Champaign-Urbana bands hit The Canopy Club stage on Thursday to secure a spot on the SolShine Reverie lineup this spring.

Competitors were tasked with wooing the crowd to earn votes, as the band with the most at the end of the night would be set to play at the festival in Chillicothe, Illinois.

The audience received an incentive to support the event too, as each ticket holder was entered into a drawing to win a three-day general admissions pass to SolShine Reverie over Memorial Day Weekend.

The late-night battle included performances by 404, Femi Ishola, The Hangovers, Half House, Mr. Pink, Peng, Quantum, Sitrus Sol and Vorborg. 

Special guest Trouble Chasin’ helped cheer on the competitors and livened up the venue.

Vorborg kicked off the contest, filling The Canopy Club with high-octane remixes from rappers like Post Malone and Sheck Wes.

The DJ’s song selection highlighted his new-age taste and set the mood for an energetic night to come.

“We all know these songs, so let’s stand up and jump,” Vorborg said to the crowd.

Mr. Pink was up next, bringing intricate beats from popular songs like “Surround Sound” by JID. The bass-heavy set had many concertgoers jumping to the beat.

Quantum followed, with a set including original beats and a juggler with a glow-in-the-dark ball for extra entertainment.

Quantum said that coming to The Canopy Club was a challenge and expressed gratitude to concertgoers despite unforeseen circumstances.

“It took a lot to get here and not everyone could make it, but thank you for being here,” the DJ said to the club.

Peng started their performance off with an original song with an outer space theme that made heavy use of the keyboard. 

Their latter songs included covers of hit music, and many attendees were impressed, clapping for the unique performers.

With three performers down and four more to go, one audience member was eager to hear fresh music from the second leg of the contest. 

“I’m excited to listen to the sets of other artists and vote from there,” said C-U local Sri Desai.

Femi Ishola started off the back half of the event with freestyle raps and a bass-like beat in the background. The rapper encouraged audience participation, engaging the crowd throughout his set.

Half House, a group of five rappers, followed the act with a different approach to intrigue concertgoers and bring more life into the event. 

Each rapper had a different style, from low and smooth to quick and high-energy, but all exuded confidence on stage. 

The Hangovers kept the energy going with relatable lyrics from their original song “Insanity” that some audience members knew and sang along to. 

Dancing was at an all-time high during The Hangover’s numerous guitar solos, and it was hard to find someone who didn’t feel the beat. 

Near the end of the night, 404 took the stage to perform a DJ set with an upbeat pop-centered theme. 

The DJ was not afraid to let loose, and his carefree attitude boosted the overall lighthearted mood of the audience. 

Indie duo Sitrus Sol closed out the contest, playing a mellow set that had the crowd swaying to the beat. 

This group had the most verbal support from audience members, showcasing their popularity in the contest.

Special guest Trouble Chasin’ rapped a high tempo set, weaving in and out of the lyrics rapidly leading into vote tallying.

Audience members danced to the music with anticipation as The Canopy Club got closer to announcing the winning band. 

After the guest performance, event staff counted the votes for each performance, and a nervous excitement swept over the crowd. 

After a brief pause, The Canopy Club announced that Half House and Sitrus Sol had won the competition and a coveted spot on the SolShine Reverie lineup. 

Hearing the news, the audience roared with excitement, and the members of both bands grinned as they accepted their honor and expressed their appreciation.

As the night wrapped up, one concertgoer said she was glad she attended the event and got to see local bands come together for some friendly fun. 

“It’s important to support local music because it shapes culture,” said Chloe Mason, graduate student in Information Sciences. “By coming out to see these bands, you get to know more about the music scene.” 

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