Spring Break
Last Week Live: The Roots
Issue date: 4/30/09
Last Saturday, the Roots came to Hopkins for the annual Spring Fair. The concert, held on the practice field adjacent to the Athletic Center, had generated a huge amount of buzz around campus, since the band's original and eclectic style appeals not only to fans of hip-hop but to music lovers in general.
The show was undoubtedly fantastic and managed to live up to the hype surrounding the event. Before the band actually stepped onto the stage, though, the weather ensured that everyone at the concert was subject to a pretty arduous experience.
Before the weather became an impediment, however, the audience witnessed an impressive set from a young band made up entirely of students. Somewhere, Anywhere Else, winner of this year's Battle of the Bands competition, opened for the Roots. The band typically performs music that falls within the alternative, power-pop genre, a far reach from the Roots' style.
As a result, much of the crowd wasn't exactly prepared for the poppy electronica that the opening band had to offer. Even so, the musicians performed very well and put on a good show. Funnily enough, the most popular song that they played was a cover of rapper T.I.'s "Whatever You Like," appeasing a crowd that came to the concert expecting a hip-hop show.
After the band finished their set, though, disaster struck. The skies flashed and within moments, torrential rain began. Initially, members of the audience thought they could outlast the rain. Soon, though, it became obvious that they couldn't brave the thunderstorm. Security and event staff ushered everyone off the field, and for half an hour the audience had to wait for the rain to abate. It seemed, for the moment, as if the concert had been ruined.
After 30 minutes, though, the storm leveled off and stopped. The crowd rushed back onto the field, and within 10 minutes, the band was playing. Daman Bryson, also known as "Tuba Gooding Jr.," entered the stage first, bearing his Sousaphone (a type of tuba). The crowd went wild, and the show had begun.
The show was undoubtedly fantastic and managed to live up to the hype surrounding the event. Before the band actually stepped onto the stage, though, the weather ensured that everyone at the concert was subject to a pretty arduous experience.
Before the weather became an impediment, however, the audience witnessed an impressive set from a young band made up entirely of students. Somewhere, Anywhere Else, winner of this year's Battle of the Bands competition, opened for the Roots. The band typically performs music that falls within the alternative, power-pop genre, a far reach from the Roots' style.
As a result, much of the crowd wasn't exactly prepared for the poppy electronica that the opening band had to offer. Even so, the musicians performed very well and put on a good show. Funnily enough, the most popular song that they played was a cover of rapper T.I.'s "Whatever You Like," appeasing a crowd that came to the concert expecting a hip-hop show.
After the band finished their set, though, disaster struck. The skies flashed and within moments, torrential rain began. Initially, members of the audience thought they could outlast the rain. Soon, though, it became obvious that they couldn't brave the thunderstorm. Security and event staff ushered everyone off the field, and for half an hour the audience had to wait for the rain to abate. It seemed, for the moment, as if the concert had been ruined.
After 30 minutes, though, the storm leveled off and stopped. The crowd rushed back onto the field, and within 10 minutes, the band was playing. Daman Bryson, also known as "Tuba Gooding Jr.," entered the stage first, bearing his Sousaphone (a type of tuba). The crowd went wild, and the show had begun.
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