It’s always a party when Uncle Larry rolls into town. The son of musicians, exposed early in life to the vibrantly unique and rapidly expanding soundscape around him, the ardently West Coast lyricist and father of his own particularly mellow take on Bay Area hip-hop has been developing that skillset and texture since youth. Elevating both his own style and subsequently – through years of consistent releases and much-deserved growth – that of the modern West Coast cloth and all of hip-hop at large, he’s seamlessly able to fold his own raps into a laid-back, groove and funk strewn vibe by taking the classic synths and 808 styling from the old school West Coast, and folding his own flare for the crooned chorus and timeless knack for the lunchline punchline into it all. And that transcendent ability to float from the rapped to the sung without ever taking himself too seriously translates seamlessly to the live stage. The soulful register with which he infuses the hooks on his EP’s and albums gets everyone swaying along in concert. No matter the stylistic adherences of the fanbase in attendance – no matter the particular June track they want to hear most – the only thing that shines brighter than his wide-ranging skillset is his charisma, and everyone at any show can find something to love about that, no matter what he’s doing on stage. 

 

And usually on stage, he’s simply speaking truths. He’s got a natural connection with listeners, speaking to them through poeticism infused with meaning and relatability, instead of just laying down bars. As if he’s directly chatting with his boys, effortlessly breathing one-liners to whatever lady he’s got on his side, or just simply speaking to his everyday fans, themselves, his persona and willingness to truly connect is always on stage with him. A poetic master of orchestrating a story and painting a landscape through his words, he also has the kind of sound that instantly calls reminiscence to a lineage of West Coast pioneers from Eazy-E to Snoop Dogg, who first laid a California rap foundation built on depth, connection, and the art of unforgettable punchline. It’s the kind of music that really immerses you, sitting a listener shotgun in Larry’s ‘64, cruisin’ from Frisco to Sausalito, all the while just bullshitting. And although at a hip-pop scale, some may consider Larry June still deeply tied to his underground sound, within the actual game, he’s got more clout and cult than just about any other artist today. So, if he’s not yet on your radar, 1: you’re fucking up; 2: he better be now; and 3: he’s probably still on tour, selling out intimate venues and immersing his fanbase to the tune of timeless West Coast rap, so get your ass to a show. 

 

When he breezed through Denver on a cold and windy December night, he brought his energy, he brought his groove, and most of all, he brought his West Coast heat with which his albums and performances alike emanate. At Summit Music Hall, an intimate, brick-clad venue in Downtown Denver, flowing through his Pollstar Tour to promote the release of his new project, Orange Print from earlier in the year, that warmth connected everyone in the crowd. Amidst all the chaos that’s come with more than a year-and-a-half of pandemic oriented unpredictability, everyone still showed out. Fans packed in early to try and snag the closest spot to the stage. Even hours before Larry June performed, everyone began sparking up their joints and tossing back drinks. The show felt like a massive kickback, and Larry June, our loving host, fashionably late to his own party.

 

During the intermission before he even came stageside, as friend, collaborator, and touring partner Monroe Flow set the table with sharp lyricism and a good-vibes kind of energy, a palpable anticipation pulsed through the crowd. Then through the curtains came out the ever-fly living legend, himself. Immediate explosion rocked Summit and everyone in it, including June, and the whole room got the sense that this was about to be one electric night. He began, as is customary for any rapper sporting the color of their new project, with a selection of songs from Orange Print, beautifully mixing in some of his older classics and fan favorites throughout the night. And yet, no matter what project he was pulling his hits from, the crowd was singing along to every word as if they wrote the songs themselves. Speaking to the style of music that is, in and of itself, strictly Larry June’s, his is an immaculate sound, capable of connecting to the audience, and spurring within everyone at the show bouts of sing-songy togetherness. Rare for a rap show, to say the least. As if all of us were having a conversation or immersed in our own memories of cruisin’ through Frisco, it was a trance of good vibes and addicting energies. 

 

Larry’s notoriety for fun-loving adlibs brought a further shower of sparks to the flame that was. Good Job Larry’s, Sock it to me’s, and Go Larry, Go Larry’s brought a sense of humor, punchline, and a strange understanding of seenness to any fellow Juner willing to beckon the call, while Larry himself blessed the crowd with further affirmations. Good Job Denver as it quickly evolved for his city-specific take, made everyone in the Mile High City feel the love. It was a connection that was established and immediately reciprocated. The audience returned the love all night long, showering June - doing his thing stageside - with the kind of call-and-response interaction and mutual appreciation that only an established and refined performer can summon. 

 

For a moment, June let out a wholesome laugh, sat back, and embraced the love that filled the intimate venue through the sheen of a shared memory imprinting itself in the minds of everyone in the room simultaneously. He knew that the crowd was his family – the kind of family that really only exists in the smaller touring circuits of dedicated fandom – and that set the precedent for the rest of the night. A calm and laid-back demeanor delineates Larry June’s persona, but he brought the energy to every corner of Summit Music Hall. Everyone was getting down in their own way, and no one stopped moving from beginning to concert end. Larry curated the perfect funky night, seamlessly interweaving his performance with impeccable live renditions of the music that everyone aboard had already fallen in love with, leaving his imprint amongst his Denver fans until he returns again.

 

Good Job Larry.