DU Programming Board (DUPB) hosted another concert to remember at Levitt Pavilion on May 24. The show featured three bands with Exhaler and Fly by Midnight opening for Between Friends. 

This year, the event drew almost 800 students from DU as well as a large audience from the greater community flooding Levitt Pavilion. 

For DU students, DUPB worked hard to elevate their experience. They were offered merch, refreshing drinks, empanadas and transportation to the event.

“I really loved how easy DUPB made it with the transportation and the food,” said sophomore John David O’Hara. 

Exhaler was the first band to take the stage, earning their spot by winning Battle of the Bands earlier this year. 

They started the night off strong at 6:30 p.m. As they played their opening notes, it was clear they had the potential to blow the expectations out of the park. 

By the end of the concert, the entire crowd was on their feet. Exhaler stared out across the pavilion, soaking in the praise. 

“It was just a super fun time,” said sophomore Annabel Carithers. “Now I see them around campus and it’s kind of cool.”

For some, Exhaler was the highlight of the entire night, outperforming some of the more established, experienced bands there. 

“It was definitely a great vibe. They all seemed to work really well together,” said Carithers.

When Fly by Midnight took the stage at 7:30 p.m., the energy was already high. They kept the party going with an emphatic set that had the crowd jumping. 

As they wrapped up, anticipation started to bubble for the headliner, Between Friends. Finally, smoke rose from the stage and music started to play. The crowd went wild, especially those in the front who had to fight for the best seats in the house. 

Many of them held signs for Between Friends, wore merch or even had a record they wanted signed. 

But for others, it was their first exposure to Between Friends’ music, creating lifelong fans.

“I really couldn’t tell if they were siblings or dating,” said O’Hara. “Some great music too.” 

Overwhelmed with a mixture of anticipation and the fumes from the smoke machine, one audience member was unfortunate enough to pass out. 

Event staff were quick with their response and were able to provide medical attention to the attendee. Once it was clear that they were okay, the show went on. 

Between Friends stepped onto the stage and were met by a roar of the eager audience. This hype seemed to fuel their show, as they put on a set that was high energy and interacted with the audience frequently. 

Every time they got the chance, the duo held the microphone up, got close to the crowd or even left the stage and stood on the barrier. The audience loved it. 

By the time they were done, the entire audience seemed closer to the performers and to each other, capturing perfectly what MusicFest at Levitt Pavilion is all about.