dedicated to the archiving of unofficial lossless
audio recordings

					
cheech and chong
toronto ontario canada
massyey hall
sept 6 2008

first show 7:30pm


1.Shelby Chong talks
2.thc network
3.up in smoke intro 
4.tommy talks
5.lets make a dope deal
6.at a stop sign 
7.Mexican in space
8.old man in the park
9.tommy talk again
10 redneck
11.blindmellon chillen
12.alice bowie
13.Adult Movie Theater 
14.cats and dogs
15.ralph and herbie/born in east l.a
16.Mexican Americans/ Beaners/up in smoke/chatter

a braindamage1972 recording

a crapy recording (but better then no recording)
you cant still make out whats being said ..quiet at times and loud when cheering 

 the pictures werent taken by me give the credit to   cheeky_boy_71


review toronto sun

Just like that, Cheech and Chong are back in session. 

On Saturday night, the stoner comedians brought their long-awaited reunion tour, Cheech and Chong Light Up Canada, to Massey Hall for two packed performances. Enthusiastic fans reportedly snatched up tickets so quickly for the first show -- the tour marks the first time that the group has performed together in more than 25 years -- that a second one was added. 

After Richard "Cheech" Marin and Tommy Chong rose to fame in the '70s and '80s -- releasing a series of comedy albums and films based on the drug culture movement -- they went their separate ways, appearing individually in television shows such as Nash Bridges, Lost, and That '70s Show. The idea of a new movie was dashed five years ago, when Chong went to jail for nine months after being found guilty of distributing drug paraphernalia. 

So, as you can imagine, fans were pretty excited to have them back. 

In the theatre, the lights dimmed as a Cheech and Chong montage flashed onscreen. Fans cheered for references to classic lines like "Dave's not here", and the shrill whistles and thunderous hollers made it one of the loudest Massey Hall crowds in recent memory. Who knew stoners could be so rowdy? 

Before the beloved duo arrived, a pretty blond with a whispery voice grabbed the mic and started firing off one-liners. It was Shelby Chong -- Tommy Chong's wife for more than 25 years. 

"How did I do that?" She asked the crowd. "I dropped a lot of acid over the years." 

Some of her jokes fell flat -- such as tired lines about George W. Bush or awkward references to Barack Obama's private parts -- but the rabid crowd didn't seem disappointed. Their boys were back. 

When Cheech finally swaggered onstage -- wearing his familiar tuque, suspenders and undershirt -- audience members stood up and screamed. They simmered down as he reenacted a scene from Up in Smoke, the duo's first feature-length film. He entered an imaginary car, and once he spotted an attractive hitchhiker, fans began quivering again. 

Suddenly, a shaggy-haired man ran onstage wearing a pink bra -- it was Chong, and the crowd was on its feet again. The fiction paused for a moment as the two comedians looked out across the venue proudly, visibly affected by all the audience devotion. 

During sketches such as Let's Make a Dope Deal -- a game show spoof where the prizes involved the group's preferred illegal substance -- the audience interaction actually made things funnier, as fans called out their favourite lines. 

Near the end of the show, puffs of smoke floated into the air as wily patrons lit up and tried to act inconspicuous. Eventually, security caught most of the smokers, making them wait until after the show to get their fix. 

Though the counter-culture comedians satisfied their followers, their set was filled with a series of technical glitches. Granted, it was only the second night of the tour, but the frequent appearances of computer menus onscreen made you feel as if you were watching a lousy Powerpoint presentation. And sometimes, ill-timed music would start in the middle of a joke, threatening to ruin the punchline. 

"As you can tell," Chong said at one point, "we're just working this show out." 

At least he acknowledged it. Even though their shtick felt a bit rusty, the two aging comedians knew their audience well, and Toronto potheads left the show blissfully happy -- and ready for another session, of course. 

--- 

CHEECH AND CHONG LIGHT UP CANADA 

Massey Hall 

Saturday 

Sun Rating: 3 out of 5