Greg McEvoy and Leiki Kopvillem giving an acoustic outdoor set on August 24 as part of the 4in1 Ottawa Music Sessions. Photo courtesy of Jackpine Co. ©
It’s such a treat to get to enjoy live music outdoors on a beautiful summer afternoon, let alone when it happens to be on a rooftop overlooking Ottawa’s picturesque Chinatown neighborhood. What more could you ask for?
Liam Mooney, Creative Director of Jackpine, welcomed us inside his digital agency this past Saturday, August 24 on the occasion of the 4 in 1 Ottawa Music Sessions, a monthly gathering of music lovers who join at various outdoor locations across the city to catch intimate performances by local musicians. The 4 in 1 Music Sessions is a great new initiative that takes live music out of the clubs and concert venues and into unconventional urban settings in an effort to reach wider audiences.
Liam kindly opened his doors (and gave access to his roof) to Ming Wu, organizer of the 4 in 1 Music Sessions, for an afternoon of music with Greg McEvoy, llvekyo, StillNative and Fevers. About 30 people attended the event, and it was nice to see that those who showed up did so for the love of music.
Toronto-based musician Greg McEvoy kicked things off accompanied by backup vocalist Leiki Kopvillem. The folk rock singer-songwriter, who recently went solo after being a member of the group Recovery Child, strummed his acoustic guitar and presented simple yet beautiful material from his upcoming debut EP Sea of Yards set to come out in September 2013. The two performed a few mellow tunes after which Greg McEvoy invited Ilvekyo to continue.
Ottawa-based project Ilvekyo, comprised of singer-songwriter and guitarist Mason Quesnel and bassist James Rooke, kept things moving with a fun and more upbeat set. They interacted with the audience on several occasions, allowing the public to get to know the musicians better.
Ottawa rock trio StillNative giving a live acoustic set as part of the 4in1 Ottawa Music Sessions on September 24, 2013. Photo courtesy of Jackpine Co. ©
Shortly after Ilvekyo’s set, it was Ottawa rock group StillNative’s time to perform and they delivered newer and older stuff and mixed it up by giving the audience folk, blues, jazz and rock tunes. The band, who used to be a duo made up of Patrick Steele and Max Savage, recently added a guitarist to its formation, now making it a dynamic trio.
Ottawa’s own Fevers, who released their debut album No Room For Light last night at Mavericks, were also on hand to perform new tunes in an effort to promote their first EP. The 5-piece indie electro rock group, who were only 3 for the occasion, wrapped up Saturday’s 4 in 1 Music Sessions by offering the audience a few original songs along with a cover as each member gave off a pleasant vibe that you couldn’t help but enjoy.
Although the musicians’ voices were sometimes hard to hear because of outside noises, it was a wonderful setting for live outdoor music in downtown Ottawa and a nice reminder that the local music scene is alive and well.
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