The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The Canopy Club honors Mac Miller with themed charity event

DJ+F.O.H.+applies+stage+effects+to+unite+the+crowd+at+Canopy+Club+on+Saturday.
Angel Saldivar
DJ F.O.H. applies stage effects to unite the crowd at Canopy Club on Saturday.

On Saturday, The Canopy Club hosted a “Best Day Ever” night, paying tribute to late hip-hop artist Mac Miller. The rapper and songwriter would have celebrated his 32nd birthday on Jan. 19.

The audience came out to hear Miller’s greatest hits while also supporting local youth, as a portion of the night’s ticket sales were donated to youth music programs across the area. 

While doors opened at 8 p.m. and music began at 9 p.m., most of the crowd trickled into the club around 9:30 p.m.

DJ F.O.H. opened the night with Miller’s track “BDE.” Despite the song being the event’s namesake, people were still standing toward the back of the club and chatting, with very few crowd members swaying to the music.

After the first two songs, F.O.H. addressed the crowd by saying “Hey Canopy, what the f— is going on?” and then requested people move up toward the front of the club, which they did.

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As the night went on, more people trickled in, and the crowd started singing and dancing more. 

The club boasted a casual atmosphere where people could come enjoy music, alcohol and company.

The Canopy Big Room held a stand for nuEra Dispensary as well as a bar. 

Overall, there was a variety of clothing worn by the crowd with people wearing anything from sports jerseys to actual Mac Miller merchandise.

Throughout the night, F.O.H. played songs like “Therapy,” “Ladders” and “Oy Vey.” Most of the crowd enjoyed the music by standing, swaying and occasionally singing along. However, during the beat drop of “Self Care,” the crowd started jumping to the beat and waving their hands.

As the night continued, the audience danced more freely with even some of the event staff joining in. F.O.H. utilized the strobe lighting as well as videos projected on stage to add some effect to the event.

Most of the videos were unrelated to the music, with some being a slow pan of a mountainside and others being abstract shapes and psychedelic patterns moving to the beat.

However, to introduce the song “Happy Birthday,” F.O.H. played a video from the BET Hip Hop Awards in 2018 in which Anderson .Paak gave a short speech on Miller’s influence after his untimely death in 2018

During a few other songs, F.O.H. played the music video in the background, creating a more immersive experience. “Colors and Shapes” had a unique music video with an animated video of a puppy exploring a dream-like world. 

Around 11:30 p.m., F.O.H. took a break off the stage by playing part of Miller’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert video. The crowd cheered after each song in the video, the loudest being at the end of the last song as if Miller was performing live. 

 

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About the Contributor
Angel Saldivar, Assistant Photo Editor
Hey there, you might recognize me as the photographer who's often at community events in Champaign-Urbana with a camera in hand. I'm currently finishing my Journalism degree at the University of Illinois. Since my first year in 2020, I have been capturing moments for the Illini Media Company, and I've recently become the Assistant Photo Editor. Filmmaking is another passion of mine – shoutout to my film club Illini Film and Video! Keep an eye out, as you could see me filming the next big hit on campus. When I am not using the camera, I am usually playing the drums. Should you have any inquiries, please don't hesitate to send me an email!
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