i just got back from the usc springfest on campus. it was a pretty sad turn out (it’ll be interesting to see the actual numbers – there weren’t more than, i dunno, 500 people when wyclef finally came on), primarily i’m guessing due to the horrible scheduling: the week before finals, the same weekend as the greek formals, etc. wyclef jean was headlining, supposedly coming on at 9pm. i wasn’t sure what to expect, but i figured it’d be worth the $10 (way more expensive than previous years (dt article buried down there)). wyclef doesn’t come on stage until 10:30pm. i guess they run late every year… this five-person british pop-punk band called ritalin fills in some time – they were … ok. they had one really catchy song called satellite that was good. a few post-punk blink-like songs. their more melodic and poppy stuff was better than their punky stuff. um, i think that the majority of the pop punk stuff on the mp3.com charts was definitely better though (not that i’m at all a punk expert or even a connoisseur, so you can take that how you want). ritalin just seemed a tad generic (except that song satellite which totally rocked).
anyway, after wyclef’s equipment got set up, the dj started spinning some songs, and some great turntablism action and then some of wyclef’s crew came out. eventually wyclef showed up, and well, it was a really great show. highlights include: wyclef on playing his guitar with his teeth, steven segal showing up and playing guitar (wtf, right? he was good too!), wyclef’s little sister singing, a student brought up to sing gone til november, and also a guitar jam with another student and steven segal, wyclef and his brother breaking out with some downrock (too bad i was too short and missed most of it), this 15yo rapper zane who busted out some soulful rhymes, and wyclef belting out a 10 minute freestyle. i was really impressed with the performance. it was really fun throughout, and they were really able to get the crowd into it. however, at 12am, apparently there was some curfew and all the sound got cut shortly after when wyclef climbed the lighting rig. after several minutes of chanting (alternating between “bullshit” and “wyclef,” the sound came back on for wyclef to apologize about climbing the rigging and then ending with a last song. of course, i’m wondering, well, why the hell didn’t the concert begin when it should have at 9pm? well, whatever, it rocked nonetheless and i got my money’s worth so i’m not complaining too much. i got a few decent photos as well.
