Nevada voted to legalize recreational marijuana two years ago this month.
And today, July 10, is known to pot enthusiasts as 710, a day honoring the growing legalization of cannabis oil and extracts.
So what better way to celebrate than to acknowledge marijuana-themed songs by Nevada music acts?
Jake Wagner, host of NV89, Nevada Public Radio’s music station in Reno, has no shortage of such songs -- like "Get High" by Boulder City-based band Same Sex Mary.
It's not exactly the kind of song you’d expect from an outfit whose guitarist, James Howard Adams, is a city councilman.
Same Sex Mary - “Get High”
“Same Sex Mary is an ambiguous name. Led by couple James Howard Adams and Tsvetelina Stefanova. Same Sex Mary formed in 2009. Confronted with putting their college degrees to good use, they said, ‘well, let’s just try to be rock stars instead.’ The band epitomizes the bar scene here in town and it’s the chemistry between James and Tsvet that directs most of the band's character. He’s a goofball. She’s the graceful counterpart. They got the concept while recovering from an all-nighter with friends. It’s less about actually getting high and more about appreciating those rare moments when you can free yourself from all responsibility”
“James isn’t just the guitarist and singer for the band but he is now the newly elected city councilman for Boulder City. He has deep roots out there. Even went to the elementary school where he cast his final ballot to vote just last month. His platform was a new voice for Boulder City that is yours and promises to keep up the small town vibe that everyone has come to love out there.”
Daylight Tone – “Wake and Bake”
“Daylight Tone also known as Antonio Richmond is a 27-year-old independent hip-hop MC from Chicago. He’s a budding artist to say the least. Just started his music career two years ago out in Hawaii. His sound is not your typical rap MC. It’s bright, positive and overall driven from this place that gives you this sense of hope even when the times are tough.”
“Impressively, he was invited to play at an official South by Southwest showcase this year. From his perspective, it was all thanks to good timing and the right experiences falling into place. But just to mention, it’s a pretty big deal for any local artist let alone someone that just started in the music scene like Daylight Tone.”
POWMINDSET – “Greenhouse”
“They’ve been making a name for themselves for a few years now. POWMINDSET aka play on words or POW for short is Las Vegas natives Nick Crucial and Nate Quest the duo of MCs that initially got their start in the First Friday scene with performances down there. And then with the collective of musicians and creatives known as Sixth and Fremont that’s where they started to collaborate with other artists like Zack Gray and Moose The Coolest. And they’ve most recently self-recorded and produced an album called “Eden,” which is out now.”
“[Greenhouse] is a pretty literal title but their big mindset – pun intended – is to break the stigma around the typical stoner culture. Most effectively the two utilize their music and marijuana to spread positive vibes wherever they go.”
Lizano – “Satisfied”
“The origins of Lizano trace back to the spring of 2013 that’s when the guitarist Jay Hatchett traveled to just north of Costa Rica out in Nicaragua there’s a hostile called Naked Tiger hostile. That is where he met one of his lifelong friends Sal Greco, who is now the other guitarist for the band. They started doing covers out there for some of their favorite reggae mainstays like Sublime and Pepper. That kind of morphed into the full lineup eventually forming out in Tahoe-Reno area a couple of years later.”
Dankjewel - My Love (is the Clouds)
“Davey Alastair, the band’s frontman and lead singer, made [the name Dankjewel] up. Dank, however, does reference particularly good marijuana or something that is just cool and popular like a dank meme.”
Davey Alastair was one of the most promising young rock musicians in Reno when he moved out to LA in 2013 to break into the scene of course. He gained solid studio and stage experience as a songwriter and even turned some heads of industry suits but it took exposure to toxic black mold, which was growing in the walls of his home at the time, which landed him in the hospital and set him on a new bold creative path. That’s when he came back to Reno and recuperated with some well-established musician friends eventually forming the bank Dankjewel."
Jake Wagner, host, NV89
