Girl Talk @ Scala
By: Jonah Rimer
Posted: Apr. 13, 2009 – London, United Kingdom
As a guitarist with a passion for live concerts, I'm always somewhat sceptical of shows that don't involve instruments. Not that I don't thoroughly enjoy or own many types of music. It's just hard for me to envision how, say, a rap concert without an accompanying band can differ greatly from an album. Sure, this may be somewhat ignorant. However, before seeing Gregg Gillis (a.k.a. Girl Talk), I was filled with a certain amount of this healthy scepticism. His last two albums have been great, but would his concert differ? Well it did, and incited a non-stop party unlike any I've ever seen.
As I arrvied at Scala, a venue with multiple levels and a capacity of a thousand, Australia's Fabulous Diamonds were finishing up their opening set. The duo's robotic drumming and obscure organ/synthesizer provided more background noise than anything engaging. The venue was relatively vacant, so a group of us huddled up to the stage in what we had been told would be the best spot once Girl Talk began. Soon after, California's Daedelus took the stage. Upbeat, loud, and heavy on the bass, his DJ set provided ample energy for the growing crowd. As people starting filing in, a couple of us decided it would be the last and best time to grab a drink.
By the time we returned from the bar, Scala was packed like a sardine can. Reclaiming our spots in front of the stage would be impossible. As Gillis' instruments – two laptops connected to monitors – were rolled out, the crowd began cheering. A few minutes later, a skinny man with a scraggly beard walked on stage, introduced himself, and started the party.
As soon as the music began, the stage was rushed and filled within seconds. Security guards quickly lined-up and blocked any further attempts to join the cramped space, which made me immediately regret my drink decision. Starting with the first track off his newest album, Feed the Animals, the mixture of UGK's "International Players Anthem", Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'", and Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman" made the crowd go nuts.
For almost two hours, Gillis carried on with fresh and new mash-ups never heard before. Unlike any other show I have seen, the set was composed primarily of new material with a few crowd favourites welcomed with open arms and sweaty dancing. It was like listening to a whole new Girl Talk album. Memorable highlights included Lil' Wayne's "A Milli" mixed with Weezer's "Say It Ain't So", and Notorious B.I.G.'s "Juicy" with Elton John's 'Tiny Dancer" found on Gillis' "Night Ripper".
Bobbing back and forth, standing on his computer table yelling into the mic, and relatively unbothered by the fans knocking into him and yelling in his ear, Gillis appeared to be having as much fun as all of us. Periodically removing articles of clothing, he was eventually shirtless. As he mashed layers on layers and songs on songs, reacting to his musical innovations was just as fun as moving to them.
Reflecting on the performance, it's clear that Gillis is as much a live genius as anyone holding a guitar or smashing drums. His concert was both a musical experience and one hell of a good time.
