clipping. executes a viceral performance at the Warehouse
clipping.
Open Mike Eagle and Cooling Prongs
Feb. 21, 2026
Warehouse on Broadway
Cooling Prongs
The show started, as most concerts do, with a video of Ice-T smashing a MacBook with a hammer. This four-minute, thirty-nine-second YouTube classic played in its entirety—at decibels I do not think humans were meant to listen to Ice-T at.
Was the star of Law & Order: SVU warning us of the impending collapse of modern society through technological comfort? What relationship to our own mortality mirrors the pathetic swings of Ice T’s righteous weapon? Just before the crowd went into full psychosis, Ice T said the magic words: Cooling Prongs.
The word “cooling prongs” repeatedly looped until Christopher Fleeger, or Cooling Prongs to those who are hip with it, strutted on stage. Appearing before the drooling masses was a man in a rhinestone cowboy outfit. Producing two xylophone mallets, he proceeded to play his looper like a miniature drumset. What I am describing as an arthouse radio DJ, Cooling Prongs’ samples are various field recordings he has collected over the years, twisted into an electronic music mashup.
His own live vocals layered over the cacophony: deep, expansive, and filtered through software on his (not smashed) MacBook. Dense sounds of “life” screamed at the audience, occasionally revealing the rhythmic roots of the underlying beat, inviting the curious to try and unpack what individual samples consisted of, until you give up and learn to listen.
This was assisted by Cooling Prong’s pleasant stage presence, disarming the crowd with overtly casual conversation that ended with a tap on the soundboard (which prompted his preprogrammed soundboard to exclaim the aforementioned artist’s name).
The highlight of the entire night was a song performed by Cooling Prongs that started with a story: “I used to be a phone sex operator.” Most good songs start with that, so this was promising. Cooling Prongs explained that during his time as a sex worker, he had recorded and kept dozens of audio recordings from his clients. I believe this was my first time grooving to the sound of a male orgasm.
The artist provided a unique experience blending his dense real-world sound with cascading harmonies emanating from the man in the pink cowboy hat. Further elevating the performance was the accompanying performer Sharon Udoh, who laid rhythmic, soulful hymns alongside the song prominently featuring men reaching climax.
Open Mike Eagle
Very few artists are willing to open with suggestions. “I have a new set I am excited to try out, but was wondering what you think I should start it out with.” This piqued the interest of one fateful fan who requested “For DOOM”, the rapper’s ode to a musical inspiration, the late great MF DOOM. An interesting note to kick off a concert with, but Open Mike Eagle committed and, in turn, won the crowd over.
The sincerity is palpable through every bar, and it’s refreshing to hear it delivered through traditional rhyme schemes. Much like the performing predecessor, the attitude was inviting. One that Mr. Eagle has perfected through his clever nonchalance.
The performance of “Microfiche” flexed the artist’s voice and humor. “Ok but I’m the phone screen” tells a story of exactly that – the desperate emotion behind what at first seems to be a trivial problem makes for a hilarious, personal, and relatable song.
The master storytelling of Open Mike Eagle and the raw, layered field recordings of Cooling Prongs lead into the perfect blend in clipping.
clipping.
The experimental hip-hop group can be a difficult sell to new fans. ‘It’s cool because the sounds are so visceral and have a density you can feel. Okay, that didn’t work.
“It’s raw storytelling of Oakland upbringing that is image-heavy.” Still nothing? Fine.
“It has Daveed Diggs”. Perfect. Enough to make the most unsuspecting partner a willing participant in a Clipping concert.
I mention the ‘face’ of the group first because for most modern fans, that is the draw. Never a misplaced breath, nor a misspoken word in the performance. Even if he did stumble during the set, no one would notice since he is rapping at three words per second – just enough for the crowd’s ears to pick up traces of the human language.
What differentiates Clipping from most other artists is the sensory bombardment delivered during the set. Jarring, abrasive, yet why can’t I stop moving my body?
One word to describe the production: crisp. No performatively exaggerated DJ moves from William Hutson and Jonathan Snipes – only surgical precision. Demonstrated in “Code”, the technical malfunctions become a backdrop for Diggs to get the crowd bumping.
The highlight of the entire night was Sharon Udoh. By the end of the performance, the thought “it was nice of Sharon Udoh to let Clipping play beside her”—a Nigerian-American piano player using traditional hymns to highlight her modern style. In contrast to the mechanical, industrial depth provided by Hutson and Snipes, Udoh slices through the production like a holy blade, layering deeply human and personal piano improvisation. Backing vocals and piano fit like a puzzle piece to the tune of “Body & Blood”. Not a sentence I thought I would be saying.
If people were not familiar with the pianist, they sure are now. The show’s intermission allowed the crowd (and mostly Diggs) to catch their breath—a full solo performance from Udoh garnered the biggest crowd reaction. Building into a roaring performance of “Long Way Away,” which kept the crowd locked in.
As crowds’ brains are doing backflips trying to interpret the multi-layered snare Snipes is laying down, the screen behind the group is hitting like a flashbang. Satellite images and streetside pictures filtered through an MTV-style sepia lens. Whether global paranoia, the deep state, or John Wu action movies, the visuals elicit a bit of adrenaline for those gazing in the wake. Demented TV static, strobing screens, and (unfortunately) no more videos of Ice-T filled the remainder of the time.
Finally, as the night came to an end, Diggs wished the audience safe travels. With a final command to “tip your bartenders”, a familiar riff jumped out of the speakers—the unmistakable clap of a certified classic. A defeated Daveed laughed and gave in to the producer’s commands. Clipping’s rendition of Tipsy topped off the first stop on the group’s latest tour.
