South Tahoe High grad opens up SnowGlobe with Vokab Kompany

South Tahoe High graduate Robbie Gallo (aka Rob Hurt), the founder, MC and front man for the popular hip hop band, Vokab Kompany, hits the main stage Monday to open up the three day outdoor concert in South Lake Tahoe.

Sunday night, he and the group were in Reno and will be spending New Year's Eve at Park West in Chicago, but for today, South Lake Tahoe gets their own back on stage at both SnowGlobe and the after concert at Blu Nightclub at MontBleu.

Last year, Robbie was in town for the holidays prior to the 2013 SnowGlobe and spoke with South Tahoe Now about Vokab Kompany and coming home. The 1998 STHS graduate was enjoying a few days at home then, spending time with his mother and little brothers. "Having your family support your passion is what keeps me going," Gallo said.

The name, Vokab Kompany came from Vokab(ulary) - Gallo said they like to think their lyrics have a little more substance. "Kompany" - "we play with a big band and it also comes the good 'kompany' we keep", he said.

The group has a unique sound that has been used on commercials, including the Southern Comfort one seen in this article. Sam Dorman, from NBC, described their music as "a sound who's genre goes something like hip-hop, soul, electro, funk. You have two Emcee's who charge sped-up lyrical flows; made to sound effortless... seamless synergy with their voices and their lyrics are playfully vivacious and positive... layered with creative electro beats."

"Vokab Kompany is another act that refuses to be pigeonholed. Two MCs might lead you to believe that it's hip hop, but that doesn't begin to tell the story. The sevenpiece band from San Diego played for more than an hour, a set that was at times funky, jazzy, heavy, bouncy, even bluegrassy...And it all made sense. Through it all, the crowd was treated to microphonic gymnastics of the dueling MCs, Rob Hurt and Burkey. The group is legit; see them." - Lindol French, Sacramento Press.

The band is comprised of 7 guys from across the country. The band that performed last year included Gallo, 33, from South Lake Tahoe; Matt Burke, 37. from Boston, MA; Geoff Nigl, 31, from San Diego; Viking, 36 "no one really knows where in the Milky Way he's from;" Jesse Molloy, 32 and from Eugene, OR. They are now joined by guitarist Richard Galiguis and drummer Tyler Olsen.

The Vokab Kompany after show at MontBleu is for those with SnowGlobe wristbands only and costs $25.