PHOTOS AND REVIEW: The Leak Show on 11/5
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PHOTOS BY: Claire Cronin
WRITTEN BY: Claire Cronin and Zoë Longley
On November fifth, about thirty other guests and I were able to immerse ourselves in a night filled with music and dancing. Live from Chinatown and hosted by Eli Capela, the 4333 collective scheduled a strong set of performances from Chuck Acid, Ajay, Shawn Smith, OJ Mountain, and Suite45.
The smaller-sized venue made for an immersive experience where the audience was able to feel like part of the performance. The walls were covered in neon colored graffiti art from the ground to the ceiling, creating an electric space for local Philly artists to perform. Also, for those that are 21 and up, there was a sweet bar setup not far from the stage, which was convenient for those that wanted to relax at the bar while enjoying the music.
Ajay performed a stripped down set of his own original songs, as well as a cover of Latch by Sam Smith. He supplied the vocals while his friends were on bass, saxophone, and the drums. Ajay’s acoustic version of his songs had everyone swooning in the crowd. It was the perfect balance of relaxing beats paired with an overwhelming amount of passion within his performance.
Suite45 and OJ Mountain had a joint performance with Danny on the bass, Jackson on the drums, Quinn on the keys, Andrew on the guitar, and Oscar providing the vocals and the saxophone. This combination of instruments led to an undeniable dynamic and their stage presence had the entire crowd moving. OJ Mountain’s music fits into a very specific niche of music by pairing rapping with playing the saxophone. Somehow, he managed to keep high energy while also obliterating the saxophone and rapping his heart out. The same goes for Suite45 being an animated band that was able to get the entire crowd involved in their songs.
Overall, the show environment was welcoming and provided a safe space for all different walks of life to come together to do one thing: enjoy the music. Sharing a joy like music with a group of strangers makes me feel so connected to the art as well as the people around me. Chuck Acid and friends all brought their own unique style of music together to create a wonderful shared experience for the rest of us.
