George Watsky doesn’t make sense. Not because he’s a skinny white boy who raps. Not because he performs slam poetry to audiences who love hip hop. Not because he rhymes over sick beats about wedgie-ing Wednesday’s butt crack. It’s because more people don’t know how awesome he is.
Last Wednesday Watsky graced Madison with his presence and taught High Noon Saloon that unusual is better and lisps sssound sssexy. He describes his situation best in “All I Ever Wanted”: “My look’s wrong / I know I sound odd / But when I hit the mic the first time / I found God.”
The native San Franciscan and Emerson College alumnus may be a household name in the slam poetry world, but he was a far cry from snapping fingers and wearing a beret at this show. His comedic sting and impeccable rhyming speed left the audience in a frenzy, chanting on Watsky’s command, “The world is a booby in the palm of my hand.”
Watsky played crowd favorites like, “IDGAF,” “Ninjas in Paris” and YouTube hit “Pale Kid Raps Fast,” but Madison fans also got to hear some of their lesser-known picks just by yelling out song names – after all, there wasn’t a set list at this show.
Towards the end of the night, fellow tour mates Dumbfoundead and Breezy Lovejoy joined Watsky and his band on stage for an impromptu freestyle jam that was effortlessly album-ready.
When an encore was demanded after the show, Watsky came out sweaty, but smiling. “Do you realize how late it is?” he asked, and spit out another.
Walking into High Noon and seeing Watsky playing pool and joking around like any other fan in attendance should have been a sign that this wasn’t just any hip hop show. With his personable stage presence and high energy, Watsky was worth every dollar and minute waiting (or camping) in line.
–Kaitlyn Schnell
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Related Content: You’ll Never Forget “The First Time”: Watsky in Madison TONIGHT! (7.18.12)
Filed under: Hip Hop, Music News & Reviews Tagged: | High Noon Saloon, live concert review, Madison WI concerts, madison wi music, Watsky
