by Jon Turner
Hip-hop pioneers Public Enemy played the penultimate show of Stern Grove’s 89th season on Saturday, August 15. Nearly four decades after “Bring the Noise,” Chuck D and Flavor Flav reminded a full-capacity crowd of their foundational role in fusing revolutionary politics with hip-hop, tearing through a 26-song set that closed, as it had to, with “Fight the Power.” Flav was everywhere: out in the audience multiple times to dap and hug fans as his signature clock ticked on, and even behind the kit for “Timebomb.”
Bay Area native LaRussell opened with an uplifting set backed by a full choir and a crew of young dancers, wearing “I’m From the Bay” on his shirt and in his setlist alike.
