Hobo Johnson & The Love Makers Live Review

This was my first time going to a Hobo Johnson show, and chances are it was many people’s first time seeing these guys live. They have absolutely exploded over the past year due to their viral NPR Tiny Desk Concert contest video (it has racked up nearly 11,500,000 views in less than a year). Chances are you’ve seen the video on your Facebook feed over the past eight months; if not, you can check it out below.

As I approached the House of Blues in Cleveland, I knew one thing was for sure: the crowd was going to bring some spectacular energy. The line to get in wrapped well around the block, down an alley of restaurants and nearly to the street. Easily 800+ were waiting for the doors to open. It was only 5:50 pm; the first act didn’t start for over an hour, but their fans were ready. I was excited and curious about what these guys had to offer beyond a viral video. I had listened to their album The Rise of Hobo Johnson a handful of times. It’s spoken-word poetry combined with hip hop, fueled by the unknown and stressors that come with being in your late teens/early 20s. There’s nothing really out there like these guys, but that’s their recorded stuff. How will they hold up during their first-ever headlining tour? After all, two years ago they were playing to crowds the size of coffee houses; now they have 1,500 people dying to see them.

The doors opened, and the crowd poured in, but there was still over three hours before Hobo Johnson & The Love Makers took the stage. Jeffrey Lewis was the first opening act to come out. He reminds of a solo version of The Moldy Peaches mixed with Jake Bugg, if they binge-used acid and had enough life experience to know what depression feels like. He’s just one dude with a guitar who had a few slideshows prepared to help illustrate his music. The crowd absolutely loved him, and so did I. An eagerness filling the air grew as we got closer and closer to Hobo Johnson live.

Bowl Cuts, Aliens, Scooters and JNCO Jeans

As a man with the fanciest bowl cut you’ve ever seen took the stage, I wondered wtf I’d gotten myself into. Oliver Tree is a rapper who is a big fan of the worst styles to come from the ’90s; JNCO Jeans to Razor Scooters, he’s got it all. His Instagram page helped bring him into the spotlight, photos of him in a bathtub filled with nothing but Cheetohs and throwback pics of him rocking the same clothes and haircut he did when he was 9.

Oliver Tree put on a much better show than I had anticipated. He was all over the stage, the crowd was hyped, and he busted out some serious dance moves. I get his whole persona, but I feel like it is holding him back from being a better artist. It’s a schtick that takes away from his surprisingly good lyrics, beats and show. It’s fun and gets some laughs, but he is better than this. I respect it, and I’m glad he’s finding success now. I just hope that it continues as he grows as a musician. Either way, it was a great set and a blast to shoot.

Hobo Johnson & The Love Makers Take The Stage

Oliver Tree left the crowd sweaty, pumped up and ready for their headliner. Would Hobo Johnson bring the same level of energy that just left the stage? Or was everyone about to watch some slam poetry with the occasional guitar riff? The lights dimmed, the curtain crawled up, and the walls shook from the explosion of cheers. My questions were soon answered and my concerns soon dismissed.

As Frank Lopes Jr stormed the stage, I knew I was going to witness something special. It’s always awesome watching an artist realize that his work means something to someone. That the hundreds of hours of time that have been dedicated to creating music have not gone unnoticed or unloved. His face was beaming with glee as the crowd sang every word with him.

These Sacramento natives did everything but disappoint. It wasn’t a poetry session; it wasn’t a rap show; it was something all its own: a heavy metal show drenched in melancholy rap lyrics with scheduled breaks to let the crowd gather their breath. Water bottles were thrown, roses were handed out, shoes were lost, and sweat was everywhere. I’ve never quite been to a show like this before, and I can’t wait to go see them again.