What was that Socalled? (Hillside '10)

What is Socalled? No, really. I saw a bit of the Socalled set at Hillside a couple years ago, didn't understand what was going on so dismissed it and moved on. This time around I stuck it out for the spectacle and yet I'm still just as confused. I mean, yes, there was music (including rapping in Yiddish) but it was much more than a concert. There was magic - so was it a variety show? A few guests, including local legend Noah 23 joined them on-stage to drop a verse or two, but I wouldn't say it was a jam.

Even though two saxophones were played simultaneously by the same man it wasn't a talent search either.

Perhaps the closest descriptor that could be used is that Socalled was a Party. All of those things, and much, much more, happened during the set led by the very eclectic ringleader, Josh Doglin. Encouraged by and encouraging fellow singer Katie Moore, he seemed to go off on tangents on a whim (sometimes clever disguises to buy time while his samples loaded). Whether it be a whistled solo or an accordion riff, songs were composed in a variety of ways much to the delight of the crowd. During their "hit" finale, (These Are) The Good Old Days the folks under the tent were only too happy to be responding with the "Na Na, Na Na'"s while crowd-surfing the talking garden gnome. (Yes, that happened too)

Socalled didn't make much sense, but who cares how it is defined given that overall it was a hoot?