The doors of the Sports and Recreation Center opened at 8 p.m. and RJD2 was spinning his records amongst the flashing lights and occasionally mesmerizing video display behind the stage, from about 9 to 10 p.m.

Approximately 400 lively Skidmore students, as well as some outsiders, attended to listen and dance to the electronic/ hip-hop music. The tickets were sold at the Case student center on Skidmore’s campus for only $10 for students and $15 for nonstudents. Every year the Skidmore Entertainment Committee (SEC) chooses an artist to perform for the annual fall concert, and RJD2 accepted the offer. SEC president Alaina Crystal worked arduously with an agent who served as the middle man between Skidmore and the artist’s manager. He mixed on four turntables creating some amazing sounds, some of which were variations from his albums, while seamlessly transitioning from one song to another. Amongst the tunes were lights that flashed to the rhythm of the music and a large video screen that displayed random clips that synced with the songs’ rhythms.

RJD2 was born and raised in Eugene, Ore., but now resides in Philadelphia. He started his career in Columbus, Ohio, in 1993 with just a few turntables. Over a few short years, RJD2 became a popular DJ in the Midwest and is now a successful artist nationwide. His two popular solo albums Deadringer (2002) and Since We Last Spoke (2004) as well as his new album The Third Hand (2007), demonstrate his creativity and dynamic ability to combine electronic and hip hop beats with powerful vocals. He recently changed record labels and The Third Hand is currently signed with indie label XL Records. His latest album reveals a change from his previous blend of rap and instrumentals where RJD2 uses his own vocals while mixing various instrumentals. For those electronic/indie music buffs out there, he also has shared the stage with other artists such as The Roots, El-P, Prefuse 73, David Lynch and DJ Shadow, just to name a few.

There were a number of attendees who seemed to enjoy the concert as they danced and cheered to some of their favorite RJD2 songs. The show was a bit shorter than I would have expected, but well done nonetheless. Although he recently has become more popular and well known, I was still surprised to learn that Skidmore College was able to have him perform. A Skidmore senior, Chloe Reison, commented that the performance “was one of the better fall concerts that Skidmore facilitated. It was full of energy and the music appealed to a wide range of listeners rather than the pop music that dominates most radio stations. It was refreshing to hear something new and creative.”

Following RJD2’s performance and a long set change, the hip-hop, funk and jazz band Soulive performed for about an hour. The quartet, consisting of drummer Alan Evans, guitarist Eric Krasno, organist Neal Evans and vocalist Touissaint, has become one of the most popular funk-jazz groups since their formation in 1999. Since Soulive is not as well known as RJD2 and their set change took a while, many impatient students left before their performance started; however, those who did attend gave positive reviews.

For more information about upcoming Skidmore events, visit their Web site at www.skidmore.edu.