Posted by Dale Obbie
Starting the first weekend of October on a high note, Brooklyn-based art rock band TV on The Radio performed one of the most well attended Big Shows of the past few years at the College. Austra, a dance rock band from Canada, opened the much-anticipated show in the Sports Center's big gym.
The opportunity cost of the act was beyond the check Student Government Association wrote for the Student Entertainment Committee, the club responsible for organizing the show, because there will be no Big Show spring semester. Ticket prices for Skidmore students were $8 and $25 for non-Skidmore students.
Despite the higher price, students were not the only members of the audience. There seemed to be just as many Saratoga residents dancing, clapping and singing along.
One of the highlights of the night was "Golden Age," for which Kyp Malone stepped up to sing the playful staccato lyrics. Lead singer Tunde Adebimpe joined Malone during the choruses in uplifting harmonies, and both of them smiled as they sang about "the joy resounding." When they sang "clap your hands if you think you're in the right place," the crowd's immediate response made it clear that they were right where they belonged.
As a pleasant surprise, the band played an energetic cover of Fugazi's "Waiting Room," showing the band members' love for punk rock. The crowd seemed to share the love. People thrashed around, and at one point, several began crowd surfing.
Another highlight was the closer "Wolf Like Me," one of the band's most well known songs. Adebimpe paced back and forth on the stage and let loose howling vocals, while David Sitek's thin guitar tone echoed his tormented singing.
As soon as the song ended, the crowd burst into applause and began chanting for "one more song." Not long after, the band returned to the stage – smiling and gracious – and played a final two songs, ending the night with the spacey "Satellite."