting vinyl records. Steven is often found attending rock shows in town, a keen enthusiast of live music. He holds a special fondness for his grandma's homemade meals and spending time with his twin sister.

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