IN CONCERT
SonReal + Rich Kidd
When: Friday, 9 p.m.
Where: Felicita's Campus Pub
Tickets: $8 student, $10 regular at University of Victoria Students' Society and at the door.
Those who made it to Snoop Dogg's infamous concert this July will appreciate the difficult hand dealt to his opening act, SonReal.
The Dogg Father himself earned boos and jeers, as he blazed the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre stage 45 minutes late and without his promised opening entourage, Tha Dogg Pound. So being the guy called in last minute to warm the restless arena - without a full rehearsal or even his regular DJ? Not an easy task.
If you ask Aaron Hoffman (a.k.a. Son-Real), however, it's a worthy challenge.
"It's always fun opening for someone as big and iconic as Snoop because you have to win over the crowd. They're there to see Snoop, they don't really care about you, at the start," said Hoffman. "It's a lot different than when I do a show and headline a smaller venue, obviously. It's a lot different than when I first come out and everyone's cheering and all that."
You could say Hoffman has good reason to aspire to permanent headliner status - as embodied in the title of his new collaboration, The Closers, released Oct. 16. Hoffman and album-mate Rich Kidd, who has produced for Busta Rhymes, Nelly Furtado and more, kick off their headlining tour tonight at Felicita's Pub.
In recounting the Snoop story, however, Hoffman is nonchalant.
He was having dinner with his mom, visiting from hometown Vernon, when his manager called. Hoffman wasn't busy, so why not, he said. It would be an honour. He hopped on a float plane the next day and arrived at the venue at 7: 30 p.m.
There were a few things going against him. It was only his second stadium show - the first being a much smaller one opening for Chingy in Vernon. And time was so tight that his own DJ couldn't make it. He was going over material with DJ Speedy Shoes in the change room when they were interrupted.
"We were seriously halfway through rehearsing for the first time and they were like, 'You on in five,' " He said. "We just kinda went out and winged it, but it worked. ... All in all, people showed mad support and it worked out and I got some new fans in Vic off it."
As The Closers, Hoffman and Rich Kidd will hold the title wherever they go. It's one they've worked for. Both have put their time in as openers and recently landed deals with Black Box (Shad, Classified).
Hoffman has released five albums and mixtapes in as many years and is gaining attention as one of the relatively few hip-hop artists from the Vancouver area with potential for success.
Rich Kidd, who began producing for people like Drake before he exploded - and can count K-Os, Shad, Jay Electronica and others among his collaborators - is now gaining attention for his talent at the mic, too.
"We didn't want to call ourselves ... The Openers because I think we've moved farther than that in our careers," said Hoffman.
It's not strictly true. Like anyone in their right mind, he'll make exceptions for people like Snoop. And the photo gracing The Closer's cover was, ironically, taken during an opening gig for rap-rockers Down with Webster in Brantford, Ont. But it's more a state of mind - And if Hoffman's affable confidence is any indication, they'll be closers from now on.
"It's basically saying: After we go on, if somebody's going on after us, they're in trouble. That's how hard we go when we're doing what we're doing."
