As summer comes to an end, this Saturday, Aug. 29, Columbus, Ohio’s Spacebar (2590 N. High St.) will be the place to be starting at 5 p.m. for live niche music subgenre Nerdcore Hip-Hop.
The event—Nerdcore Summer Camp—was organized and founded by community builders and longtime Nerdcore Hip-Hop artists Alex Liu (LEX the Lexicon Artist) of New York City and Ryan Francis (Huge Euge) of Columbus.
Alex, who has been in music more than a decade, and Ryan, local music veteran of 16 years, took time out for this OOTB Feature to detail the genre itself, Nerdcore Summer Camp’s beginnings, event features, highlights, lineup and more.
With this being the inaugural event, who are the founders and how and why did it originate?
Alex:
Nerdcore Summer Camp (NSC) was originally my idea. I have been a touring nerdcore artist for the last 10 years, and have performed in Columbus on each of my five national tours.
From my very first Cbus show at Ace of Cups in 2018–a full house on a Monday in support of MC Chris (of Aqua Teen Hunger Force) and Dual Core (Watch Dogs 2)—I knew there was something special about the city.
Since then, Cbus become my favorite place to perform live, due to the incredible crowds, love, and energy, and because the city is a magnet for all nerds within a 4-hour drive.
Nerdcore is a scene with a storied history, dating back to the early 2000's (coined by MC Frontalot, known as "the godfather of nerdcore"). As such, many cornerstone events that brought the national community together have come, gone, or evolved.
Similar event examples include: Nerdapalooza (2007-2013), the Official SXSW Nerdcore Showcase (2008-today), and MAGFest (2002-today).
Knowing the appetite for Nerdcore in Columbus, I had dreamed for the last five years of starting a destination Nerdcore event in this delightfully nerdy city, sharing the best talent the scene has to offer with the best audience in the country.
It's a perfect marriage, and I wanted to do it on my terms, with a clear vision: "dope performers, dope people, and dope vibes only."
You see, beyond being a nerd, I'm also a music fan, and a Nerdcore show can't just be some random people rapping about games. The vision was to showcase true entertainers—artists with live presence who captivate and move crowds—and partner with a locally established co-producer in Cbus who shared that vision.
There was no question this was going to be Huge Euge [Ryan Francis] who has been a close friend and regular collaborator on my previous tour stops.
He has deep roots and connections in the Columbus music scene and, most importantly, a boundless enthusiasm and fandom for Nerdcore Hip-Hop.
I needed someone with boots on the ground, who was as passionate as I was about creating a space where nerdy weirdos and outcasts could find community through music. He was the perfect choice.
And fun fact: in January of this year, after about four months of conversations, I was about to back out of the whole thing! But, he convinced me to keep going, and boy am I glad he did.
What’s been the most difficult thing about organizing this event?
Alex:
Something I've found challenging is accessing new audiences unfamiliar with the scene. My goal is to bring in not only existing Nerdcore fans, but also local nerds who might be the target audience, but haven't seen a show before.
Through my efforts to extend my reach on TikTok, I have learned that some people are not willing to do even a little bit of research when they see something unfamiliar.
Ryan and I share the belief that there are many people out there who would LOVE Nerdcore Hip-Hop—they just haven't heard of it yet. But, they've definitely heard of Weird Al, the Hamilton Musical, maybe even Epic Rap Battles of History. Those run in similar worlds, and the potential for crossover is significant.
Internally, we call this "the untapped audience,” and it's been a 10 year journey to figure out how to access this audience so they can have access to the treasure trove of Nerdcore.
However, when content about the festival started reaching outside the community (which is what you want when promoting something), I received some criticism for not providing enough information about what Nercore music is, where and when the event was, and who was on the lineup.
Mind you, Nerdcore has been around for 26 years, and the event information is all very clearly laid out when you Google the event name or look at the ticket link.
But, I suspect that the feedback stems from this issue: over the years, people have become less willing to step out of their comfort zone and take time out of their day to learn something new, even if it seems interesting at first glance. Part of NSC's mission is to challenge this trend.
Chances are, you will not recognize some, or even most, of the artists on the lineup. This is by design; the event is carefully curated to maximize crossover interest, and structured to encourage artist discovery, in hopes that fans will come away with new favorites and new friends.
So, I'm not discouraged by those aforementioned comments. In fact, it's a challenge to open minds and create connections that are currently nonexistent.
Ryan:
Jumpstarting a social media page is extremely difficult and takes a lot of planning and precise posting. I’ve learned a whole lot about algorithms and bad posting habits. Getting the word out about a new event and growing an idea to pitch to the public is not easy!
What’s been the most rewarding thing about the event?
Alex:
My day job is in corporate events. I have spent many years balancing budgets, wrangling people, managing venues, coordinating logistics, creating minute-by-minute runs-of-show and overseeing the smooth execution of corporate dinners, conferences, and awards shows. I also spent two years as a booker for a comedy theater here in my home base of NYC.
Something truly rewarding has been combining the skill sets, learned lessons, and practical experiences from these roles, and applying them all to Nerdcore Summer Camp.
The logistics of it all are not daunting to me; I live it, I breathe it, and I thrive in the details. I'm lucky to have the opportunity to use the skills I learned at work to bring this dream to life.
Organizing concerts is how I got into my day job in the first place, and now I get to write my love letter to the one community that has ever made me feel fully at home.
I also find it rewarding to be the artist liaison and book amazing performers, most of whom I have creative and friendly relationships with.
At this stage in my career, I don't even care about personal glory or people discovering my music. I just want people to see how talented my friends are.
Ryan:
Ask me at 8 a.m. August 30. Honestly, getting to work with Alex.
They’ve taught me a whole lot about promo, blown my mind with marketing materials, and just cooperating and learning eachother’s work styles and habits.
I don’t generally co-produce shows because I’m extremely particular and very much a perfectionist, but I can say with satisfaction that doing this has been rewarding since Day 1.
What are some of the features of the event and participants, businesses, sponsors involved?
Alex:
Pre-Show Party: VIP ticketholders get access to a pre-show party at a secret location on Friday, August 28th. VIPs will be emailed the address before the event. The pre-show party is a mixer designed for fans to meet artists and fellow fans in a casual setting. Ever been to a show and wanted to talk to the artists, only to find it too hectic and loud for an actual conversation? Not here. Take the opportunity to connect and socialize before the main show! However, there will also be a live Nerdcore show, and the lineup for that is also a complete secret.
Scavenger Hunt: Upon arrival at Spacebar for the main event, attendees will receive a colored wristband (e.g. blue), a pen, and a scorecard. They must then find their blue teammates throughout the venue. The scorecards will list social challenges for the players to achieve; for example, you get a point if you take a photo with someone who shares your name. Or, you get a point if you sing along to a chorus or discover a new favorite artist. At the end, scorecards are submitted and tallied, and the winning team gets a prize - TBD!
NSC Explorer's Guide: For those traveling into town and looking for fun nerdy activities and businesses in the city, our friend AJB has created an "Explorer's Guide" that covers everything from hotels, to games, comics, and food.
Camp-Themed Shenanigans: This is not a real camp, but damn it if we aren't gonna make it feel like one. From camp counselor-themed performances to impromptu ghost stories, you'll feel the camp spirit as we close out the summer.
What artists are part of the lineup?
Ryan:
What are the set times, if available or released?
Ryan:
Follow @nerdcoresummercamp on IG for show schedule updates!
Do you plan to continue this as an annual summer event?
Alex:
That's the plan!
Ryan:
I really hope we knock this year out of the park so we can have another run at it next year. But that all depends on the people reading this!
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Alex:
To those reading this who may not be in the know: Nerdcore isn’t writing about nerdy subject matter (video games, TV shows, tech). Nerdcore is an identity, a community, a personality. I believe Nerdcore is defined by life experience.
Think about it this way: Growing up in school you never fit in. Nobody liked the type of music or TV shows you liked. Maybe you looked different or dressed differently. Maybe you were bullied physically or mentally. Whatever the case, you spent most of your youth dreaming about finding somewhere you belong.
You may not be cool like Kendrick Lamar. You may not be a Sabrina Carpenter-style “It” girl. In fact, you might be a complete loser dork on the outside. But, at some point you realize you either have a passion for music, or you might even be really good at it. And the rest is history.
Does that sound familiar to you? If so, you’ll find your people at Nerdcore Summer Camp.
Ryan:
I’m just super grateful to have been asked to help with this show.
I am madly in love with the Columbus music community and to have an opportunity to bring something new and fresh in bulk to this city has been a journey.
If you’re reading this, maybe you’ve felt like an outcast, maybe you’ve been called a nerd based on things you like or hobbies you have. Come to camp, meet folks who may share that sentiment. And, listen to some incredible lyricists rap about Anime and 90’s Nickelodeon while you’re at it!
Get Tickets
https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets
Connect With Nerdcore Summer Camp
https://linktr.ee/nerdcoresummercamp
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