The Hood Internet: A Live Review

It wasn’t just the energetic crowd- that was expected at the Blind Pig. It wasn’t the intimacy between said crowd and the performer- that’s easily attainable at any live DJ show. And it wasn’t even the dynamic transition between the opening act and the main artist- that was only recognizable long after the show had finished. No, what really set The Hood Internet’s concert last Saturday night apart from any other live mashup performance I’ve experienced was my steadfast faith, born early in the evening, that Steve Reidell knew precisely what he was doing.

Formed in Chicago, The Hood Internet is a combination of DJs Aaron Brink and Steve Reidell, although last Saturday proved that one member is enough to produce an amazing live show. The duo specializes in combining Hip-Hop and Rap acapellas with indie and alternative instrumentals. This untraditional type of mashup drew a different sort of crowd than those who usually flock to these shows. Always hesitant of paying money to hear music that is free online, most people stray away from them. One of their only appeals is the constant stream of popular music which is supplemented by a much more dance-provoking beat. The Hood Internet, faithful to their own style, barely fits that criteria, further excluding more concert-goers. Regardless, the Blind Pig was still well attended, and the audience was extremely entertained.

Although only half of his team was present, Steve Reidell manifested no signs of concern or unease while in the spotlight. He approached his two laptops and mixer (no turntables) with confidence, and exhibited such an authoritative composure that I, and I’m sure the rest of the crowd, had no skepticism as to his abilities. Towards the end of his piece he paused the music to ask the crowd, almost rhetorically, if he should continue or end his consistent and addicting stream of mashups. We answered, and the stream began to flow once more.

My expectations for the Hood Internet’s live setlist could not have been more wrong. I anticipated that they would enhance their show with their most popular singles, to cater to the general population’s desires. However, the majority of their setlist was comprised of the less played, harder to identify tracks that hide in the middle of their monstrous mixtapes (of which there are five and generally last over an hour) and serve as transitions. This worked in an interesting fashion for the show; because of the similar nature of most songs (indie or techno beat with ’80s or ’90s Hip-Hop verses), the mashups infused with present day tunes were very distinctive. For instance, I couldn’t tell you the songs prior to or after “Back that Sleepyhead Up,” but I specifically remember screaming along with Passion Pit’s classic. This should not be interpreted as a flaw in the performance, however. Despite being uncommon, the transitions remained undeniably enjoyable. Highlights of the setlist include when Reidell combined Sir Mix-A-Lot’s anthem “Baby Got Back” and Cee-Lo Green’s horridly addicting single “Fuck You,” as well as two renditions of one of their newest creations: Big Sean’s “Marvin and Chardonnay” and techno genius Wolfgang Gartner’s “The Way It Was.” Ann Arbor appreciated your shout out to the D, Reidell.

Overall, the show was invigorating because it quite literally did not stop. While Reidell took minor breathing pauses, the music and dancing continued. He maintained such an impressive flow of tracks that it was impossible to deny that he knew exactly how to present the perfect dance party. For those wary to pay for a ticket to a mashup show, know that you aren’t paying to hear the music; you are paying for the experience, and in my opinion, as of last weekend, the Hood Internet is the best in the game.