Students and visitors alike crowded in the Curb Event Center Saturday night for the 2014 Urban Pop Showcase, a concert characterized by the diversity and energy of its acts.
Performers included Annie Bany, Morgan Bosman, Monica Moser and the showcase’s winner Cam.
Accompanied by wildly talented background dancers, Annie Bany, dressed in a shiny pink skirt and silver high-tops, opened the evening with a high-energy act. Her party anthem lyrics and dance moves proved her weight as a stand out performer.
A technical difficulty before the second part of her performance did cause a brief loss of momentum, but it was recovered with a striking rendition of one of her favorite songs, “Glitter in the Air” by P!nk, followed by yet another fast-paced, percussion-driven pop song, “Paradise,” to end her set.
Morgan Bosman took the stage next with more ambient, jazzy tones and a little surprise for the crowd. The St. Louis native brought the audience to its feet halfway through her first song when she stopped singing and began to play the flute, weaving a whimsical and hypnotizing melody that resonated throughout her act.
Her lyrical crooning offered a slightly ethereal aspect to the songs and at the end of the show, she brought the masses to their feet, playing a cover of TLC’s “No Scrubs” with the same soulful energy that made her popular within the first few minutes of her performance.
Monica Moser’s mid-tempo songs, propelled by powerful vocals and well-arranged musical accompaniment, kept the show’s momentum up. Her poetic lyrics gave her a strong connection to the audience that clapped along with the rhythm.
Light blue grass undertones in her songs— courtesy of violin-player Kelly Hagan— leant an extra depth and uniqueness to the pop performance. Her endearing stage presence was topped off when she called performing at the showcase “so much better than the Curb Cafe.”
The winning performer of the night, rapper and songwriter Cam was welcomed by a crowded floor, his constant movement, fast-paced lyrics and interaction with the audience making him a crowd favorite. His second song, which was “about love, because sometimes we like people and stuff,” had a slightly old-school feel to it, reinforced by the trumpet-playing and background vocals.
By the last song, the crowd had their hands up, swaying along with Cam and the rest of the band. Throughout the performance, it was clear that both Cam and his band were having a blast playing, an infectious energy the crowd could feel.
The 2014 Rock Showcase will be held on Saturday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Curb Event Center.
ARTICLE: Riley Wallace
PHOTOS: Andrew Hunt