Algonquin’ opening show featured some of the best talent in Ontario, with performances from Lights, USS and Coleman Hell.
Lights, who has performed at Algonquin so often that she deserves an honourary diploma, headlined the night. Lights hasn’t released any new songs in 2015, but is still touring and playing shows. The singer-songwriter from Timmins was definitely the crowd favourite on Sept. 10.
“I don’t think I’ve danced more at a concert in my life,” said Matthew Withers, a second year game development student, who had a close encounter with Lights. “I touched her hand and I’m way overreacting about it.”
The lobby wasn’t going to start a line-up until 7 p.m., said the Students’ Association website. But by 6:30 p.m. the SA had herded the concert-going folks off to the side of the Student Commons
“I’m so excited, I don’t know why,” said Justin Lafortune, a second-year computer science student waiting in the corral. “I’ve had Lights on my phone forever.”
Of course, Lights wasn’t the only attraction.
“I’ve been listening to USS for like four years,” said Graham Mainwood, a first-year mechanical engineering student who was also in line before the show. “I heard them for the first time on Live 88.5.”
USS is a Toronto duo comprised of Ash Boo-Schultz and Jason “Human Kebab” Parsons. The duo has a difficult to define sound that blends elements of acoustic rock with EDM, drum and bass and pop.
At one point during USS’ performance a member of the audience threw an AC foam finger onto the stage. Human Kebab wore the hand for the rest of the song.
Coleman Hell, a singer-songwriter from Thunder Bay, is best known for his single 2 Heads. He had the first performance of the non-sellout show.