THE L8TE NITE SMOOTHIE @ MOONLIGHT 8/2/24

THE EXPERIENCE AT “L8TE NITE SMOOTHIE” PRESENTED BY JUICEBOX ENT WAS UNEXPECTED, BUT I CAN’T WAIT TO GO BACK. TO MAKE SURE I DIDNT MISS ANYTHING, I PULLED RIGHT AS THE EVENT WAS GETTING STARTED FOR THE NIGHT. I WAS GREETED WITH COMPLIMENTARY NEON SHUDDER SHADES, THAT REALLY COMPLIMENTED THE COLOR SCHEME & AESTHETIC OF THE CHARMING CHOSEN VENUE - ‘(@moonlightloungelv) ’.

THE FIRST DJ, “Toneo”, WAS ALREADY ON THE DECKS AND HAD PEOPLE WARMING UP TO THE EVENT AND DANCING. AS I PEEPED THE VARIOUS BOOTHS FROM COUNTLESS LOCAL BRANDS LIKE Junxion Søund , Distro.ent & Dolo. TONEO WAS NOTABLE FOR HIS CHOICE OF GROOVY, SMOOTH TUNES AS HE SEAMLESSLY TRANSITIONED EACH AND EVERY TRACK- IMPRESSIVE PRECISION THAT KEPT MY HEAD BOBBING NONSTOP.

RECAP OF THE L8TE NITE SMOOTHIE @ MOONLIGHT 8/2/24

CROWD PHOTOS

FOLLOWING BY ONE OF THE TOP PHOTOGRAPHERS IN VEGAS ‘‘vehgus’’ WHO IS KNOWN FOR HIS “YEARBOOK’’ THEMED SHOOTS AS HE CALLS IT ‘‘LOST UNIVERSITY’’ WHERE EVERYONE DRESSES UP FOR A THEIR ANNUNALLY YEARBOOK PHOTO WITH DIFFERENT PROPS TO MAKE IT POP.

SIRIL BEIL

KEDRICK PASLEY

ROZAY RACHE

AS THE VENUE STARTED TO FILL TO THE GILLS, THE SECOND DJ, “AngelTFC”, TOOK THE STAGE WITH THOSE KEY SELECTIONS THAT YOU NEVER THOUGHT YOU NEEDED - LIKE FRANK OCEAN’s SOMBER VOICE ON A DANCE TRACK - BUT MADE FOR SOME OF THE MOST PROFESSIONAL CROWD-PLEASING MOMENTS YOU’D EXPECT TO HEAR AT A MAJOR FESTIVAL.

THE THIRD DJ, “THE GEM.IN.EYE ”, WAS MOST ERRATIC IN THE SWITCHES IN GENRE AND ARTIST, BUT THAT’s EXACTLY WHAT GOT EVERYBODY REALLY MOVING. HOW CAN YOU STAND STILL WHILE GETTING HIT WITH ONE ‘NOT LIKE US’ FLIP TO ANOTHER - AND DON’T FORGET THAT TIMELESS VOCAL STEM OF SOULJA BOY’s ‘‘Crank That’’ (SOULJA BOY)”.

FINALLY 10PM ROLLED AROUND & THE FIRST ACT OF THE NIGHT TOOK THE STAGE: “SAARA”. THIS R&B ARTIST REALLY GAVE IT HER ALL AND PUSHED FOR SOME IMPRESSIVE VOCAL CHOPS & CROWD CONNECTION, EVEN AFTER HAVING GROOVED BESIDE TONEO FOR HIS ENTIRE SET. THE ATMOSPHERIC INSTRUMENTALS FOR HER LATEST RELEASE - “Daisy” - HAD A WAY OF DRAWING EVERYONE IN FOR HER HYPNOTIC PERFORMANCE. THE VERSES CENTERED AROUND THE YEARNING FOR PEACE & CLARITY WHEN SEARCHING FOR ‘THE ONE’, WHILE DECLARING SELF WORTH & PERSISTENCE. THE VOCAL PERFORMANCES SWITCHED BETWEEN SWEET VOCAL REFRAINS & CONSCIOUS BARS - PLENTY TO VIBE OUT TO AND GET SWAYING WITH THE ROOM. MY FAVORITE TRACK “clockwork” IS FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH UNBOTHERED APATHY TOWARD THE CLUB SCENE, ITS IRONY GOING OVER THE HEADS OF MANY IN ATTENDANCE - WHILE THE BEAT REMAINED DANCEABLE & THE ENERGY HIGH THROUGHOUT.

SAARA

“Tatum The Dreamer ” STEPPED OUT DRESSED TO IMPRESS WITH NAILS MATCHING THE FIT, GIVING US VINTAGE VIBES UPON FIRST LOOKS. BUT ONCE THE DJ SPUN HIS FIRST TRACK HOWEVER, I WAS IMMERSED IN A PLETHORA OF DIFFERENT SOUNDS - FROM DREAMY DnB INSTRUMENTALS TO AMBIENT SWELLS UNDER PASSIONATE & INCREDIBLY STRONG VOCAL CONTROL. WITH EASILY THE MOST SKILLED VOICE TO STEP ON THE STAGE THIS NIGHT, TATUM HAD THE ROOM CHEERING OVER & OVER AGAIN EACH TIME HE NAILED YET ANOTHER TECHNICALLY IMPRESSIVE VOCAL RUN. MY PERSONAL FAVORITE TRACK OF THE PERFORMANCE EMBODIED WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO RUNAWAY WITH A SECRET LOVER, ‘When The World Was In Danger’ IS OFF OF TATUM’s LATEST RELEASE, “COMETS”. LET’s JUST SAY THE OUTRO HAS BEEN ON REPEAT SINCE THEN.

TATUM THE DREAMER

I NEARLY COULDN’T BELIEVE MY EYES AS “i.am.yd” WENT FROM BOBBING IN THE AUDIENCE & CHEERING ON THE PREVIOUS PERFORMERS TO FULL OUT CHOREOGRAPHY AS SHE TRANSITIONED FROM UNSUSPECTING ONLOOKER TO CENTER STAGE. MY JAW DROPPED AS SHE FINISHED A LIVELY DANCE AND PICKED UP A BASS GUITAR, PLUCKING ALONG TO A GROOVY OUTRO. SHE GAVE THE MOST THEATRICAL, COMMITTED PERFORMANCE ON THE STAGE THIS NIGHT, UNFLINCHING IN HER CAREFULLY CRAFTED PERSONA, FILLED WITH A UNIQUE MENAGERIE OF MANNERISMS YOU’LL ONLY FIND WHEN SEEING @i.am.yd LIVE - PEEP THE CLIP OF HER PERFORMING HER LATEST SINGLE ‘‘HEARTBURN” ON HER INSTA.

I. AM. YD

THE FINAL PERFORMANCE OF THE NIGHT CAME AS A SPECIAL SURPRISE, AS A LEGEND AMONG THE VEGAS MUSIC SCENE - DIZZY WRIGHT- CAME ONSTAGE AND PLAYED BOP AFTER BOP FROM HIS LATEST PROJECT, “EMOTIONAL DISCIPLINE”. WHILE IT WAS GETTING LATE & THE CROWD MIGHT’VE BEEN DYING ON HIM, I WAS MY MOST LIT YET, AS INSTRUMENTALS MARINATED IN MY FAVORITE CARIBBEAN AND LATIN RHYTHMS - ACCENTED BY AFRICAN DRUMS & SHAKERS - FILLED THE AIR AS DIZZY RAPPED & EVEN HARMONIZED TO THE CATCHY HOOKS & CHORUSES YOU FIND ALL THROUGHOUT HIS CATALOG. DIZZY’s LATEST LYRICS SURROUND STAYING ABOVE THOSE WHO TRY TO SHOOT YOU DOWN & KEEPING HIS TRIBE TOGETHER THROUGH ALL ODDS.

DIZZY WRIGHT

THE L8TE NITE SMOOTHIE IS TRULY A BLEND OF MUSICAL TALENT, FROM THE DJ’S IMPECCABLE CURATION TO THE RANGE IN GENRE AS SOME OF THE MOST TALENTED PERFORMERS I’VE SEEN LIVE TOOK THE STAGE. COME OUT NEXT TIME TO SUPPORT THE MUSICIANS & LOCAL VENDORS- (@onetaketovar)

THE ATW TEAM;

SHOW REVIEW WRITTEN BY: David Tovar (@onetaketovar)

CROWD PHOTOS BY; Kelise (@bykelise)

CONCERT PHOTOS BY: Alex Lopez (axvisualmedia)

RECAP VIDEO DONE BY: Alex Lopez (@axvisualmedia)

LOST UNIVERSITY PHOTOS BY: Peanut (@vehgus)

Event planner: JUICEBOX ENT (@juiceboxent)

ARTISTS:

SAARA (@saaranishat) • Instagram photos and videos

DIZZY WRIGHT 🪩 (@dizzyhippy) • Instagram photos and videos

yd (NOT spelled yid) (@i.am.yd) • Instagram photos and videos

Tatum TheDreamer (@tatumthedreamer) • Instagram photos and videos