Concert Review: Seshn Events Launches with a Powerful Celebration of Music, Cannabis Culture, and Community at Big Night Live

The Freedom Grow Benefit Concert brought together G. Love, Chali 2na, Dutch ReBelle, and The Seshn Band for a powerful Boston launch that raised funds and awareness for cannabis justice.

On April 23, 2026, Big Night Live in Boston hosted the Freedom Grow Benefit Concert, presented by Seshn Events. The event featured co-headliners G. Love and Chali 2na, both backed by The Seshn Band, with an opening performance by Dutch ReBelle. More than just a concert, the night marked the official launch of Seshn Events while raising funds and awareness for Freedom Grow, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals still incarcerated for nonviolent cannabis offenses. It was a powerful night of live music, community, and cannabis justice, with proceeds directly benefiting Freedom Grow’s mission to provide immediate support to those still serving time for minor cannabis-related charges.

“This event was proof that people are behind this culture. They support cannabis, they love live music, and when you bring those two worlds together the right way, the response is powerful. The turnout and energy said it all. That’s exactly why we can’t get comfortable in Massachusetts right now. With people in the state legislature still trying to chip away at access, we need to keep showing up, speaking out, and protecting the progress this industry and community fought hard for.”

— Jake Boynton, also known as Bake Joynton, founder of Seshn Events and bassist of The Seshn Band

Hundreds of people turned out to support the cause, and the event created space not only for great performances, but also for people to connect and build community. With a major cannabis convention in town, the crowd was a strong mix of music fans and cannabis industry professionals. Some of those same industry professionals also took the stage, which made the event’s mission feel even more real.

Opening the night was Boston rapper Dutch ReBelle. Raised in Mattapan and Milton, she started rapping at age 9. In 2012, she performed at the Female Hip-Hop Honors in Los Angeles, and in 2014 she was named Boston Music Awards Hip-Hop Artist of the Year. By day, she represents the Retailers Association of Massachusetts as a cannabis industry specialist. The crowd was locked in from the start and gave her a warm, enthusiastic response.

Next up was Charles Stewart, better known as Chali 2na. The Chicago-born rapper and painter brought a phenomenal presence to the Big Night Live stage. Known for his unmistakable bass-baritone voice and sharp delivery, Chali 2na had the room fully engaged from start to finish. Backed by The Seshn Band, including Van Gordon Martin on guitar and vocals, he moved through a strong mix of fan favorites and deeper cuts, pulling from releases including Jurassic 5 (1998), Quality Control (2000), Power in Numbers (2002), and Fish Outta Water (2009).

Then came G. Love, whose set brought another major high point to the night. The Grammy-nominated vocalist and multi-instrumentalist delivered exactly what fans came for: a dynamic, high-energy performance that blended hip-hop, blues, funk, and soul with his signature style. Backed by The Seshn Band, G. Love and the group also performed his hit “Rodeo Clowns,” originally released by G. Love and Special Sauce and famously featuring Jack Johnson, giving the crowd one of the night’s most memorable moments. The audience responded the whole way through, clapping, cheering, and feeding off the energy of every song. Just as importantly, G. Love was also there representing his cannabis brand, Backyard Burner, which is available in licensed dispensaries across Massachusetts. That presence added real weight to the night’s message, with one of the event’s headliners showing up not just as an artist, but as an active part of the legal cannabis space the event was built to celebrate and protect. To close out the night, G. Love brought Chali 2na back to the stage for an encore freestyle, with the two trading bars in a high-energy finale that sent the crowd home on a major high note and put the perfect exclamation point on the night.

Throughout the night, The Seshn Band held everything together at a high level, backing both Chali 2na and G. Love with style and precision. Led by Jake Boynton on bass, the group for this performance featured Van Gordon Martin (guitar/vocals), Jonathan Gramling (vocals), Tariq Nicholson (keys), Boey Bertold (drums), Mark Coronado (trumpet), Nate Fuller (saxophone and flute), Jim Boynton (saxophone), DJ Stenny, and special guest Andrew Moon Bain (flute). Together, they delivered a standout performance and helped make the night feel truly special.

Several members of the band are also active in the cannabis industry through their own businesses. Boey Bertold owns Paper Crane Cannabis, the first outdoor organic social-equity cannabis farm in Massachusetts. Jim Boynton owns Budrisk Insurance, which specializes in cannabis insurance for the industry. Andrew Moon Bain owns Ahh Moments, a company focused on artisanal cannabis-infused edibles.

On every level, the Freedom Grow Benefit Concert was a success. The music was incredible, the energy in the room was undeniable, and the cause behind it all gave the night real purpose. More than just the launch of Seshn Events, it was a statement that this culture is alive, this community is showing up, and there is still important work ahead.