Day one of the South by Southwest music festival kicked off Tuesday evening in Austin, Texas. At The Main, a multi-room venue in the heart of the buzzing Sixth Street district, a number of bands from Philadelphia’s music scene gathered to play a showcase titled “Amplify Philly.” The concert party was hosted by music incubator RecPhilly and tech coalition StartupPHL.
A number of up-and-coming artists performed at Amplify Philly show, including rapper Chill Moody and indie rock duo Vita and the Woolf. The main headliners featured a couple of artists on the cusp of mainstream fame, while the final act of the night showcased a hip-hop legend. DJ Jazzy Jeff (of Fresh Prince of Bel Air fame) closed out the night after sets from alt-rap trio Ground Up and comedic rapper Lil Dicky.
By the time Ground Up took the stage around 11 p.m., The Main was nearing capacity as the crowd eagerly awaited the performance from the triad, who joined together while attending Temple University in 2008. They played a 30 minute set and showcased several new songs, though there was no specific mention of a new album on the horizon.
Lil Dicky received perhaps the most raucous reception of the night. The 27-year-old rapper from Elkins Park (just outside of Philadelphia) is garnering a mainstream following with the debut of his first studio album, Professional Rapper. The record, which Robert Christgau (writing for Noisey) gave an A-, features the likes of Snoop Dogg, T-Pain, Brendon Urie (Panic! at the Disco) and Hannibal Buress. ‘Save Dat Money,’ a single which charted on the Billboard Hot 100, features Fetty Wap and Rich Homie Quan.
It was a particularly special night for Lil Dicky, as he announced to the audience that “Tonight is actually my birthday.” After receiving a roaring applause, his stage manager brought out a birthday cake, which he promptly tossed into the crowd to their delight. For his final song, ‘Lemme Freak,’ Lil Dicky called a woman from the audience to the stage and gave her a playful lap dance.
The 2016 SXSW music festival runs from March 15-20. Stay tuned to iDigitalTimes for continuing coverage of the event.
