It’s been 12 years since Cypress Hill gathered rock and roll and hip-hop acts from across the country to celebrate music and marijuana, but they’ve done it again. Pozo Saloon will host the opening show for the twelfth annual Smoke Out Festival Friday.
Slightly Stoopid, Mickey Avalon and Living Colour will join Cypress Hill for an evening of pop, reggae, hip-hop and rock and roll for the all-in-one show — also known as the All Day Opening Mind Festival.
Cypress Hill created Smoke Out as an album release celebration for its fourth album, titled “IV” in 1998. Since then, acts like KRS-One, Snoop Dogg, 311, System of a Down and the reunion of Sublime have joined Cypress Hill for Smoke Out.
Cypress Hill just finished its summer “Legalize It” tour with Slightly Stoopid. On the tour the two bands formed a friendship and began talks of Slightly Stoopid joining the bill for this year’s Smoke Out Festival, said Chris Scott from Silverback Artist Management.
“The point is to bring the cool music and the good vibes to the Central Coast,” Scott said.
Although Cypress Hill is the headliner for Smoke Out’s main event in San Bernardino, Calif., Slightly Stoopid is headlining the show at Pozo.
Slightly Stoopid is familiar with the area and Cypress Hill is headlining the main show on Saturday, so Slightly Stoopid will headline Friday at Pozo Saloon, owner Rhonda Beanway said.
This will mark Slightly Stoopid’s first performance in the area since 2007, when the band played two shows; one at SLO Brewing Co. (former Downtown Brewing Co.) and the other at Pozo Saloon — which will host Cypress Hill’s first appearance at their venue during Smoke Out.
Although Slightly Stoopid is a well-known band, Cal Poly engineering alumnus Wes Cooke said the other bands are big names to get excited about as well.
“Sounds like a good lineup, but I’d actually be more psyched to see Mickey or Cypress Hill. I like Slightly Stoopid’s recorded music, but I’m not a big fan of them live,” Cooke said. “The last time I saw (Slightly Stoopid), I found them a bit too boring and predictable. They were probably stoned.”
This year Smoke Out is about more than just music. Cypress Hill — as well as many of the acts they’ve asked to join them — are advocates for the safe and legal use of marijuana. As Californians get closer to voting on Proposition 19 in the upcoming November elections, the festival may help relay the bands’ positive messages for responsible use.
With the help of managing team Guerilla Union, Cypress Hill even managed to designate a legal smoking section at the San Bernardino show for medical users who provide proper documentation.
Pozo Saloon does not have a smoking section and people going to the concert Friday will be checked by security for alcohol, weapons, drugs and paraphernalia, Beanway said.
“We’re fairly laid back,” Beanway said. “Our security isn’t the Gestapo or anything. They’re not going to stop anyone from having a good time. Our main goal is to just keep everyone safe.”