Born entertainer Childish Gambino gives a steller performance at the Electric Factory

Donald Glover is a man of many traits; an actor, a comedian, a writer, but this night he was his musical moniker, Childish Gambino. The Electric Factory was packed with eager fans anticipating what was sure to be an epic performance. The background was lit with a twitter feed where fans could type in anything and it would pop up on screen which ensued hilarity and a lot of sexual innuendos.

With no opening act, only a DJ that played 90’s hip hop singles like “Hot in Herre” and “MotownPhilly”, the crowd was getting antsy. Especially when there was a dropped phone call over the loud speakers that beeped for a few minutes before Gambino finally entered the stage.

Ok, so I haven’t really been to many hip hop shows, with the exception of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis at the Roots Picnic last year. So in my head all I picture is the main rapper and DJ in the background. That was not the case here, the stage was packed with instrumentalists from a keyboardist, two guitarists, a DJ, a drummer, and probably a few others. Not to mention his posse of folks just chillin’ in the back on couches. The backgrounds were stellar, they included a house with windows , crazy blue and white surging lightning bolts, and an outdoor bonfire.

Gambino gave a strong performance and commanded the audience with rap ballads and power chords featuring thoughtful lyrics about racism, politics, family, and love.

He belted out tunes from his latest LP, Because the Internet as well as a few numbers from his previous, Camp and ended the night with a special freestyle with fellow artist, Steve G Lover.

Setlist
Playing Around before the Party
I. Crawl
II. Worldstar
Dial Up
I. The Worst Guys
II. Shadows
I. The Party
IV. Sweatpants
Death by Numbers
I. Flight of the Navigator
II. Zealots of Stockholm (Free Information)
III. Urn
III. Telegraph Ave
I. Pink Toes
V. 3005
II. Earth: The Oldest Computer (The Last Night)
Medley: So Fly/Do Ya Like/Got This Money
Heartbeat
Medley: Firefly/Yaphet Kotto
One Up (with Steve G Lover)
Black Faces
Medley: All the Shine/Sunrise/Freaks and Geeks
Bonfire

Encore:
Freestyle ft. Steve G Lovers