Written by: Frank B
For the past year now, The Bytown Blog has been hosting local music and poetry shows that highlight the local Black cultural scene and Friday, April 1st was no different. If you care about Black culture in the city, Da BTB Show (vol 2) hosted by the Bytown Blog at the Avant Garde Bar (135 Besserer street) was the place to be last Friday! The show started around 10pm and all the familiar faces, such as Alexie behind the counter serving refreshing drinks, were there.
Jay L, a man of many talents including poet extraordinaire, popped the cherry with an opening statement and a very emotional but inspiring poem that involved the crowd with a call and response chorus ‘that was us’. Kali X Breezy then took the stage and wowed us with amazing and very creative r&b and hip hop covers that he gave his own twist. Then came Newcomer and local legend Shbaby and respected OG Cardo who kept reppin Eastside! The energy was A1 even if this was Shbaby’s first live performance. After that, the extremely elegant and first lady of Ottawa hip hop, Hai$a, the smooth and highly lyrical IC-Art and the man with the coolest demeanor and illest flow in local rap Harry Blazng took the stage and kept entertaining us with their biggest hits such as ‘Cool’ and ‘Stay Over’.
Around midnight, the headliner of the event Pe$o Ferg went on stage and gave an energetic performance that definitely had the crowd rocking with him. One of the highlights of the show was when Pe$o jumped in the crowd and was dancing and vibing with the crowd. He had the audience singing along at the top of their lungs to some of his hits such as ‘Pockets’.
The crowd was highly entertained and I personally left the show with a better and deeper appreciation of the artists who performed and the wealth of Black talent that our city is blessed with. This show is certainly another addition to the long list of successful events organized by the Bytown Blog. These shows are quickly becoming inescapable in grasping young Black Ottawan cultural life. One thing is for certain though, make sure to be at the next event because if you weren’t there you missed out tremendously!
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