On August 3rd, I was tasked with shooting for an artist who goes by the name Hoodie Allen. While embarking on the 30-minute train ride to the venue known as the Foundry, I truly started to reminisce. From the years of 2014-2018, Hoodie’s music was truly my daily soundtrack. With songs such as “Houseparty,” ”No Interruption,” “Movie” and many others, I was truly excited to hear these songs live again. I was also intrigued to see how his set design and performance throughout the many years would evolve. For myself, this was the third time seeing him perform and second time photographing him. Knowing this, I was used to his on-stage shenanigans and was ready to see how he would do things this time around (especially this being his first US post-quarantine tour).

While entering the venue, there were already details within the crowd and stage I started to recognize. For starters, the crowd's age demographic was ranging from people in their teens to their mid 30s attending the concert. Regarding the stage, the artists decided to provide lighting for this tour with vibrant blues and purple hues throughout the show. While also waiting for Hoodie Allen's set, I was really vibing with the artist that came on before him. They go by the name “Belagans” and they really know how to gravitate a crowd. With only a 25-30 minute set, they had so much energy, confidence, and charisma with the crowd getting in tune with their music. New artists like this keep me on my toes and remind me why I love live music so much.

Around 9 o’clock, the lights started to dim and Hoodie Allen’s music started to blare through the venue speakers. I was very surprised, but also impressed with how he started his performance as well. He started with fan favorites such as “Eighteen Cool,” “Act my Age,” and “Two Lips” while going into other classics throughout the set. While performing, he also sprinkled in his new single “Call me Never.” This track is a very interesting and exciting song for Hoodie. For his next release, the rapper is diving into new territory with creating a project in a different genre. While some may say, “why the hell is he doing this,” I find this is a significant and daring transition. Throughout the past few years, many artists have made this nuanced approach (ranging from Ye and Playboi Carti to Iggy Pop and Katy Perry) and gained much success, drawing a broader fan base. While keeping that in mind, I feel like this is a very smart career move. Another thing I realized is that Hoodie really lets his fans be included in his shows. At one point, he does an impromptu game show styled bit where he tries to set two fans on a date with questions related to his music. To me, this was one of my favorite parts of the show.

With only two songs left in the show, Hoodie plays a special encore, thanking fans for all their support while also talking about how Philadelphia was important with his career, since he did go to college in the city at Penn University. In all, I had an amazing time and can't wait to see what the future holds for him.