All Trades Promotions brought student talent to The Canopy Club on Wednesday for a night of live performances that celebrated collaboration, creativity and campus community.
Each group brought its own style to the stage, creating a lineup that moved between pop, R&B and rock-inspired sounds. The variety in genres added range to the showcase and showed how many different directions student artists are exploring.
All groups performed with a full setup, including singers, guitarists and drummers, which made every song feel more alive. Even the familiar cover songs stood out because of the way each group arranged and delivered them in their own style.
The event, organized by Jack Tolentino, a junior in AHS, featured performances by Kick Brass, Ragdoll, Les Claviers and the Electronic Music Club, followed by a late-night DJ afterparty with the Electronic Music Club.
Tolentino, founder of All Trades Promotions, said he created the organization to give students more opportunities to share their work and build connections through music.
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“I’ve always loved music,” Tolentino said. “I wanted to start All Trades Promotions as a way to give more people opportunities to play, share their music and bring communities together.”
He explained that the showcase was designed to be student-centered, incorporating RSOs to strengthen ties across campus. The group also launched a fundraiser where the band RSO with the largest turnout would receive a share of ticket proceeds, combining entertainment with student engagement.
“RSOs are a big part of the university,” Tolentino said. “I wanted to make a show that brings those communities together to bond over music and support each other.”
Michael DeCoste, a senior in LAS, hosted the event and brought humor and energy to the stage. As his first time hosting a live event, DeCoste said he was excited to help lead an experience created by and for students.
“It’s pretty cool seeing student artists start out and be part of it,” DeCoste said. “It’s going to be really fun getting the crowd hyped and watching everyone enjoy it together.”
Throughout the night, more people arrived over time, filling the space as different groups took the stage, with students cheering for performers and singing along to covers like Maroon 5’s “Payphone” and Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather.”
Among the performers was Les Claviers, a Korean music RSO. Member Hannah Chung, a sophomore in LAS, said she felt a special connection performing for a student audience.
“I feel more connected since I’m also a student,” Chung said. “Events like this give us more opportunities to perform in front of a large crowd. It’s rare to find these kinds of shows.”
As the night went on, the performance reflected the event’s purpose: giving students a stage to share their work and celebrate campus talent. The showcase not only spotlighted individual creativity but also showed how music continues to bring the Illinois community together.
