There’s a certain kind of summer night that only rolls around a few times a year—warm air, a breeze drifting through an open-air amphitheatre, and a lineup that keeps the good vibes flowing from the first act to the last. Saturday, July 11, was one of those nights. The Elovaters brought their brand of reggae-rock to the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, California, for one of the largest headlining shows they’ve ever done, and from the opening note to the final singalong, it lived up to the moment.
The show landed as part of the Pacific Amphitheatre’s Summer Concert Series, the stretch of shows that turns the OC Fairgrounds into an open-air stage every summer. With the fairground lights flickering on and the California air finally cooling down, it was hard to picture a better setting for a night of feel-good reggae. By the time the first act hit the stage, the place was already buzzing.
The night kicked off with Afroman, who set the tone with a set full of humor and easygoing charm. He cracked jokes and talked about some of the things he’s gone through recently between songs, keeping things loose and personal in a way that had the crowd on his side right from the jump. When he rolled into fan favorites like “Lemon Pound Cake” and his signature “Because I Got High,” the whole place sang every word right back to him. It was the kind of opener that warms a crowd up without ever trying too hard—a good time, plain and simple.
Next came The Hip Abduction, and they carried that energy straight into the evening. The Florida seven-piece has a sound all their own, blending reggae, world rhythms, and pop into something built for exactly this kind of setting. They ran through songs like “Some Say the Ocean,” “Pacific Coast Highway,” “Chasin’ Waves,” and “We’ll Be Alright,” and by the time they hit their stride, the crowd was up and dancing. You could really feel the energy building—horns, harmonies, and grooves rolling off the stage as the sun dropped behind the amphitheatre. It was the perfect bridge between Afroman’s laid-back opener and the headliners waiting in the wings.
