Concert Review: Pell Makes Rough Trade NYC Yell “Pell Yeah!”
Pell came into Rough Trade like he was the Master of Ceremonies at a High School pep-rally. I do not know if every school has this, but in the BX, usually, the MC is the best rapper/ funniest senior and a cool drummer to bop beats under his flows. Thus, seeing Pell brought me back to my younger days, when Hip Hop defined your life and invincibility framed your mind.
Pell torpedoed the empty stage. To get a single picture of him felt like trying to capture Sasquatch in Mt. Everest. He was constantly moving and laughing like a trickster spirit, but the only tricks he had were fun, kindness, and ambition. Hence, my high-school, invincibility felt enacted while watching strike the stage so confidently. Admittedly, the night was a weird one for the resilient NYC’ers. In costumes and smiles, the terrorist attack did weigh on the night. It was as if we were partying with a dark cloud. For all the beers and bliss, a shadow followed; something Pell quickly acknowledged. As he sent his prayers and showed his admiration for NYC, a somber relief was abound amongst the crowd who needed some type of acknowledgment that not everyone was celebrating Halloween with us. From then on, Pell jumped off a mile a minute serving Hip Hop that felt modern in construction but classic in feel. There was an “old”, innocent fun to his tracks that, even when he made the crowd scream “I Want Money, Motherf*ckers!”, seemed pure compared to other, current Hip Hop tracks, “Queso”, “Got It Like That”, “Jam”, and “Patience” pulled between satirical and socially commenting. For Pell, even a good time has to have meaning, and any comment/ story he gave was backed by a true sentiment and desire to spark positive wonder in his crowd.
I like Pell. He matched intelligence with intensity, and was as exuberant as a parade on stage. As his drummer filled the air with enough beat-drops to fill a factory, I danced between a man dressed as a nun and a group of people dressed like Adventure Time. Still, the madness of the moment was incomparable to Pell’s flow, especially in speed. When Pell wanted to become the literal version of a twister through verse, I swear the place got windy. He spewed his rhymes like toothpaste; to freshen everyone’s mouth when speaking of his prowess. The man is undeniably talented and entertaining, which is an excellent thing to be when are trying to stand amongst Hip Hop greats. For More Information On Pell Click Here.
