Contact CU Independent News Staff Writer Sydney Worth at sydney.worth@colorado.edu
Independently signed rapper Hoodie Allen paid Denver a visit at the Ogden Theater Feb. 17 to promote his latest album, Happy Camper. Rest assured, Allen made sure that evey concert-goer left a happy camper. This famous University of Pennsylvania graduate left his job at Google to pursue music full time, and after last night, it’s clear he made the right decision.
This is Hoodie Allen’s fourth album, and the unique thing about Happy Camper is the lack of a price tag. For this hip hop artist, the mission was to produce the best work possible and give it straight to the fans for free. The album got Allen his first number one spot on Billboard’s Top Rap Albums.
The first thing I saw when I arrived outside the Ogden was Hoodie Allen disguised in a long black wig suitable for some sort of wicked witch. Within minutes of Allen walking outside, a group of girls saw right through the disguise and immediately flocked to his side to get their share of pictures, and the disguised Allen was happy to oblige.
This was the first indication of Allen’s attention to his fans: a theme that persisted throughout the evening. The concert felt like a conversation between Allen and the crowd. It was an eccentric conversation that included crowd surfing on an inflatable boat. To top it off, two slabs of cake were thrown into the audience. The energy consumed the entire venue, and that was the most valuable part of the evening.
Denver was Allen’s eleventh stop on a 36-city tour; fans were spilling out of the sold-out venue. It’s also definitely worth noting opening performances from SuperDuperKyle and Blackbear ignited the night and set the audience up for Allen. They brought a certain fire and energy that amplified the excitement already charging the venue.
After the openers came a calm buzzing in the audience before Allen took the stage. The crowd burst to life when bright stage lights engulfed the venue, officially signaling the beginning of the set.
Allen invited everyone into his music. For audience members, the experience was personal. Everyone was completely locked into the lyrics. Despite having only previously dabbled in a small selection of Allen’s music, I got lost in the set just as much as the die-hard fans next to me.
Allen’s number one priority was the fans and no one was disappointed. His all-around excitement and charisma fueled the night. He put on a high-quality show that added to his already vibrant music. The fans became a part of the show.
It was clear that Allen lost himself in the music, as well. The shared experience made it a more magical performance, which amped up every part of his set. It’s a special thing to be a Hoodie Allen fan.
With 25 more shows on the Happy Camper tour, we’re all eager to see what else Allen’s got to show.
