Last Friday, the DU Programming Board (DUPB) hosted its highly anticipated annual MusicFest at the Levitt Pavilion. With a crowd consisting of not just DU students but fans of all ages, the event was one of the many free concerts the Pavilion has hosted. The initiative started with the goal to make music accessible to all, eliminating the financial barriers of ticket prices.
Kicking off the night was As of Today, the DU band that took first place in this year’s Battle of the Bands. The six-member group was introduced by members of DUPB, who welcomed them with flowers.
The band opened their set strong, led by the powerful vocals of Macie Fogel and Larissa Olson, both second-year students at DU. Their performance featured newer songs like “Franklin Street,” and their recent 2025 release single “As The Sun Explodes.”
Following As of Today was Arlie, an indie pop artist. Playing a high-energy set, Arlie rarely stood still. Instead, he danced across the stage and led a rhythmic clapping pattern for the growing crowd to follow.
Halfway through the set, Arlie invited a surprise guest to sing alongside him. Larissa Olson returned to the stage, not only displaying her vocal skills but mimicking Arlie’s movements with an air guitar solo.
Jeremy Zucker headlined the event. During his opening remarks, he reminisced about his time as a student at Colorado College. The crowd, filled by a majority of DU students, cheered following a comment about our winning hockey team.
Zucker played many of his well-known songs, along with the fan favorite, “you were good to me,” commenting on the missing vocals of artist Chelsea Cutler. Her absence was made up for by the echoes of fans singing along.
Though Zucker has not announced a tour, the Levitt Pavilion show was a special appearance. The artist plans to release Welcome to Garden State, soon and has encouraged fans to pre-save the album.
This year’s MusicFest proved to be yet another success, bringing the DU community together for a night of talent, celebration and unforgettable music.
