The fourth installation of Hipsters Who Heart Hip Hop hosted by Adam Weiss and Jayk Gallagher was like a traveling circus that opened its doors to the Los Angeles neighborhood of Silverlake and Echo Park at last. As the full moon beamed over the Silver Echo Gallery, the night got more intense while everyone was predominately loitering or clowning around the vicinity.

The event started at 8pm with no one at the scene of the crime when Jayk Gallagher and Adam Weiss were awkwardly freestyling back and forth. After more attendees came through and WEAVE! set up their instruments, K-the-I??? took the floor and swamped the crowd with his trip-hop beats and newer material like the man machine he is. As I took a photo of him, he jokingly said, “Hey, it’s you!” This is a testament to the intimacy and interactivity of the event. He was succeeded by the birthday girl, Sirah, who wore a crown to add to the pink balloons, party streamers, and piñatas for her celebration. Next up, VerBS and Intuition delivered a good show as usual and sparked the dance energy to another level while moving around and breaking apart the circle. Open Mike Eagle, Ceschi Ramos, and Moka Only were only an addition to the trouble to come, ending their tour at this last stop. To sprinkle the night with even more variety, WEAVE! had a jam session that would loosen any artificial locks. Even though there was a set list of musicians, it didn’t end there, since the open mic portion ironically closed the night. Looking around, the venue was full of love and hip hop stars from the scene, including Bigg Jus (Company Flow), Existereo (The Shape Shifters), Thavius Beck, Blackbird, Dumbfoundead and others.

Overall, Hipsters Who Heart Hip Hop is a must-see monthly event that brings onlookers into another realm, in which the indie DIY spirit dominates the recessive hip hop show genome without tampering with the music. It’s best to come through the doors withholding judgment and embracing the longevity and novelty of the L.A. music scene.

—Katrina Guevara