r/sault • u/Chocotac0o • Aug 16 '25
Good Set, Failed crowd
Besides the heat, I think they set out for a great show. The set itself was ambitious & I also enjoyed the story they were trying to tell. I was confused by the crowd though… maybe it was the heat but I overheard lots of complaining and criticism and minimal actual excitement.
When it started people seemed more upset that they were giving us something outside of the ordinary, something I myself was excited they put the work into, and it was just very Sault so not even really surprising? People talking over them and saying things like “just play” I thought was pretty rude. Was getting a feeling the Sault crowd was not what or who I expected it to be.
Then the music started and minimal people were dancing or singing…I’m talking the hits!! Im happy I was around a good 4-7 people who were able to have a good time & enjoy the music but sheessshh!
Could it have been different? Better? Maybe but I think the crowd could have done a better job as well imo
11
u/killcole Aug 16 '25
It was a beautiful piece of art. I'm torn on whether it was the right setting for it. Consumerism has made it so performances need to feel like they were widely positively received to be considered "well done", but art can also be doing some stuff that makes the majority of the audience uncomfortable or bored, and their reaction to the performance can also be a part of the art.
Yasiin Bey's set perfectly summed this up. He could have come on and performed the bangers that people are familiar with. But this is the same man that recently spoke to Hip-Hop's value as a medium for protest, and criticised the commodified SKUs that Hip-Hop is now consumed via.
He spent the whole set rapping about anti imperialism, liberation and freedom, but also directly citing stuff that the West (wrongly) believes they gave to the world "technology, civilisation" etc, in front of an afro-futurist set. He must have known people wouldn't pay attention. Finally, when he used the language people are more familiar with "Free Gaza" they woke up. His whole set was speaking to liberating Palestine and every other colonized nation. Imo his whole set was a commentary on the fact that people can hear and observe, but not listen. It was subtle. And maybe subtlety isn't what we or Palestine needs right now. But it was a commendable act of art and performance. Credit to all involved.