UTG PHOTOS: Hoodie Allen in New York, NY (03/22/16)

hoodie allen feature

Due to several recommendations from friends, I checked out a Hoodie Allen show and was not disappointed. Allen is the perfect example of someone who went full-force after their dream. After all, he quit Google in order to pursue his passion for music on a full-time basis. It takes a lot of work and dedication to make a dent in the music world as an independent artist, but impressively, Allen’s first two albums have both made considerable noise on the U.S. album charts.

On March 22 at Webster Hall, there were kids who’d been standing outside since noon that day for a night that had been sold out for months. Those same kids did not stop moving for the entire show. This final stop on the ‘Happy Camper Tour’ looked like one part concert, one part uproarious dance party. Closing out your almost entirely sold out tour in your home state is a truly special thing and the energy within the sendoff matched it tenfold.

There were nuanced things that made Allen’s set fun and unique, like blends of Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself” within “No Faith In Brooklyn” or Twenty One Pilots’ “Stressed Out” during “Two Lips/Casanova.” I felt that the style of the songs were really presented creativity. For “Cake Boy,” Allen took the show to the rear bar of Webster Hall where all the fans made a mad dash to get a glimpse. Yes, there was a cake thrown into the crowd. No, it’s not Steve Aoki, but almost the same effect. Say what you want about rap in this day and age, but there is still room for positive songs and fun to be had.

When the curtain closed after the last song, “No Interruption,” both Allen and the crowd had expended all the energy they had in the home sendoff show. I’m talking torn clothes, sweated-out white T-shirts, and spilled beverages everywhere. At nearly every show I go to, I feel that there is a huge splatter of phones in the air recording things, but for this particular show, that wasn’t the case. Hoodie Allen really had everyone’s attention in the moment. I’m happy to see yet another independent artist who’s able to witness their hard work paying off with a very devoted and growing fan base.


HOODIE ALLEN

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