The Scripps Voice

Photo courtesy of Glassnote Records

By Rosemary McClure ’13
Editor-in-Chief

The rapper, comedian, actor, and writer also known by his given name Donald Glover wrote for “30 Rock” and plays Troy Barnes on the NBC sitcom “Community.”

Glover has made the actor-to-rapper transition more successfully than anyone but Drake. Glover explores similar topics to Drake on his full-length studio album “Camp,” but with a different twist. Drake’s persona is that of an adolescent with more power than he knows what to do with, seeking fulfillment through the dark haze of codeine. Like Drake, Glover has been accused of being gay. But Glover portrays himself instead as a painfully self-aware nerd seeking validation from the implacable Powers That Be. His moniker itself was chosen by a tongue-in-cheek Wu-Tang name generator online.

This image has been difficult to digest for the public and completely rejected by some. Said Glover of “Community” co-star Chevy Chase’s accusations of homosexuality: “That’s the only way a guy like Chevy Chase has of processing a black guy who looks like me, talks like me, dresses like me. That’s how alien I am to him.” In the song “All the Shine,” Glover takes a jab at hipster music review website Pitchfork—“Pitchfork only likes rappers who crazy or hood”—which proceeded to award “Camp” an insulting 1.6 rating out of 10. Black actor and comedian Keegan-Michael Key described Glover as a comedian with “a white sensibility despite [his] brown skin, the whole Wayne Brady thing.” Others, such as performer Lucas Zachary Hazlett, attribute his popularity to his time spent in the improv group Upright Citizens Brigade: “Donald Glover is funny, and his funny is universal, but he got grown in the Upright Citizens Brigade, which is almost all white people—white comedians, white audiences—and so it’s, like, focus-grouped, pre-approved.”

Glover’s “black nerd” reputation is no doubt influenced by his “Community” character Troy Barnes, who had accumulated a substantial cult following by the time Glover released the mixtape “EP” in 2011. Barnes has a magnetic sense of humor and a heart of gold, and his character arc is that of a prom king, football quarterback steadily distancing himself from that personality while embracing a burgeoning geekiness. Glover embraced this persona, creating the Twitter hashtag “#donald4spiderman” in hopes that Sony would cast him to play Peter Parker in then-upcoming film “The Amazing Spider-Man.” But his race has been problematic for some people. Glover describes receiving a letter from a fan: “‘I really like you, Donald, I like all the stuff you did…but we know there’s no black kids like Peter Parker.’ And that bothered me so much. I was, like, you don’t think there’s any black kid who lives in Queens, who is poor, who likes science?…That’s me! I am Peter Parker!”

Glover’s comedic talent is palpable in his music. He produces much of it by himself and virtually every line is a double or triple entendre–“made the beat then murdered it/Casey Anthony.” He has earned a reputations as a great performer as well, famously shooting the music video for “Freaks and Geeks” in one take. Much of his music, including the very recent “Royalty,” is legally available for free online.

Those interested in seeing Childish Gambino live should make their way to Bridges Auditorium at Pomona College on Nov. 10. Tickets are available at the Bridges Auditorium box office to 5C students for $25 and to faculty, staff, and alumni for $35.*

*Correction 11/6: This article previously stated incorrectly that tickets are available to the public for $35.

By Janice Yau ‘14
Guest Writer

PHOTO BY TIFFANY YAU. Explosions In The Sky performs at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

The moment I get out of my parked car after the 90 minute drive, I am more than ready to attend the Explosions in the Sky concert at the famous but unusual venue, Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Going into the venue, we had made a wrong turn, essentially having to walk around the perimeters of the entire cemetery. After walking for about 25 minutes in the sweltering heat and circling Paramount Studios, my excitement has plummeted. I can hear the Papercuts set echoing and I try to follow the noise. Frustrated, I see a godsend: masses of people walking in one direction.

Next thing I know, the sun is setting and I am standing in line with people whose hands are full with blankets, picnic baskets and wine glasses. Upon walking into the cemetery, I feel an eerie chill of excitement, reminiscent of the feeling one gets when walking into a haunted house on Halloween. My excitement floods as I walk the path, surrounded by humble tombstones and towering mausoleums. I follow the path toward the concert stage with massive palm trees hovering over the Papercuts set. I can barely see anything except for big blobs of darkness walking toward me, so it is almost inevitable that I accidentally stumble over a body (someone lying down, of course).

About 1000 feet from the stage, hundreds of people are spread out on the cemetery grounds. They sit atop their blankets with their hoods over their heads, soaking in the music of the opening band, Papercuts. The crowd basks in the hazy, dreamy music floating from the set. The Papercuts’ short half hour set ends and I creep closer to the stage. Trying my hardest not to step on audience members’ bodies sprawled across the grounds, I finally make it up to the stage about fifty feet away. Only about 70 people are standing up there with me.

Explosions in the Sky finally come on stage. As soon as they walk on, the screaming starts and does not cease until guitarist Munaf Rayani greets the crowd.  The band starts their set with the song “Postcard from 1952” from their recently released album, “Take Care, Take Care, Take Care.” The new material preserve Explosions in the Sky’s trademark sound, with layered delay echoes, lengthy crescendos and beautiful melodies juxtaposed with textured tremolo guitar. The first note of their set echoes throughout the venue and is soon swallowed by the layered guitars. This is my first time hearing the song, and it does not take long for me to become enamored. As the seven minute song soars, the band members become visibly more excited with the prospect of playing their new material for their audience, living and dead. The three guitarists take turns playing lead melody, tremolo and unconventional sound effects, showcasing the breadth of their talents. Each musician plays in a trance-like state, but the drummer’s spattering of intricate rhythms are especially impressive live.

“Let Me Back In,” another of Explosions in the Sky’s new songs, is another impressive piece in their set. The song climaxes at an incredible crescendo and heartbreaking guitar melodies through out the song. Most notably, this song features an echoing backtrack of a person who is either singing or perhaps screaming softly. Its darker mood offers a glimpse of the new direction the band has only half-pursued. Another notable song the band plays is “Your Hand In Mine,” most likely one of Explosions in the Sky’s most well-known tracks. They do not disappoint.

When the show finally ends, it is a bittersweet moment. I have just experienced two of the most euphoric hours of my life, and they are over now. “But,” I think to myself as I walk through the cemetery, “I can now die happy.”

On Nov. 14, Pomona College’s Walker Lounge hosted the second installation of the KSPC Blowout Series. Following incredible opening performances from Wilderness, Let’s Go Guantanamo and Night Control, the audience was treated to a headline act from The Happy Hollows.

The Los Angeles based band consists of only three members—Chris Hernandez (drums/vocals), Charlie Mahoney (bass/vocals), and Sarah Negahdari (guitar/vocals)—but rocks out with a tremendous force that they either don’t realize or are too modest to admit (take your pick).

The Happy Hollows has already gained notoriety on the West coast over the course of its three-year existence for its dance-happy tunes and explosive onstage presence. Combining up tempo pop songs with layered distortion and wailing vocals are what give this band its unique sound that leaves you with an eternal buzz. The Happy Hollows’ youthful outlook and familial relationship with its fans works most definitely in its favor, and by the end of the show, you can’t help but fall in love with the band.

Although all the members possess immense talent, the secret of the band’s success lies in the quirky and charismatic personality of Negahdari, who is every female rock icon rolled into one. Stomping around in a triumphant, childlike manner, screeching into the microphone à la Karen O and rolling around on the floor are included on Negahdari’s list of crazy onstage antics. Plus, she can shred the guitar like no one you’ve seen before. What else could you want from a front woman?

The Happy Hollows celebrated the release of its first full-length album, Spells, in October. Its music can be previewed on www.myspace.com/thehappyhollows. The band is currently finishing a November residency at Spaceland in Los Angeles, where it will play for free on Nov. 23 and 30.

Gym Class Heroes pose with Homer and Marge Simpson in Bridges Auditorium

Photos by Vritti Goel

When asked about their decision to perform at Pomona College, Gym Class Heroes frontman Travis McCoy and drummer Matt McGiney answered with a straight face, “It was mostly due to their long-standing achievements in academics and philanthropy… Nah, we’re just kidding you.”

Every fall, Gym Class Heroes makes a tour of colleges and universities. But the group appeals to a wide array of listeners, rather beyond just college students. When asked about the types of people who listen to their work, the musicians said that “all manners of people pack into our concerts, from college students to housewives.”

McCoy strongly believes that the music of Gym Class Heroes brings people together. “Just look at who comes to our concerts,” he said. “Young kids, their parents, all races. I mean we lucked out in that department. As far as putting what we do in a category, it’s tough. If I had to choose though, I would say alternative hip-hop.”

While not attracting a sell-out crowd, the concert, held at Bridges Auditorium on Oct. 11, still drew about 100 students who managed to put down their books for an evening to enjoy a relatively rare big-name performance in Claremont. The opening act—The Curious Case of Miriam Feldblum (CCMF)—seemed an odd choice for the concert, contrasting with rather than complementing the expletives and rock-out quality of Gym Class Heroes with their tight-fitting pants and old rock covers. As soon as Gym Class Heroes took the stage, audience members surged to the front, standing on seats and armrests. The band played several of their hits, including “Peace Sign/Index Down,” “Cupid’s Chokehold” and “Cookie Jar.” McCoy, however, spoke more about his newfound singledom than spent time playing actual music.

After an encore song, the band left the stage for good, exiting to a chorus of half-hearted “Encore” shouts from the audience. The music of Gym Class Heroes may be a popular choice on the 5C’s, but their performance in concert—lacking any coherent theme and much actual music—in the end left something to be desired.