Kick off the summer with cannabis and music

Music sparks emotions, boosts energy, and cultivates inspiration. There is something about being in a group of thousands of people who are all singing together and enjoying community. How do you level up a concert or music festival? Cannabis. 

The first live concert I attended was Alanis Morsette at Hershey Park Stadium in 1996.After working a shift at Colombo Frozen Yogurt (inside the park),  I hung up my apron in my locker. Then I heard the music, which piqued my interest and led me to see my all-time favorite musician. 

I didn’t have tickets, but after the concert was half over, they opened the doors and I could catch the last few songs, including Ironic and You Live, You Learn. 

This event opened my eyes to a whole new world of music. It was at that concert that I first heard of cannabis (I’m guessing) when I saw people passing a joint and asked my friend what it was. I didn’t know! I grew up in a pretty religious community, so this scene was the first to tiptoe into rebellion.

Concerts and Cannabis: A historic tradition spanning 100 yrs!

In the 1960s, cannabis gained prominence in the music scene with the rise of the counterculture movement as a sign of rebellion. From Bob Marley to Snoop Dogg, musicians openly advocate for its use and incorporate cannabis into their music. Cannabis has had an impact on Marley’s creative process, as a source of meditation and inspiration.

According to Vocal Media, the relaxing and introspective effects of marijuana helped Marley find his unique sound and infuse his music with the spirit of rebellion, love, and social justice. Songs like “Kaya,” “Easy Skanking,” and “Legalize It” bear witness to Marley’s profound connection with marijuana and its role in his music.

When asked why he liked cannabis so much, Snoop Dogg said he’s seen it cultivate peace, love, and joy countless times. He took his cannabis commitment to the next level in 2024 when he opened up a dispensary. 

A new line of limited-edition products honors rapper Tupac Shakur, aka 2Pac, an iconic artist and friend to Snoop Dogg before he was killed in a shooting in 1997. It was 2Pac who gave Snoop his first blunt.  

Combining cannabis and concerts started even earlier than that! In the 1920s and 30s, early jazz musicians, including Louis Armstrong (one of my favorite musicians), spent nine days in jail after being busted for possession of the substance. He shared his love for cannabis and described it as ‘a thousand times better than whiskey.’

The combination of cannabis and music has helped millions of concert or festival-goers relax and enjoy a shared experience that ties people together. As the laws change across the country, we will hopefully see more 420-friendly concerts (you can check out this link for dates and venue locations) that create a specific area for fans to enjoy cannabis at the venue. 

But until then, those who want to enjoy cannabis at a concert or festival will have to decide if they want to bring in cannabis, and how to do that. Before jumping into some of these fun stories, a word of caution. At Indacloud, we applaud responsible cannabis use. Please don’t make assumptions about what is or isn’t legal or allowed in your state, town, or venue. 

In many states, it is legal to carry cannabis with a medical card. If you are a card-carrying cannabis consumer (say that five times fast), you shouldn’t have an issue bringing your supplies into a concert or festival, but make sure you know the rules. 

Why bring cannabis to a concert? Because cannabis is known to enhance a concert or festival experience. Concertgoers who choose to include cannabis will experience heightened senses, making the music richer and more immersive. In addition, enjoying a bit of cannabis can boost dopamine levels, making music feel more pleasurable and impactful, deepening the emotional connection. 

We asked, you shared your concert and cannabis memories

Many of you shared your stories and experiences with us! To maintain anonymity, names have been omitted to protect the cannabis consumer’s privacy.  One of our customers shared memories from a music festival was attended, Outside Lands in San Francisco, a few years ago. He remembers sitting on a grassy hill during a sunset, passing around a joint with some new friends. 

He says cannabis created an instant bond between them; everyone was more open, laughing, and vibing with the music on a deeper level. A different customer says he works behind the scenes at concerts (backstage), and said he enjoys cannabis at concerts. The best concert he ever went to was The Flaming Lips! 

Another Indacloud customer shared that cannabis helped her feel the music and the vibes of everyone at the concert, and it was awesome! She enjoys all styles of music outside of events, and although she can’t go to a concert this year, she’s planning to bring cannabis in the future. 

One of Indacloud’s customers is looking forward to Juneteenth in Pittsburgh and says, “Yes, I’ll have my gummies and vapes that I purchased from Indacloud!”  Someone else shared that they just enjoying the thrill of being in a field with all of those people there,  everybody can enjoy music. 

“A lot of the time, in addition to music helping with stress and anxiety, cannabis also helps. Even though it doesn’t directly address what issue might be going on, it is a great way to help unwind or get those creative juices flowing,” he said. We received so many of your memories, and we thank you for sharing them with us! 

Our team says… they love cannabis and concerts too! 

At Indacloud, you might think that we are a bit obsessed with cannabis, and we are! A few members of the team answered a quick survey to share their cannabis and concert experiences. 

Sam, Indacloud’s Operations Manager, shares that her favorite concert memory was seeing Young The Giant. During that concert, the band played the cover song “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac. 

“It was around sunset, the sky was a beautiful color, and cloudy but dry. Then, as the first chorus began, he sang ‘Thunder only happens when it’s raining,’ I felt the first drop of rain hit my face. It was magical! I got goosebumps and even welled up a little bit from the serendipity of it all. When the lights went down next, I took a nice, long vape rip to keep the vibe going,” Sam said. 

Sam is hyped for her next concert experience, to see My Chemical Romance (MCR) and Alice Cooper! They’re both known for theatrics, so it should be a memorable show for sure, she said.

A tip from Sam: Stoned concerts are great, just don’t be a dick to others in the crowd to do it! Don’t be the guy smoking a fat blunt next to a kid trying to enjoy their first concert. Richie, the Customer Service Manager, says his favorite cannabis and concert memory is by far smoking a blunt with one of the concert performers and her entourage in the dressing room! 

He said the best experience he’s had at a music festival was being on stage in front of 15,000 people, filming them, having the time of their lives! When enjoying cannabis, Richie listens to relaxing music, nothing too crazy or hard! 

James, who works in the warehouse, said he attended a small hippy festival. “Everyone was so kind and friendly and having a good time. There was a smoke circle around a bonfire that was just down from the main stage. Everybody appeared to have their smoke, and if you didn’t, someone would change that. Just pure good vibes,” he said. James says he usually brings some herbal magic to the festivals he plans to attend this year. His favorite music memory was attending Ozzfest. 

“It rained through the first few sets, and people were just starting to dry off when The Dark Prince himself came out with a fire hose and completely resoaked the first 30 rows. Everybody went crazy!”

When asked what his favorite concert experience has been, Anthony, also from the Wisconsin warehouse, said his first concert was U2 while he was working in Chicago. “It was an awesome experience,” he said. 

Anthony has enjoyed a variety of cannabis products at festivals since then, in addition to jamming to music while enjoying cannabis at home! While his plans for the summer are still open, he said concerts and cannabis just go well together!  It seems simple that if so many states are legalizing cannabis, you would think that it would be something that venues start providing, just like alcoholic drinks. 

It’s important to note that cannabis laws vary greatly by location, and it’s crucial to be aware of and abide by local regulations regarding cannabis use and possession at concerts and festivals. Like tobacco smoke, secondhand marijuana smoke contains harmful chemicals and fine particles that pose health risks, particularly for individuals with respiratory conditions.

It’s essential to consume cannabis responsibly, starting with low doses, staying hydrated, and being mindful of one’s limits and surroundings. We hope you enjoy you’ll bring Indacloud to your next musical experience! Have a safe and cannabis-cool summer!