The longly anticipated... Voir Dire tour...
Earl Sweatshirt's Voir Dire, his latest album with The Alchemist, produced a genuine craft of his growth and style as an artist. He's developed lyrically and musically, and in collaboration with The Alchemist's oldies and scratched beats, this project produced a natural poetry.
I've listened to The Alchemist separately before, and his waves are mastered in repetition and scratching from sampled vinyls. His projects embrace hip hop rap, whereas Earl brings out a mellow and rusted font to contemporary rap. Both of their projects, separately, I've held close to my development with music and creative expression. So together, this project has been pivotal to further experiencing individual craft.
Starting the show, Black Noi$e mixed "8am in Charlotte" by Drake, which he mixed a lot of Drake throughout the set. The Alchemist followed solo, and started with some single projects, "Slipping into Darkness," to "It Is A Craze."
Earl came out with a ranged setlist. Hearing "Sentry" and "New Faces V2" were some favorites of mine. It's funny growing up with an artist, all of my favorites at 13 were with his Odd Future projects and songs from, I Don't Like Shit I Don't Go Outside and Doris. Following his work now, a lot has matured between his craft and relationships with writing; with that, the audiences listening -- whether an oldie or newer fan -- have (hopefully) grown a matured ear with his newer tracks too.
I was able to see him with my friend Qadir, and we stayed outside after the show. We got to talk with Liv.e and Black Noise outside across the venue. Liv.e is another talented artist we grew up listening to. She's evolved her craft throughout the years, with a focus in electric jazz and contemporary R&B.
The audio is a little off because we were shifting around the phone mic, but for the most part I could transcribe it anyway. We asked if we could interview her, and Qadir (Q) was able to capture it on a voice memo.
Q: You just recently released a project, how was your thoughts when you were like in the process of working on that?
L: I was on tour, been did that. Been remixed. Girl in the Half Pearl?
Q: Yes!
L: Yes. Girl in the Half Pearl, and I was just like, this is good. Thank you.
Q: Will you be performing some of those remixes at your show tomorrow?
L: Maybe.
M: Top 3 albums? Top 3 albums for this year?
L: Top 3.. of mine?
M: Mhm!
L : My top 3 albums, oh! Oh yeah I haven’t been listening to albums. I’ve been listening to a lot songs. Not a lot of albums, or bodies of work, but I do love this, Spinetta. Excuse me, this Spinetta. This Spinetta album. It’s really gorgeous. Uh, I don’t know what it’s called though.
Q: We’ll look and find it.. well thank you.
L: Sorry!
Q: You’re good, you’re good.
M: I mean, when you go on tour, do you like have a kind of warmup you do before you get on stage? Like do you have a type of stage anxiety warmup you do for yourself?
L: No.
M: No? You just kind of go on and wing it?
B (Black Noise): Break the wall!
L: Break the wall! That’s it that's it, break the wall.
M: Yeah, yeah.
L: Break the wall, it’s not — no pressure.
Q: Where are you from?
L: From Dallas.
Q: From Dallas, Texas.
L: Yeah.
M: Are you going back to Dallas soon?
L: Am I going back? Nah I haven’t been back.
B : Ah next year maybe.
L: Yeah next year.
Q: We saw that you were on the Camp Flog Gnaw lineup this year, how do you feel about that?
L: I feel gooood. Yeah like, I don’t know, I’ve done a fuck ton of shit this year, and I’m just feeling
like—
Q: Been a busy year for you.
L: — Pretty, I’m feeling pretty like, wow this is the thing, this is like— the thing. So now after the thing, I’ll be able to like, just kind of be. Cause this — y’know? To just like sit and chill. But it’s lit though.
Q: That’s sweet, that’s sweet.
M: Do you have any artists you’re excited to like, or like wanna meet or collab with?
L: (Shook head)
M: No? That’s okay too.
Q: That’s okay, yeah that’s sweet.
L: Yeah alright, but shit’s cool though to meet everybody, I respect everybody.
Q: That’s yeah, that’s beautiful (Qadir loves talented artists).
L: I feel like I just like meeting people, every time I meet them they be like —
Q: Yeah, just getting to know folks.
L: Yeah! First. I feel like making stuff is a little intimate.
M: Well we won't hold you long, thank you so much for letting us interview.
Q: Yes thank you so much.
M: Yeah appreciate it.
I always promise to not go over a minute for interviews, but this one went a bit over three, so I'm grateful to had time with her. Her presence was so bright and calm, very true to her style and music. We talked some more about Black Noise's trolling on stage, with the Drake cuts and beat cliffhangers. Short after, we saw Earl Sweatshirt across from the bar we were standing at.
We said our byes and headed over, his blunt just lit lol. He was too tired to do an interview, which we understood and stayed to talk with him anyway. Earl was sweet and took the time to talk to us, and thanked us for showing out. We took pictures and greeted him a last time before he headed to the bar. He was amazing to hear and meet in real time, and with the support of Golden Voice (Thank you Nyah!!!!), and shared with a friend, this was the best way to do an Earl Sweatshirt show.
VOIR DIRE SETLIST
(+ some unreleased)
