Gus Dapperton Illuminates Webster Hall

Written by Felicia DiSalvo

As the suspenseful beat of “Verdigris” by Gus Dapperton began to play, a fully packed Webster Hall thundered under the jumping feet of hundreds of anticipating fans. The floor shook as these eager, inspired, and unique personalities awaited the beloved songs that give them an outlet to be themselves. At least, that is how I interpreted the energy around me. Gus Dapperton has created a fanbase filled with extremely individualistic souls. These fans—seen sporting bold and unusual clothing, accessories, and makeup looks—include artists of many different mediums and people who aren’t afraid to dream, gathering as a crowd to celebrate their inspiration at this historic East Village music venue.

Following the release of Gus Dapperton’s debut album, Where Polly People Go To Read, his fall tour of the United States has been one of the biggest of his career, featuring sold out venues across the country.  The photographs I have taken and included here capture a segment of this tour experience. November  10th, 2019 at Webster Hall.

Gus Dapperton, born Brendan Rice, is an indie/bedroom pop artist from Warwick, New York. He is inspired by “heartache and world class cinema,” as he said in an i-D Magazine interview. These themes are displayed through Dapperton’s music, drawing in fans that are thrilled to connect his lyrics to their experiences. 

Known for his colorfully dyed bowl cut hairstyle and daring fashion style, both inspired by his childhood, he creates an image that defines Gus Dapperton. Taking his stage name and developing his personal style enabled him to grow in his creativity and be himself.  He alludes to his process of becoming himself in an interview with HYPESAGE! on YouTube, claiming it is necessary for his own survival.  He says, “In order to survive I need to be myself. I would spontaneously combust from all the emotions built up inside of me; all of the feelings that I release through a creative outlet.”

In the midst of such a crowd of ambitious listeners and being in front of Dapperton, his band, and a myriad of songs charged with fantastical lyrics felt like being in another world. I have always described my experience of listening to his music as entering a world strange and new, yet so familiar.  Seeing this concert come alive just affirmed how true this experience is.  Dapperton showcases playful lyrics that work towards the personal and relative human experience, with a whimsical and unique flair, for an other-worldly feel to his music.

The pre-chorus and chorus of Prune, You Talk Funny highlight the playful word choice of his lyrics.  They read:

And I would tread upon flowerbeds to stare and stop.

A hominid t’was blossoming from soot and sod.

Prune,

Eating all my food.

Well you’re like the bum

Who begged and pegged me up all wrong.

I’ve got no two cents,

No sense at all.

The instruments Dapperton uses also contributes to this scene, including a synthesizer and a Fender electric guitar with effects such as or similar to chorus, reverb, and delay.  These instruments create a bright, dreamy feel that complement Gus Dapperton’s unconventional singing voice. Dapperton often layers vocals and creates echo effects, further adding to this dream-like feel. 

Gus Dapperton’s music videos evoke the same feeling through their polished production style.  Despite bedroom pop music videos often opting for a more lo-fi and moody theme, Dapperton follows more of a traditional theme.  They incorporate heavy emphasis on styling and having an original storyline. For example, the music video for “World Class Cinema,” directed by Matthew Dillon Cohen, was about Gus Dapperton’s desire to be a movie star.  It featured recreations of iconic movie tropes seen a dream of his after passing out. Creating a video based around this concept evoke the feeling of fantasy. Similarly, the photo and video editing style featured in Jess Farran’s direction of “Coax & Botany” takes on a fantastical mood through the use of muted colors and less obvious camera angles.

Such a sense of unity and Gus Dapperton’s genuine love for making music brought myself and hundreds of his fans together before this Webster Hall stage. This tour has been such a pivotal stage in his career, and I cannot see Gus Dapperton slowing down anytime soon.

“In order to survive I need to be myself. I would spontaneously combust from all the emotions built up inside of me; all of the feelings that I release through a creative outlet.”

Raise Awareness to Madan Sara

Written by: Julia Cuttone

“Growing up my mom was a Madan Sara and that stayed with me for many years. I was inspired by how so many women raised their kids and ran their businesses while still keeping Haiti’s economy running” said Etant Dupain. A Madan Sara is a woman from Haiti who works tirelessly to buy, distribute, and sell food in markets throughout the country. Dupain explained in Haitian society it is not very common for women to be seen as people who hold positions of power, but in everyday life, it is a Madan Sara sitting on sidewalks and marketplaces fighting to make a living.

The Madan Sara live each day with the local economy’s weight upon their shoulders. They can be found in the marketplace or even on top of cars leading the charge. “There is no aspect of the Haitian economy where women are not at the base. If the Madan Sara does not go to work, the city does not eat. If the Madan Sara does not go up into the mountains and back down into the neighborhood, the market will not operate. Without those women, there is no market, without the market there is no economy, and without economy, there is no country” said Dupain.

“The Madan Sara is at the forefront of the battle for a more robust and inclusive economy in Haiti,” he said. These women are facing obstacles everyday while working in districts that lack investment, infrastructure, and state assistance, but he said: “they continue to be one of the most crucial parts of the Haitian economy and of who we are as a country.”

Dupain realized that he needed to make the voices of the Madan Sara heard throughout the world and tell the stories of the persistent women, who work at ends meet every day to make the Haitian economy run. “I decided that I needed to make a film...working on the film in 2016 it was a small project because I used my money to make the film. It took me a lot of time to shoot. There were many ups and downs but I am proud that we are almost there” he said. 

Dupain plans on having the film, The Madan Sara, finalized this upcoming December. Despite the hardships and social stigma that Madan Sara face, they can put their children through school, provide for their family with shelter, and help ensure a better life for generations to come. Dupain is one of the many generations of Madan Sara children who went on to achieve success in his life.  

Dupain studied at a production school in Venezuela and is now the founder and director of Kombit Productions. As a Haiti-based freelance journalist and producer, he started his career as a reporter for Telesur in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake. Since then he has worked as a producer for international news media outlets such as British Broadcasting Corporation, Vice, Discovery channel, Raw TV, CANAL+, Venezolana Televisión Vive TV, and the award-winning film “Where Did the Money Go”? After watching his mother growing up, and seeing the obstacles she faced, he decided to work on his first personal film called “The Madan Sara”.

This film raises awareness to the Madan Sara as they speak directly to society to share their dreams for a life in Haitian society that is fair. “I want to show the film in every community across Haiti and eventually throughout different countries. It is an ambitious dream but the Madan Sara team is ready to rise to the occasion,” said Dupain.

“By launching popular universities, or open public debates after each free public screening event, will give opportunities to start conversations about the matters of concern related to the well-being of the communities.”

“Our goal is to create a film that serves as a powerful tool that can be used in Haiti and beyond to help gain support and visibility for the struggle of the Madan Sara. And now after a year of hard work, we have wrapped up the production, and we are ready to finalize the film,” he said.

William Lin

WRITTEN BY SOFIA GHASEMI

PHOTO BY SARAH MISKIN

William Lin is a Chinese-American artist and designer who likes to express the practicality that art can possess. He is currently the president of the Gender, Love and Sexuality Spectrum, a community for LGBTQ+ members and allies. Aside from his responsibilities, he also creates graphics for the organization, as well as designs his own business cards, fashion designs, and logos.

William has always had a passion for sketching. “My first memory when I was a kid was myself drawing,” he explains. Having gained inspiration from his mother, a seamstress, William set out to learn the basics of fashion design and soon began creating fashion pieces himself. Drawing inspiration from fashion icons such as Alexander McQueen, William designed his own dresses and has developed numerous sketch designs.

William is a firm believer that art can be both practical and appreciated. He enjoys the nuances of graphic design and the creativity and problem solving that goes with it. “Art can be versatile,” he states, “art can be for appreciation, entertainment, or practicality.” In the future, William wishes to become a creative director for a firm or agency and is determined to find his place in the graphic design world.

During his freshman year at Baruch, William recalled missing a sense of community. He originally planned to transfer to the Fashion Institute of Technology before finding his niche within Baruch after joining G.L.A.S.S. He understood the stigma of being LGBTQ in the workplace and wanted to help foster a safe haven within Baruch where everyone felt welcomed. “I wanted to build a community where everyone is connected. I wanted a sense of family,” he explains. Now a senior, William hopes that G.L.A.S.S. will continue to flourish after he graduates this coming year.

This feature is part of a series of editorials curated by Encounters Magazine that correspond with a theme for the month. This month’s theme is LGBTQ+ History and will feature creators within Baruch that identify with and empower the LGBTQ+ community.

Brandon Paillere

WRITTEN BY BIANCA NITTA MONTEIRO

PHOTOS TAKEN BY BIANCA NITTA MONTEIRO

PHOTOS EDITED BY BRANDON PAILLERE

Brandon Paillere is a portrait and fashion photographer based in New York City. As an Afro-Latino, Brandon navigates both his work and personal life in careful strides. His work displays meticulous thought, with much of it focused into the fine details that compose its sum.

As a Haitian and Guatemalan man, his identity growing up was often skewed to either black or Latino. “People have tried to convince me that I’m not black,” he explains, rather than face the complexity of his identity. “Whenever I was in a black group I was black, whenever I was in a Latino group I was Latino.” This tension leaked deeply into how he composed himself. Noticing that his duality contrasted to others not only in cultural identity but through creative thought, Brandon made it a point to lean deeply into differences.

As a creator, Brandon challenges those around him to battle the status quo — to him, mediocrity has never been an option. Instead, his work demonstrates a keen understanding of dynamic composition. His sights are often drawn to projects that require him to extend the limits of his creativity. In photography, this pushes him to champion inclusivity and sharply contrast his work from the oversaturated, white-dominant community around him, as well as from those who do not push their work.

In the long term, Brandon hopes for representation to open new gateways, allowing for more refreshing thought. “I want to challenge people’s mentalities and change the way people create,” he explains, “I want people to start being intentional with what they’re saying to the world.” Currently, Brandon is working on a short film series. He also hopes to move forward with strictly POC-driven projects in order to strengthen the impact of strong POC work and heighten the community’s sensitivity to new and valuable perspectives.

Brandon is the creative director of Encounters Magazine and is a senior at Baruch College. His work can be found on his Instagram or on his website www.brandonpaillere.com.

Jennifer Hernandez

WRITTEN BY BIANCA NITTA MONTEIRO

PHOTO BY BRANDON PAILLERE

Jennifer Hernandez is the founder of Granny Vintage Shop, an online shop where she sells a wide variety of expressive jewelry, designed herself. Here she sports her own “Mix & Match” earrings that bear bold lines depicting two non-identical golden faces in a Picasso-esque fashion.

Much like “Mix & Match,” several of Jenn’s pieces reflect loose and expressive lines, like “Aphrodite” and one of her first and most popular pieces “Sappho.” Inspired by her love of nudity and the Greek poet Sappho, the earring was designed with bold wires welded into a relaxed contour body, meant to resemble Sappho.

Starting just this spring, Jenn has already released several different designs of necklaces, earrings, and rings. Jenn’s main inspirations for creating jewelry are tied closely with her own desire to sport unique jewelry and to connect with her own image. Her newer pieces change pace with an increased use of imagery implemented through more dimensional forms such as gold-lined seashell pendants, mini scissor earrings, and adjustable rings that snugly “hug” the finger.

As a first-generation Mexican American woman, Jenn has found her heritage to be a double-edged sword. While she has found measurable success in her business, watching her base steadily grow, the concern of stability within the business took root in her family’s support. Professionally, Jenn also feels that she often must work harder than those around her to ensure that her voice is heard and that she’s taken seriously. She nonetheless finds motivation from this same drawback, pushing through any obstacles in her path, making sure that she leaves behind no regrets.

A student at Baruch, Jenn’s work can be found on her Instagram as well as on grannyvintageshop.com.