ELLNORA, the biennial guitar festival of Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, kicked off with its opening night events on Friday.
KCPA was adorned with guitar cutouts hanging from the ceilings for the festival that celebrates the musical legacy of its founder, Ellnora Krannert.
Decorated with lights and plenty of live music, KCPA was filled with members of the Champaign-Urbana community who came out to enjoy performances from many award-winning guitarists.
The venue also featured a host of family-friendly activities, such as caricature artists, a temporary tattoo station and a photo booth.
The event started off with an electric guitar rendition of the national anthem from acclaimed singer-songwriter Malina Moye, which concluded to rapturous applause from the crowd.
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South Florida artist Roosevelt Collier performed a unique blend of funk, gospel and rock in a breathtaking hour-long set. A true virtuoso on the steel pedal guitar, his sound enthralled from start to finish.
The Stephane Wrembel Band played songs from the frontmanʼs recent record, “Django New Orleans.” The legendary French guitarist is known for his mix of jazz, blues, flamenco and classical — all of which shone through throughout the performance.
The night also included a performance from The Surfrajettes, a Canadian musical group performing a combination of psychedelic rock and surf music. The four-piece closed out the night’s free music events.
Festival headliners Rodrigo y Gabriela finished out the night by packing Tryon Festival Theater with an electric performance. The Grammy Award-winners performed music that they largely wrote during the pandemic, they announced on stage.
With one acoustic guitar and one electric, the duo melded the sound of the audience with the noise from their instruments on stage as they performed. The pair played their first ever live performance of their new song “Monster,” inviting the audience to make up a story in their heads as they played.
Rodrigo y Gabriela brought an exciting element to their playing, as Gabriela told the crowd that every time they go home between tours they “get creative” with their music, by either writing new pieces or changing old ones.
For just two instruments, the duo created an incredible amount of sound that brought the audience to life, getting the entire theater on their feet for the last few songs. Rodrigo y Gabriela will begin the European leg of their current tour in Germany on Sept. 25, having just finished the American portion in July.
ELLNORA continues Saturday with performances from Sharon Isbin and the Pacifica Quartet, Ron Carter Golden Striker Trio, Ani DiFranco, Andy Summers and many others. More information about the event can be found here.
