Everybody Put Your Hands Up

Heiruspecs, a hip-hop group from St. Paul, brought life and excitement to students gathered at Marty’s Sept. 25.

Marty’s was crowded with Luther students, particularly hip-hop and R&B fans, long before the show even started. The total attendance for the performance was 372.

“It was a good turnout, and everyone who came really enjoyed it,” Nick Fisher, SAC Spotlight co-chair, said. “Surprisingly, hip-hop is popular at Luther. I decided on Heiruspecs because I really like their style of music and I’ve seen them before.”

The show on Friday lasted until about midnight. The Marty’s dance floor held people swinging and swaying to the beats of Heiruspecs’ music throughout the entire performance. Others listened from the seats at Marty’s, and quite a few sipped on smoothies and shakes while enjoying the rhythmic ambience.

Joe Amerman (‘10) was one of the fans jamming on the dance floor.

“They had a ton of energy,” Amerman said. “You couldn’t sit there and watch without wanting to move a bit.”

When asked if they enjoyed the show, Chris Rogers (‘11), Chris Nevala-Plagemann (‘11), Dustin Hruby (‘11) and Caitlin Steinberg (‘11) agreed on the word “gnardiculous” for the band.

“[The show] was super sweet,” Rogers said. “I was surprised that they played at a small venue like Marty’s. In my opinion, there should have been a full concert.”

Steinberg thought that hip-hop groups like Heiruspecs, Scratch Track and the awaited Sean Kingston concert make Hip-Hop and R&B seem like SAC’s fall theme.

Heiruspecs also followed this year’s apparent theme of repeat performances. The group performed at Luther in 2005.

Heiruspecs consists of six members; Chris “Felix” Wilbourn, vocals; Jon “Muad’Dib” Harrison II, vocals and beat box; Sean “TwinkieJiggles”
McPherson, bass and guitar; Devon “dVRG” Gray, keyboard; Peter Leggett, drums; and Josh Peterson, guitar.

Wilbourn and McPherson started the band in 1997 while students at Central High School in St. Paul, Minn. They released their first album, “Live From the Studio,” in 1998.

The band has five other albums to their name: “Antidisestablishmentabolism” in 2000, “Small Steps” in 2002, “A Tiger Dancing” in 2004, “10 Years Strong” in 2007 and the most recent “Heiruspecs” released in 2008.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune called their latest compilation “the band’s funkiest masterpiece.”

According to the band’s Web site, they have rocked stages in both the U.S. and Canada and are best known for their live shows.

“I’ve listening to Heiruspecs for a while, and now I know they put on a good show,” Amerman said.

City Pages featured the band in their Dec. 3, 2008 edition’s cover article and named Heiruspecs the best live artist in the Twin Cities.

Also, in appreciation of the group’s contribution to hip-hop music, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman declared Dec. 22, 2008 “Heiruspecs Day” in Saint Paul.

Heiruspecs’ show was an enjoyable way for many of those who attended to escape the stress at the end of another busy school week.