On the evening of September 22, a vibrant crowd of students gathered near the University of Denver campus for a house festival, aptly named “The Come Up.” This event was hosted by Jewel House Music’s Colin Holter, Pure Artist Music’s Aaliyah Shambe and Tafari Shambe Sr., along with music producer Ricky Jumper. The night featured three performances, all for a $5 entrance fee that went directly to supporting the talent.

The evening began with the electrifying performance of the DU-based band Assistance. Composed of Adon Biggs on bass, Evan Farrenkopf on guitar, Kori Jones on voice, Erik McCready on drums and Kevin Ostrowski on keys, this group has been honing their craft since their freshman year at DU. 

Ostrowski and Farrenkopf had a particularly big night, playing in two out of the three acts. 

Kevin Ostrowski, speaking on behalf of the band, shared the origin story stating, “Me, Erik and Evan have been making music in the studio and creating songs since our freshman year when we all started hanging out. We would go all the time and just make something different every time we went. Adon started playing with us a couple of months later, and Kori has just recently joined us this year.”

“Assistance” consists of current students at DU, ranging from sophomore year to graduate school. This blend of experience and fresh talent was evident in their music, which Ostrowski described as “electronic funk/groove.” 

Ostrowski noted that events like this are “great because we get to play for friends, fans and new people that can be brought into our music from a live setting.” He also emphasized their plans to incorporate vocals into their existing songs and release them on streaming platforms in the near future.

The second performance of the night came from the multi-talented singer, songwriter, dancer and actress, Jaiel, from Aurora, Colorado. Jaiel’s setlist included “Magic,” “Better” (an unreleased track) and an impressive cover of “Valerie” that had the crowd singing along and more. 

Jaiel immediately had the crowd in awe with her outstanding vocal range and smooth tone, mixed with moments of power and sass. She not only sang beautifully, but also accompanied her vocals with some choreography, keeping the crowd engaged with every movement. You could tell she felt every lyric in her songs, and the audience couldn’t help but feel it too. 

Jaiel hadn’t played a show like this for a while, so she was excited to once again experience “lots of joy and love, which I think is always the best part.” 

During her show she noted, “I’m unapologetic for making music for black women and black girls.” This of course was followed with a roar and applause from the audience as she wrapped up her set with a powerful song titled “Sunshine Lovin’,” which is a song on her most recent EP, “The Magical World of Black Girlhood.” 

Jaiel, who describes her music as “pop, R&B music with retro influences,” spoke about the experience of being a one-woman show. She used to play with a band in college and notes that it is a whole different experience alone. 

Jaiel states that events like this “allows you to connect with people who love music and also to find a fanbase, people who are in your niche that you wouldn’t otherwise find.”

She was excited to feel the excitement in the crowd. “Usually you have to do a lot of work to get people to come to a venue, but people here are already excited and just happy to be there,” said Jaiel.

Jaiel is hoping to release another song in November, with a follow up EP which will come out in 2024. Her music is available on all major streaming platforms, and you can find her on Instagram as well. 

The final band that performed was our very own Better Weather, which has become a pretty well known band around the DU campus in the past couple of years. Those who hadn’t caught the first two performances filled in the backyard, eager to hear Better Weather for the first time in Denver since touring in San Francisco over the summer. 

Anyone familiar with Better Weather may have been slightly confused when the band took the stage. Three fill-ins, Evan Farrenkopf, Kevin Ostrowski and Jake Wehn, temporarily stepped in for members who were elsewhere. The shift in the lineup is not permanent, however. The band’s core members have a goal in mind: “one day to get those other guys back,” according to Skyler Mccoy, the lead singer and songwriter. 

Despite their crew temporarily being dispersed due to study abroad commitments, grad school and more, Better Weather’s goal remains unwavering: to introduce new audiences to the vibrant music scene at DU. In response to the question about what’s next for Better Weather, Mccoy said “Continuing to play more exciting and bigger shows at DU and around Denver, on the lookout for some more summer events.”

Mccoy described their music as a collective effort inspired by a multitude of influences. The band’s sound encompasses a broad range of styles, influenced by bands such as Fleet Foxes and Tame Impala. The result is a blend of mostly acoustic, orchestral pop. 

Better Weather released an album titled “Wayfare” in July. “It’s exciting that people might come to a show and have already listened to the music,” McCoy said. This marks a significant shift for the band, as they hadn’t always been accessible on streaming platforms.

Notably, Better Weather will be headlining a major show at the Fox Theater in Boulder on October 5. 

Keep an eye out for more performances from these talented performers and their mission to expand their musical horizons while staying true to their roots.