The lights dimmed and the air smelled of sweat and weed as Childish Gambino took the stage in the West Gym Sunday night.
The rapper extraordinaire got the party started as soon as he stepped on stage.
“It’s hype as fuck up in this shit!” Gambino exclaimed.
This was the second major concert that the Student Association Programming Board (SAPB) held this semester. It was the first concert held in the West Gym since 2008, but SAPB concert chair Adam Sebag said he was impressed.
“This show was a great cap to a fantastic semester of concert programming by SAPB for our students,” said Sebag, a senior majoring in biology. “I hope students were satisfied this semester with the variety of acts we brought.”
Brianna Friia, Student Association vice president for programming, said she was excited for Childish Gambino at Binghamton.
“I’m a big fan and I was blown away by his performance,” said Friia, a senior double-majoring in math and anthropology. “I think he’s one of the most energetic performers I’ve ever seen. I hope the students loved him. Fuck yeah!”
Gambino is unique in the world of rap, mixing his damn good lyrics with a live band including stringed instruments and no laptop.
“Childish Gambino put on a great live performance,” Sebag said. “What makes Gambino’s show so interesting is his full live band, which most artists similar to him don’t have.”
Logic hit the stage at 8:15 p.m., preparing the audience for a kick-ass show.
“Make some fucking noise!” Logic shouted. “Y’all are in for a motherfucking show!”
An hour later, Gambino took control, kicking off his set with “Outside” and later leading into a blazing performance of “Bonfire.”
“It is hot as fuck in this fucking gym, let’s make it hotter!” Gambino said.
For nearly an hour and a half, he kept the crowd of 2,100 pumped up with his energetic performance.
As part of his encore, Gambino busted some rhymes, “rockin’ freestyle at Binghamton.”
“We don’t do this shit a lot, but you guys deserve it,” Gambino said.
Before Gambino wrapped up the show with “Lights Turn On,” he praised the Binghamton audience, taking off his shirt to the delight of the crowd.
“Give it up for yourselves for being the fucking dopest audience,” Gambino said. “I love Binghamton, you guys know the fuckin’ words to my songs. That’s crazy.”
Mayesha Quasem, a senior double-majoring in biology and political science, said Childish Gambino was phenomenal.
“Despite being familiar with only one of his songs before the concert, the stage presence he had was powerful, and his passion for his work was infectious enough to have me singing along with everyone else by the end,” Quasem said.
Chelsea Desruisseaux, an undeclared freshman, said the concert was “absolutely amazing.”
“Everything from the strobe lights to the energy of the crowd went perfectly,” Desruisseaux said. “I almost pissed my pants when he jumped down and I got to touch him. Logic was awesome too, he got the crowd really hyped for Childish.”