Chance the Rapper

Bass Camp Tent, Pemberton BC, July 19

Photo: JPG Photography

BY Alex HudsonPublished Jul 21, 2014

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Its only been a year and a half since Chance the Rapper released his breakthrough mixtape, Acid Rap, but the Chicago MC already milks the crowd like a seasoned pro. Although he appeared in a jam packed time slot (featuring Metric at the Mt. Currie Stage and the New Pornographers at the Blackcomb Stage), he attracted a large audience to the Bass Camp Tent, directing onlookers in a emphatic string of call-and-response chants.

Donning a red baseball cap and joined by three backing players (on drums, trumpet, and synths and samplers, respectively), Chance's demeanour was bright and positive as he declared, "This is a good-ass show" after just a few songs.

The arrangements ranged from syncopated jazz to grooving soul, with Chance resembling a hyper-caffeinated cartoon character as he displayed some nifty footwork during instrumental passages. He instructed fans to "lose your fucking minds" before turning the bittersweet "Cocoa Butter Kisses" into a banging anthem.

The MC lost part of his audience during to a couple of long pauses between songs, but this was his only gaffe, since he delivered party-starting rap cuts with life-affirming positivity. Before the honey-sweet "Interlude (That's Love)," he declared, "We're going to make 'I love you' the new cool shit to say."

In a final display of charm, he led the crowd in chants of "You're welcome, Chance," before offering a heartfelt thank you. If he's already this magnetic when touring behind a mixtape, just imagine how good he'll be once he releases a proper album.

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