Girl Talk invades NYC

Girl Talk is not a DJ. In fact, I’m not entirely sure what he is. Most people would classify Pittsburgh native Girl Talk (born Gregg Gillis) as a mash up artist, but after seeing his show last Sunday at the Terminal 5, I’m starting to think he may be just a hairy guy with a laptop or a funkadelic, song slashing religious figure. His show somehow transcends the typical “concert.” It is a communal experience where everyone worships at the alter of Girl Talk. He is a modern day miracle worker; let’s just say he can even make Rick Springfield popular again with his mash up of “Jesse’s Girl.” As this was my first Girl Talk concert, I was sure something was terribly amiss when the audience suddenly started to take over the stage. I thought everyone was going to get kicked out and the show would be cancelled. Much to my surprise, audience participation on stage is just Girl Talk’s bag. A Girl Talk show is one big dance party where mashed up riffs from popular songs determine the beats to which the sea of people must keep up with. If you go to a Girl Talk concert, you’re not just going to stand around and nod your head along to the music; you become part of show whether you want to or not. And by not wanting to, I mean you’ll want to.

Opening for Girl Talk was another hip hopping duo of hairy white guys from Pittsburgh. Jarrod Weeks and Jackson O’Connell-Barlow of Grand Buffet energized the audience by laying down satirical rap like no other. Despite the fact that their songs were unusually short and they used as much filler time as they could with their nonsensical preaching about skittles, their act was grand. Just like a good buffet, Weeks and O’Connell-Barlow laid out a variety of tasty beats that were accommodating to every palate.

-Natasha Pascetta