Friends, students and Dillo Day companions, lend me your eyes. I come to explain the upcoming musical attractions. There is much praise. With Monday’s announcement that Smash Mouth will play the festival, four of five acts have been officially announced
The ’90s California band, known for covering music from various decades, is confirmed to perform during the “Afternoon Rock” slot, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. (Turns out the band’s tweet about Dillo Day earlier in the year wasn’t a complete joke to throw people off the real lineup trail.)
Smash Mouth sings “All Star,” a song that everybody should remember from roughly first through fourth grade. Radios blasted the catchy ska punk sound across the country, with Steve Harwell’s unique voice reminiscent of the United Kingdom. “Hey now, you’re an all star, get your game on, get paid,” he instructs.
On the band’s more retro side, its repertoire includes covers of “I’m a Believer” (by The Monkees), “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” (by War) and “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” (by Simple Minds).
Sonically, the group has punk tendencies like many bands from the 1990s. For three-fourths of the people reading this, recall last year and think Reel Big Fish.
But in chronological lineup order, Danny Brown, a rapper with an oversized personality, precedes Smash Mouth. The 32-year-old from Detroit has songs such as “I Will,” “Adderall Admiral” and “Need Another Drink.”
Brown’s lyrics often include references to drugs and sexual endeavors (the artist formerly sold drugs for a living). And to those uninformed students, Brown indeed received fellatio during a concert in Minneapolis: Cue numerous Facebook status references. However, the event will most likely not repeat during Dillo Day.
The rapper’s interesting voice seems to polarize fans, forcing them to either love or hate his accent. Jayson Greene of Pitchfork described Brown’s vocals as a “strangled yap of a voice.” Using this style of singing is ostentatious, yet Brown commands the stage with his brazen attitude. He reminds listeners of Odd Future, but his debauchery and degradation make him seem more mature than the OF boys.
“If it’s smellin’ sweet I’ll lick for an hour, and even if it’s sour I might lick it in the shower,” Brown raps on “I Will,” sticking out his tongue between one-and-a-half missing front teeth.
As for the penultimate Dillo Day act, Canadian DJ Lunice of TNGHT will blast bass across the Lakefill and stun students with electronic rhythm. Everybody on campus, at least those who attend social gatherings, will recognize “Higher Ground,” but who knows if Lunice will play the song without his production partner. Coincidentally, Lunice even remixes a song that features Danny Brown, “From the Back (Lunice Remix) [feat. Danny Brown]” by Flosstradamus.
Incorporating both dubstep and trap music, Lunice engages in the art of genre smashing by manipulating various styles, forming a mold of confliction and marvel. Lunice’s performance will undoubtedly inject excitement and reverie into the Dillo Day festivities.
But enough speculation. For now, all we can do is wait.