Worth the price

Concerts are incredibly expensive to produce and involve intense risk. Will people show up? Ask anyone involved with live events in the area and you’ll hear them mention “last-minute Lewiston,” a reference to how ticket sales are always slow until just before the event.

The Clearwater River Casino & Lodge, just east of Lewiston, has done more to consistently bring big names to the region than any other entity during my time here. Whereas concerts featuring nationally touring artists used to be sporadic affairs that came around a few times a year, the casino has kept a steady stream of artists coming through the area.

I’m not there for every one of them, but I’ve seen my share of shows at the casino’s event center: Gin Blossoms (a “why not?” nostalgia trip with friends), Cheech and Chong (a “why are these cultural legends in my backyard?” date night), a David Bowie tribute (because I’ll never get to see Bowie) and Cheap Trick (workhorse legends of rock ’n’ roll).

Every trip to the casino for a show was enjoyable. Even the “cheap seats” offer a great view. The shows are affordable and, at the risk of showing my age, I’m home at a reasonable hour. No extra costs associated with travel are required, unless I choose to get dinner and beverages and make an evening of the concert.

The casino has attracted a few hip-hop shows in recent years. I’ve not attended them, but it’s heartening to see something new on the concert lineup. On Friday, the casino plays host to 2 Chainz, by far the biggest hip-hop artist to come through the area since Snoop Dogg rolled through WSU for Springfest in 2014 and Macklemore played a sold out show at the University of Idaho’s Kibbie Dome in 2013 on the heels of “Thrift Shop’s” surprise cultural explosion. And, lest anyone want to quibble, Post Malone did come to UI in 2017, but I’m considering him a pop artist whose style includes hip-hop.

Were he to return, how much would you pay to see Snoop Dogg at the Clearwater River Casino? It’s a short drive for most folks within the Inland 360 readership area. The venue also would be a plus — it’s a smaller room, which allows for greater intimacy with the artist.

2 Chainz isn’t Snoop, but he doesn’t need to be. Even if you can’t name one of his songs, you’ve heard tracks on which he’s featured. A Grammy winner with Chance the Rapper for his verse on the track “No Problem,” 2 Chainz is featured on A$AP Rocky’s “F–kin’ Problems” and “Mercy” with Ye, Big Sean and Pusha T, three of the biggest tracks of the 2010s.

His flow is as diverse as his list of collaborators, which includes Drake, Post Malone, Run the Jewels, Lil Wayne, Travis Scott, Quavo, Offset and Ty Dolla Sign. He sounds as natural over a woozy trap beat next to Gucci Mane as he does on pop-oriented tracks like Jason Derulo’s hit “Talk Dirty.”

But $90 for a ticket? That’s the price for a single entry to the show, and I’ve heard folks balking. It’s understandable. The strain of inflation aside, I can’t recall the last concert that hit that price point in the area. It ain’t cheap.

It’s also pretty standard for artists of 2 Chainz’s caliber. It’s cheaper than a trip to Spokane for a concert, even if you were to drive home that night (gas prices, anyone?). You won’t likely catch 2 Chainz in a venue this small, either. In fact, most, if not all, of his remaining shows for the year are big outdoor festivals. This north central Idaho show might seem like an oddball one for 2 Chainz, but it’s a rare opportunity — one that’s worth the price tag. 

Thompson, VHS.D, holds a doctorate of cult media in pop culture from University of Maine at Castle Rock. He delivers lectures on movies and other pop culture topics under the moniker Professor VHS. Find him on Instagram as @professorvhs and reach him via email at lcvrecordswap@gmail.com.