Author: Arielle Laub
In the midst of his extensive “Social Experiement Tour,” Chance The Rapper took the time to headline Occidental’s 2013 Fall Concert Saturday. From Chance’s wild antics on stage to the mosh pits that formed in the crowd, this year’s highly anticipated musical performance was jam-packed with energy.
Chance’s appearance was met with wild enthusiasm and rambunctious shenanigans from the crowd. Under a tent in the center of the Academic Quad, surrounded by oak trees and beneath a full moon, the rapper tore through a setlist covering both of his underground EPs and some of his popular features.
The Chicago native took the stage rocking a baseball cap and tattered overalls and immediately got the crowd jumping with “Good Ass Intro.” The smoke rolling over the mob of dancing people and a barrage of flashing lights set a scene reminiscent of Chance’s acid-influenced artistic vision.
Hit songs such as “Pusha Man” and “Cocoa Butter Kisses” showcased Chance’s impressive singing, complex lyrics and steady flow.
Chance stopped his performance halfway through his show to personally address the crowd. He spoke about the visions of “Acid Rap” and the “Social Experiement Tour.” He also complimented the crowd for their enthusiasm and good vibes. After the break in the music, the larger “Social Experiment” band emerged. According to a Complex Magazine review of the show in NYC, this group was made up of former Kids These Days trumpet player Nico Segal, keyboardist Peter Cottontale and drummer Greg Landfair, Jr.
“Chance is juggling different dimensions of live performance: singing, rapping, interacting with the crowd, playing with their expectations, and generally being a dynamic stage presence,” the review states.
The multidimensional approach effectively energized Saturday’s crowd. Strong beats from the drummer and perfectly distorted trumpet hooks offered a respectable live twist to Chance’s bass-heavy, catchy compositions. Students from all years could be seen dancing and singing along to Chance’s chorus; the closer to the stage, the more rowdy and sweaty the crowd became.
“It was turnt up!” undeclared major Nate Whitmore (sophomore) said. “This past Saturday at Oxy was anything but mellow.”
Chance and his band did an incredible job of generating crowd response. The call-and-response and encouragement to the crowd to sing along gave everyone something to yell about. After the rapper left the stage, hundreds of students hollered out “Chance” in unison to summon him back to perform a grand finale.
Returning to the stage, Chance grabbed the mic and instructed the crowd, “I’m not even going to announce the name of this next song, I’m just going to count down and everybody start jumping.”
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