With his hands out front, back hunched over and head bobbing to the music, Trippy Turtle resembled an actual turtle.

That’s precisely the image and persona that the electronic dance music DJ aims to embody, as not many know his real name.

Trippy Turtle and hip-hop artist GoldLink, who also opts for anonymity, co-headlined the first of University Union’s Bandersnatch Concert Series on Tuesday night at the Schine Underground in the Schine Student Center.

Trippy Turtle’s stage name comes from his tendency to perform in a turtle “costume,” which is comprised of a single green jacket with eyes at the hood and a turtle shell in the back.

GoldLink performed with DJ Kidd Marvel, who was also the night’s opening act. GoldLink’s appearance at Syracuse University marks his first college show. The rapper said he tries to make his performances sound different and better than his actual recordings.

“When I hear something that I think I can do better, I try to make it right in the performance,” he said after his set. “I do as much as I can and make it more fun for the live listeners.”

And GoldLink interacted with the crowd as much as he could, speaking to them and doing pelvic thrusts to make sure he kept their attention. Multiple times throughout his set, the rapper jumped off the stage onto large speakers or small platforms that were separating him from the crowd and danced with students.

GoldLink performed songs from his debut album “The God Complex,” which was released earlier this year. His album has two themes: the idea that God is perfect and everyone should try to be like God, and the personification of someone who is arrogant, overly confident and egotistical.

“It was basically just taking those two ideas and making it into a conceptual album,” GoldLink said. “It was balancing the ego and the humbleness.”

The rapper said he also takes inspiration from old-school artists such as Dr. Dre and genres such as Jamaican swing.

During his set, GoldLink performed many throwback songs for the crowd, who responded with yells of approval. Tate Sedar, a sophomore in the Bandier Program for Music and the Entertainment Industries, said his favorite part of the night was when GoldLink played the older songs.

“It was definitely when GoldLink played it back to Fatman Scoop and Poison,” Sedar said. “It was just such a throwback of all this ‘90s hip-hop that I really like.”

GoldLink describes his sound as “future bounce” or “futuristic-assbounce,” which he said bluntly, is “music that makes your ass bounce.”

“It’s pretty much like reggae and reggaeton, the same Jamaican-esque swing bounce that we’re used to and we grew up with,” Goldlink said, “but making it futuristic, taking the instruments and enhancing the sound with the same exact bounce.”

The stage was reset immediately following GoldLink’s performance. The DJ platform was moved up closer to the audience and the lighting was dimmed. Some students decided to leave after GoldLink’s set instead of staying for Trippy Turtle.

Murmurs among the smaller crowd reflected the initial confusion and potential disappointment as Trippy Turtle walked onstage wearing a normal jacket. But cheers erupted the moment the EDM artist took off his jacket, and put on his signature stage-wear — the turtle hoodie.

The crowd may have decreased in size by the time Trippy Turtle took the stage, but the energy didn’t. Trippy Turtle didn’t speak much during his set, but instead showed his personality and enthusiasm by dancing and jumping around the stage while holding up a cardboard turtle.

Students still danced to the DJ’s music throughout his set, which ranged from his original songs such as “Wet” and “Trippy’s Theme,” to remixes of well-known tunes such as “Wannabe” by Spice Girls, “Bugatti” by Ace Hood and “Ignition (Remix)” by R. Kelly.

Michael Vargas, a graduate student in the Whitman School of Management, was dancing near the back of the room throughout most of Trippy Turtle’s set.

“I had a good time. I mean, I love Trippy Turtle. I’ve been listening to him for a year now, maybe two,” Vargas said. “I was getting really tired for a second, but we turn up.”

Trippy Turtle’s songs flowed seamlessly from one to the next, giving his set a never-ending feel. But when he did finish, the artist bowed multiple times to the crowd and had to tell them to leave.

“That’s all the songs I have for tonight, guys,” Trippy Turtle said when the crowd wouldn’t leave. “Sorry.”

Published on October 15, 2014 at 12:42 am

Contact Clare: clramire@syr.edu