Go Snow Show ’17 Recap

Last updated on February 18th, 2022 at 10:02 pm

Go Media’s annual Snow Show went down Sunday night, and it was the first event of its kind to bring together both Go 95.3 & Go 96.3 in an effor to showcase artists from both platforms; and it couldn’t have been executed more perfectly. Although the crowd seemed a little light (the balcony section of Myth Live was completely closed off to anyone non-VIP) they definitely made up for it with their energy. As a long-time Run The Jewels fan who had yet to see them perform live, as well as someone who enjoys discovering new acts in a live setting, this was the perfect show for me, and a great way to kick off the always hectic holiday season!

I arrived at the venue around 7:00 pm, making my way through the security line and your typical will-call “what’s your name again? I don’t see it. Oh, wait, here it is.” sequence that is all too familiar. Oh, and for those of you who may be following along with my journey at Myth Live, I still didn’t get there early enough to snag a spot in the parking lot. Someday…. someday.

I get in just as Mikey Mike is finishing up his set, and notice right away that the crowd seems a little smaller than I had anticipated. However, showing up fashionable late myself, and with it being a Sunday, I don’t give it much mind. After scanning the room, and making an escape from a very persistent Metro PCS salesman, I find a spot near the front, a location I would end up spending the rest of the show in.

Flying solo to this event, I begrudgingly strike up a conversation with a man who likely should have been cut off 45 minutes and three-beers ago to pass some time, only to be saved by the opening notes of Arkells taking the stage.

Arkells is a high-energy rock band that clearly came from the Go 96.3 side of this event, and immediately took control over the stage, and subsequently, the crowd. Having no idea what to expect from these guys after watching them step on stage, I was pleasantly surprised by their performance, especially during a certain song where they brought a random member of the crowd up to play guitar with them on stage, which was one of the high points of the evening.

Following up an electric set such as the one from Arkells is no easy task, however, Shredders isn’t your ordinary group of gentlemen. A super-group of some of the biggest names in hip-hop, these guys grabbed the bar that was set for them and broke that shit in half.

The already-energetic crowd was thrown into an absolute frenzy when two songs in they launched into Flipping Cars, and P.O.S. shouted the lines: “Doin’ donuts in an Acura in slow motion, Cause life is cooler than you thought it was – Doors open, both hands up, eyes closed, Taking out a stop light, that’s my real life!”

Only their second full performance since their inception (PROF Outdoors 4 earlier this year was their first) they powered through their set like a well-oiled machine. Two things were for certain after they were done tearing up the stage; 1. These guys are a must-see anytime they are performing, and 2. Whoever is up next has their work cut out for them.

Luckily, there was about a 20-minute changeover after Shredders so I, and the rest of the crowd, could once again compose ourselves and prepare for the rest of the night. It was during this time that we were shown a video on the large video screens of Go 95.3’s DJ Bonics, who unfortunately could not attend the event, putting on a 10-minute performance for us to enjoy.

Next up was Bishop Briggs, who I knew just as much about as I did Arkells. Running out on stage in an Addidas track jacket, leggings, and a pair of very-white tennis shoes, I wasn’t sure if I was watching a musical performance or someone’s workout routine. However, as soon as she opened her mouth and the power of her vocals was heard, it was clear that we were in for a wild ride.

There was one thing running (no pun intended) through my mind for the majority of Bishop Briggs performance, and it was this; how in the hell is this woman running back and forth across the stage and continuing to sing her absolute heart out at the same time? Her lung capacity has got to be off the charts. It’s hard to explain unless you were in attendance, but this woman was seriously running laps back and forth across the stage while hitting notes that most pop-stars could only dream about.

It was quite an amazing thing to witness, and I’m sure the opportunity will present itself for you to witness it in person because she isn’t going anywhere but up.

Bishop Briggs wrapped up her performance, and then it was on to 30-minutes of anxiousness and excitement until Run The Jewels took the stage. It wasn’t all bad, however, as at one point during the changeover, the resident DJ who was there to pass the time played “Sweet Caroline” which the crowd, who had filled in quite a bit behind me, sang along with to much enjoyment. Then, just as the crowd finished singing along with the chorus to “Bodak Yellow” (ugh) the lights went out, and it was time for the jewel runners to take control.

I have been a fan of Run The Jewels ever since I heard the opening lines of their debut album Run The Jewels. Since moving to Minneapolis just over two years ago, the opportunity to see them has come and gone twice and was not going to be something I squandered a third time. If I had to sum up the show in five words or less, it would be, it was worth the wait.

In short, their set was incredible. From start to finish, the crowd was eagerly sitting in the palm of their hands, hanging off their every word. They started fast, stepping on stage and immediately launching into the lead single from their latest album, RTJ3, Talk To Me. Feeding off the energy from each other, as well as the audience, their intricate words flowed out of their mouths as smooth as they do on their records almost effortlessly.

Artists often refer to their bandmates and partners as their best friends or brothers, so it is easy to pass that off as boilerplate when they are addressing the crowd, however, you can tell that El-P and Killer Mike truly are best friends. Laughing, smiling, bouncing into each other, standing back to back while performing, even kissing each other on the cheek; you can tell that each performance is special for them, and it truly is just two guys having fun.

Performing for almost an hour, and throwing in hits from all three of their albums, they began to wrap things up with a rather intimate performance of their song Thursday in the Danger Room, a song that tells the story of two close friends of the band who both lost their lives in equally tragic ways, a surprise given the fact that El-P has said he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to perform it live given the sensitive topic of the song.

After that, sticking to the theme of the event, their final song was the closer from their debut album, A Christmas Fucking Miracle. Exiting with the same level of energy that they came in with, they blasted their way through the song, bouncing back and forth, finally coming to the front of the stage, taking a bow, and fading back into the darkness from which they came.

Just like that, the house lights came on, the sound of Imagine Dragons coming from the speakers filled the room, and everyone began to shuffle out the doors. Listening to friends bicker about whose performance was the best of the night was a fun way to pass the time while walking to my car; but personal favorites aside, we all know who were the kings of the night.