The night opened with a local band that we all know and love, Elsinore. Don’t let the fact that they were the openers fool you. These guys are no strangers to serenading the ears of Champaign-Urbana. After recently playing here during the Pygmalion Music Festival, Elsinore returned for more and didn’t disappoint. While old classics kept loyal fans swaying side to side and singing along, Ryan Groff’s energetic personality on stage constantly kept the audience engaged and moving on their feet. Closing their set with their hit “Yes Yes Yes” laid the perfect foundational mood for the following act, Kreayshawn.
Oakland’s native, along with V-Nasty and Young Hawaiislim drew together a large group of pumped up kids. As soon as the crew took stage, the crowd burst in ecstasy. Kreayshawn got the fans started off with some classics off of her Kittys X Choppas mixtape such as “Bumpin Bumpin” and “Hoes On My Dick”. Mixing it up a bit, V-Nasty took over the stage and performed a number of her own songs. After rocking the crowd with many songs that have been unreleased, she proved herself as a female emcee to look out for. The blended genre of dubstep/hiphop/pop/rap created such a unique and indescribable atmosphere. It’s what I would like to refer as a “total rager”. The set ended with Kreayshawn’s hit single “Gucci Gucci”, the song that everyone had been waiting for. As soon as the sample came on, the crowd instantly went HAM. Although Kreayshawn opened up for Neon Indian, it was obvious that there was a separate crowd that gathered tonight only to see her. Now that’s just straight swag. And apparently it’s pumping out her ovaries.
As the crowd faded proceeding Kreayshawn’s show, it seemed like for every one person that left, two replaced them and gathered together in anticipation for Neon Indian’s performance. Everyone was tired from being on their feet for a few hours, there’s no doubt about it. However, when Alan Palomo’s evident enthusiasm and energy took the stage, it was more than contagious enough to infect the crowd. Neon Indian got everyone to practice their falsetto vocals on classic leg-jiving tunes off of Physic Chasms such as “Deadbeat Summer”. Between the light work, fog machine, strobe lights, a plethora of synthesizers, Palomo’s unmatchable dance moves and a totally sexy red head, who switched between synth-controls and slapping the bass, there was more than enough fever to go around. A dancing fever. The blend of 80’s electronic synthesizers with a modern day sound produced the sound that is Neon Indian. The show was phenomenal. The atmosphere was invigorating and everyone was completely feeling the vibe. As the night came to a close, the audience was not ready to leave just yet. After a short tease and much chanting, Neon Indian didn’t hesitant much to reclaim their stage and perform “Polish Girl”, the hit single off of their recently dropped album Era Extraña.
