Did this year’s Bacchanal live up to its celebrity-act hype and $106,425 budget? Most seemed to enjoy the concert, but perhaps it was not worth the money.
Bacchanal’s “Abacchalypse”-themed show, spotlighting Columbia University Society of Hip-Hop, Das Racist, and Snoop Dogg, presented an interesting departure on April 30 from the usual Columbia Saturday afternoon, when most are trapped in Butler or their dorm rooms frantically doing work. The weekend featured multiple arts events, including Holi, KCST’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” and the Varsity Show, but most students were seemingly only excited about being “fucked up, dude” at Bacchanal.
Normally, the show takes place on the steps, but due to a scheduling mix-up with graduation on the part of University Events Management, the show had to take place on the West Lawn. The new locale gave the show a very collegiate feel and the gates around it acted as a built-in barrier for Public Safety. The front part of the lawn opened at 1 p.m. and was off limits by 2:45 p.m.—those who weren’t already stamped, weren’t getting in. This seemed a bit absurd considering the opening act didn’t begin until 3 p.m. and Snoop Dogg came onstage much later than that. The rest of the lawn filled up quickly, and students formed rows of seats all the way back to the last steps of Low.
The weather was beautiful, but this made it hot and sweaty for the people smushed all together in the front. That said, the part of the lawn closest to the stage was a drunken revelry of a mosh pit and expectably, throughout the audience, several jays were lit and innumerable “water” bottles were passed around.
In the course of the opening acts, the front section lost quite a few people who ostensibly left to pregame and came back all the more drunk. But the Columbia University Society of Hop-Hop held their own. CUSH was accompanied by live band Lucky Chops, which gave the act a dramatic, marching-band feel—graffitied tuba included. The band performed its two Battle 4 Bacchanal songs—“Move” and “Twilight”—among others.
During CUSH’s performance, Bacchanal staffers threw out t-shirts and cups to appease the crowd. The emcee had everyone sing “Happy Birthday” to President Lee Bollinger—who, the crowd was told, loves Snoop Dogg but couldn’t make it to the concert. Girls in zebra pants and orange shirts danced along to the music onstage, and a song about graduating was played for seniors. CUSH certainly pumped up the crowd for the rest of the performance.
There was a slight pause as the audience waited for Das Racist after CUSH had finished. Random hip-hop music was played to appease the masses. Das Racist came out and informed all that this was “the most collegiate scene ever.” It was hard to tell if they were mocking or not.
Das Racist opened with “Who’s That Brooown,” one of their more famous songs. Quite a few people could be heard saying, “Who are they again?”
Most students seemed to enjoy the performance, assuaging fears that the band was too indie. But towards the end of Das Racist’s set, people started chanting, “We want Snoop.”
At one point, the band asked for a “word” from attendees representing all the New York colleges, naming St. John’s and Stony Brook, among others. Only Columbia students responded.
Apparently they didn’t know that everyone in the crowd needed a CUID. Das Racist ended with no encore and no “Combination Pizza Hut/Taco Bell.” Perhaps they were trying to prove their legitimacy as a band beyond that song.
The crowd eagerly awaited Snoop Dogg. Many people tried to sit down, while Bacchanal staffers and security guards told people they needed to move back or the concert wouldn’t happen. Some in the crowd screamed “assholes.” After awhile, audience members started to murmur about whether Snoop was even going to show after they had paid him.
Finally, at 5:43 p.m., Snoop made his grand entrance, nearly an hour late. The crowds cheered as soon as they glimpsed him near the Lerner-side opening. Snoop arrived onstage to a g-funk variation of “O Fortuna” from Carmina Burana—an overly dramatic gesture. He wore a Columbia basketball jersey and giant pimp rings with writing that may or may not have been attached to his actual mic.
Snoop pumped out hit after hit and the crowd seemed happy enough. Pre-concert, many worried whether or not they would like the playlist, but Snoop delivered. He played hits “P.I.M.P,” “I Wanna Fuck You,” and “Gin and Juice.” He also played some newer songs off “Doggumentary,” which was released this April, and a few older hits like “2 Amerikas Most Wanted.”
Snoop supposedly turned down three other colleges and the Royal Wedding for this, but one wonders if it merely for him to get a kick out of telling Ivy Leaguers to “Smoke weed, get drunk, and fuck.”
At times it was hard to tell if he was merely making fun of the University—in one song he repeatedly told “the ugly girls” to stop singing. He had audience members “do the surfboard,” clap, scream, and wave their hands throughout the entire act. Once again, one wonders if this was just for him to feel a sense of superiority, telling Ivy League students what they need to do. Clearly, Snoop has star appeal, because everyone in the front section listened. Snoop made repeated shout-outs to the people “in the back, next to the White House, or whatever that is.”
Snoop’s act ended on a seemingly random note—there was no grand finale. The concert just ended and everyone petered out. Many people could be heard making dinner plans. All in all though, it was a decent Columbia-community-like way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
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