Last week, the FLY 905 crew took over PK Creek’s Bar & Grill for Live From the 905: High Grade Society. For all those who aren’t familiar, FLY 905 Clothing is a clothing line run by five young men who were childhood friends, and decided to turn their middle school crew into a business that offers apparel to people who live in the 905 region. This was the second concert we sponsored in collaboration with the multi-talented Conroy Stewart – also known as Stoo-ie – who was also a headliner for the event. I was out of the country for the first event so this was my first one, and it was definitely an awesome experience.
Maverick, another headliner, brought in a huge crowd of supporters and showed why he is truly a “Young King”. He looks and sounds a bit like Mac Miller, but spit with the confident swagger of a man looking to make his own name. The crowd responded, chanting his lyrics, dancing and simply going berserk. The guy even had people ripping off their clothes. His was definitely a standout performance.
The likes of C$, Space Lead, Kysean the Don and Bain$in all spit their finest verses, and we also got to hear the silky smooth voice of singer A-Rich, who paid homage to Sam Smith during his set. Ehh Jay, a big man with big skills, featured throughout the show as a hype man for ND’C and Yiz Paris and also performed a superb solo set. Apollo’s Greed, a drummer-DJ tandem, put on a spectacular marathon set to end the night. The duo stamped their signature sound on every song they sampled, from trance-inducing dub-step to boastful Kanye West anthems to the hardcore head-bangers of Rage Against the Machine. No genre went unturned, and no head did not nod.
Although we proudly rep the 905 area code, we’re definitely influenced by Toronto, the Screwface Capital. Sometimes, it’s not easy for artists to get love around here until they get a co-sign from someone famous. But, the first step to achieving acclaim is to get people listening, and with a packed venue, that wasn’t a problem for us. The next thing you need is talent, and last night was truly a showcase of the 905’s finest.
The show with Stoo-ie, who lit up the stage twice. First, he performed some of the hottest songs off of his new mixtape, Pick It Up. Later on, he switched from his from his high energy tracks to a hazier, spaced out vibe. I definitely dug it, and so did the crowd. Aside from performing, Stoo-ie was the catalyst in organizing this show. As an event planning student, he used his talents to find a great location, bring in talent and to create an exciting party vibe in the venue.
As the main sponsors of the event, FLY 905 Clothing gave prizes to some of the great people who came out. I know our winners reaped great rewards, but the FLY 905 team did too. As a brand, it’s a special moment when your company transcends simply being a business and becomes a community fixture. The fact that a group of teenagers is successfully selling great clothing is already amazing to me. But with events like this, we’re imprinting our name on something more than a transaction receipt. We are truly representing the 905 by being a part of the culture, and offering a platform for the talented people from here to show how great they are. I couldn’t be more thankful for our supporters, customers and my friends and business partners who I have known since middle school. I don’t we could have imagined that our crew at David Leeder would turn into this. It’s an amazing feeling.
Live From the 905 is something we definitely want to continue, we can only see this event getting bigger and better. To all those who came to watch, to all the performers, and to all of the people who we’ll see at the next event, we thank you and appreciate you. STAY FLY.
