GENERATOR

Girl Talk Concert Satisfied Demand for a Dance Party
By Emily Bales
In a generation that demands too much
information at the fastest pace possible,
it is only to be expected that an artist like
Girl Talk would be received with as much
enthusiasm as he has. On September 30
SPC hosted the fall concert, Girl Talk. His
real name is Greg Gillis, originally attended
college to be a biomedical engineer. After
giving this life a shot, Gillis soon found
his passion for electronic remixed music
overpowered that of his education. He
chose the name Girl Talk out of the desire
to oppose similar artists in his field and to
be associated with pop culture. Today, he
has recorded a total of four studio albums,
numerous EPs, and continues to create new
mixes at almost every show.
For those of you that love the Hatter’s
dance floor, I suggest seeing Greg the
next chance you get. One of the best parts
of a Girl Talk show is the atmosphere he
creates for his fans. His passion for the
mixes he was creating was evident in his
constant dancing; he held nothing back
while performing. Sweat dripping from his
face and body feeling each and every beat,
he seemed to be in the middle of an insane
house party. Gillis fit right in with the fans
that joined him on stage to dance.
Appealing yet again to the college
crowd, toilet paper was the go-to solution
for all of those in the crowd getting a little
too into the show. What appeared to be leaf
blowers were very much appreciated, as
the breeze became necessary for survival
towards the end of the experience. Gillis’
performance was not just about the music
that showcases his insane skill, but also
the great time everyone has at his shows.
Armed with only his laptop, Girl Talk is
known for captivating scores of young
adults, most often
crowds of college
students. The youthful
audience seems to
respond well to his
music, thanks to the
selectiveness of the
songs he combines.
Taking music from
our childhood as well
as tunes we love from
the radio today, he
gets the opportunity to
show off his ingenuity at every show. He
admirably creates a flow made of separate
pieces of songs that end up creating one
over-the-top dance party. Although it is
obvious that Girl Talk possesses a talent for
creating music, it is not the only appeal of
his performances.
It seems the main separation between
Girl Talk and other mix artists are the
transitions and pairings he creates. His
method of taking steady, solid beats and
overlapping them with songs we recognize
is successful because he also makes sure
there is an obvious match between the two.
His songs string
together throughout
the album, never
making an abrupt
change in flow,
pleasing almost
all that wish for a
fast paced dance
blowout. Listeners
will find that his ear
for timing is evident
in every song. His
show at Marist was
no different.
Although he did use some mixes from
his most recent album, Feed The Animals,
he did showcase some combinations on the
spot. The vibe from the crowd was most
definitely approving.
Junior Colin Norton explains the
positive response perfectly, “People our
age are so ADD that we get excited when
we recognize a song we love, and when we
get bored after the 15 seconds we love, and
it’s replaced by another song we forgot we
were crazy about at some point”. This is a
wonderful example of how our generation
is known for trying, unsuccessfully, to
multitask.
Personally, everyone seemed to be
multitasking just fine at the concert. After
all, dancing, screaming, trying to keep
yourself from getting lost, and every now
and again watching Gillis in his element all
at the same time is no easy task. Still, all
members of the audience seemed perfectly
content to do just that. The Girl Talk
concert provided Marist students with the
opportunity to show off their dance moves
in the McCann gym. I doubt that hardwood
floor will ever see as many strobe lights,
glow sticks and dance-offs as it did during
this fall’s concert.
Photos by Leslie Brown