The only way to describe Hippie Sabotage’s Hotel Congress performance last night? Rad. 

Club Congress is an amazing place for practically any event. It is spacious, well-lit and has a really relaxed atmosphere. The staff is wonderful and the building itself is just beautiful. 

Hippie Sabotage fit so well within Club Congress and Tucson. Not only was the chill-trap duo enlivening to listen to and watch, but they were also involved with the crowd.

Although doors opened at 8 p.m., the brother-band didn’t start playing until after the opening acts finished at 10. The wait would have been a lot longer if it hadn’t been for the opening DJs, as they set the mood for the rest of the night. Although the DJ set seemed somewhat repetitive after two hours, the mixers did pretty well. The highlight of the opener was a trap remix of Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl.” 

The bass was loud and the lights were mesmerizing. Heads bobbed rhythmically but no one was really dancing yet. Enter Hippie Sabotage and the atmosphere changed at the flip of a switch; everyone was instantly hyped up. 

The band immediately started touching people’s hands and talking to the crowd. They would take audience members’ phones and take pictures for them. I don’t consider myself to be a “fan girl,” but I made a move toward the stage and as soon as I was near the edge, I got a bottle of water sprayed on me by the bearded brother. Twice.

The openers were loud, but when The Hippies jammed, I could feel the bass rattle my chest. Hippie Sabotage’s groovy beats took over when the band got its hands on the soundboard. My ears are still ringing. 

The band’s ability to transition between intense bass drops to melodic synthesizers and a double-time feel to half-time grooves, was amazing. Hippie Sabotage knew exactly how to bring up the crowd and slow them down, all in the same song. 

The set list consisted of some of the band’s most popular songs that the crowd could sing and dance along to. Some people spun flags but most people let the music move them. There were several mosh pits, a lot of jumping and an unusual sense that the entire crowd was moving together and with Hippie Sabotage. 

The crowd stormed the stage when the band played its last song, shoving shoulder to shoulder to try to get as close as possible. I have never been to a show as personal and intimate as the one put on by The Hippies. 

The audience was able to meet the band one-on-one after the show—a rare opportunity in modern show business.

Hippie Sabotage was not only amazing as performers, but also as communicators and facilitators of an amazing night. If you ever have the chance to see them live, absolutely do. Hippie Sabotage was truly one of the best live concerts I have attended thus far. 

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