Dressed in cropped distressed jeans and classic black sk8 los, Hoodie Allen took the stage at Junker Center Saturday for an eagerly awaiting crowd.

 

When Hoodie Allen, born Steven Markowitz, was first announced as Behrend’s spring performance, this news was met with mixed reactions.  Many students were not familiar with the Long Island native’s music, with a handful having never heard his name before. Nonetheless, when Saturday rolled around, Junker Center held a moderately-sized crowd of excitable students not only from PSB’s campus but from local colleges as well.  

 

Before the show, Dominic Fontaine, a junior mechanical engineering major, stated, “I was not a fan of Hoodie Allen before tonight. I’m feeling a little bit of anticipation, and I’m excited to see what he’s about.”

 

When Hoodie took the stage, it was immediately clear that Fontaine’s eager expectations would not only be met but exceeded. With his enthusiasm and semi-theatrics, he proved he wasn’t just a rapper, singer and songwriter:  he’s a performer.

 

Opening with the familiar “Good Intentions,” he warmed up the crowd with traditional excitement and relatability.

 

“I went to the University of Pennsylvania, which is often confused with Penn State,” he stated. “So, I feel like there’s a bond here.”

 

Throughout his performance, Hoodie demonstrated tangible musicianship as well as recognizable rap prowess, countering his quick-paced and complex rhymes with smooth and infectious melodies. Particularly in his song, “No Faith in Brooklyn,” which he cheekily changed to “No Faith in Erie,” he balanced between the soul-soothing hook and break-neck mouthful verses.

 

A graduate of UPenn, his ivy-league brain often came through in his performance, making lyrical references to Victor Hugo’s “Les Miserables,” in his song “Casanova,” and using in-depth linguistic understanding to produce catchy and clever rhymes.

 

As if he was aware of the slightly negative buzz that awaited his arrival, Hoodie had a self-aware, tongue-in-cheek wit that threaded throughout his act.

 

“You guys had Panic! two years ago and Ludacris last year,” stated Hoodie sarcastically. “And then your budget was cut and you got me. So, that’s tight.”

 

In fact, this quick cleverness was probably the most intoxicating thing about Hoodie’s performance. His realness with the college crowd gave him a down-to-earth persona, asking about after parties and, at one point, jumping down from the stage and into the crowd.

 

“Do you guys mind if I do an acoustic song real quick?” he playfully asked the crowd. “So, if you’re tired of jumping around or if you’re just really out of shape, this’ll be good for you.”

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Overall, he created a crowd-pleasing performance that contained both adrenaline-packed danceability and relatable personality.

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When Erin Hosick, a sophomore majoring in biology, heard Hoodie Allen was coming to Behrend, she quickly took it upon herself to learn his music.  

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“I knew one of his songs before, but I quickly became a fan,” said Hosick. “I came prepared.” Following the show, Devin Booher, a junior English major who was not previously a fan of Hoodie Allen, weighed his expectations with Hoodie’s performance.  

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“I think he was a good performer,” said Booher. “He definitely hyped the crowd up.” Apart from the students enjoying the concert from the other side of the barrier, there were a number of members of the concert committee making sure the event ran smoothly behind the scenes. Caden Scouten, a junior majoring in history, participated as part of the committee’s security.  Though he wasn’t a fan of Hoodie before joining the committee, he described his overall experience as positive.

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“There were a couple of people who snuck past us and ran up to Hoodie’s car when he drove up,” said Scouten.  “He took pictures with them and gave them autographs, so that was an unexpected experience.”

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This unabashed kindness defines the vibe that Hoodie Allen brought with him to Erie, PA and continued from his opening to his closing--with no interruption.