Second annual night of music left students wanting more
Photo by Rémi Yuan
The second annual E.L.E (Everybody Love Everybody) Festival lit up the University of Ottawa on a Friday night as a crew of local musical acts kept the party rocking just outside Café Nostalgica.
One of the showstoppers of the Sept. 26 bash was BlakDenim, a nine-piece orchestra act that has mastered a combination of hip-hop and funk. The group kept the crowd bumping and connected with the audience superbly. “Intoxicated,” perhaps the catchiest song, left the crowd wanting more. You couldn’t help but bop your head to each song as they performed with enthusiasm and joy.
There was a fair bit of time between each act, but it allowed the crowd to get a drink from Nostalgica and be back in time for the next performer.
It was well worth the wait for Connor Davis, otherwise known as C-Fresh. His beat-boxing skills made the crowd gasp at times, followed by ear-splitting cheers.
Festival favourite The Lionyls returned to E.L.E for the second year and gave the crowd a taste of everything under the sun with their unique bluesy funk rock. They knew how to keep the audience entertained musically and visually, as vocalist Zach Raynor, wearing a bright yellow jacket and mesh tank top, moved around on stage effortlessly. The band even earned the festival’s first encore.
The audience was mostly filled with a tight-knit group of students along with young adult members from the Sandy Hill neighbourhood. At times some seemed impatient with the long wait in between acts, while others danced around in unison.
Other acts included Zoo Legacy, City Fidelia, NDMA, and Sarah Bradley.
