While the set started slow, drawing from backtracks like “Hello Goodbye,” off his latest effort Lupe Fiasco’s “The Cool,” Lupe had trouble initially with the crowd, who experienced the high-energy set from Girl Talk, which Fiasco later labeled an “amazing toilet paper extravaganza.”
Eventually Fiasco transitioned the set to “the classics” – referring to his better known material. Commencing with breakthrough single “Kick, Push,” which thrived in the strobe-lit backdrop, he tore through a slew of songs before ending with recent hit “Superstar.” He went on to debut a new song for the occasion, “Shining Down,” a song for his forthcoming record, “Lasers.”
Though there were high expectations for Fiasco’s set it was clear that the real anticipation lay on the back of Gregg Gillis, the creative mind behind Girl Talk. True to form he succeeded at transforming the
Preceding Girl Talk was
“At first everyone was kind of staring like they didn’t know what to do with us, so we we’re a little nervous,” said lead singer Alex Gaskarth. “Then we turned it around and it got rowdy.”
The band held up a steady live performance spawning a few mosh pits and some mild crowd surfing, even with lead singer Alex Gaskarth’s frequent vocal flubs. Mistakes he later attributed to recent altercations to the band’s set list for their ongoing national tour with Fall Out Boy.
The event was kicked off by
“It was definitely a good time,” said Sen who goes by the stage name Kharakter. “But this is a stepping stone. We are going to be doing bigger and better things in the future.”
A future that might include a future record deal, as the group is currently competing in a national online voting contest, sponsored by Song Joust Records. The contest which runs until June 21 takes the 50 winners from their State Level competition and pits them together in a battle for plays on the label’s website.
“We’re behind right now, but if we get the support of the University then we can win,” says Sen. “There’s 30,000 people here if can just get everybody to click once, we can win.”
The show occasionally faltered, particularly with comedian Robbie Prince. The concert did its best to provide something for everyone, from hip-hop to rock to Girl Talk’s twisted take on Top 40. All in all the event ensured that expectations for next year’s show will certainly be raised.
Pete Rizzo can be reached for contact at prizzo@student.umass.edu.
