Ok Naledi performing in the worship hall at First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa. April 24, 2026. Photo by Jacob Carabetta.
Friday Night brought a wave of folk, friends and fun to the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa. With Ok Naledi and Alysha Brilla kicking off a jam-packed weekend of performances and workshops for all members of the Ottawa community.
Upon arrival spectators are greeted by dozens of volunteers and organizers of the event who make each guest feel welcome.
The venue is the main worship hall of the church, and as fans walk in, they get a blast of sunshine through the windows beyond the stage, framing a picturesque sunset over the Ottawa river.
First United Congregation of Ottawa. Worship Hall. April 24, 2026. Photo by Jacob Carabetta
The crowd, a mix of Grassroots enthusiasts and other excited locals begins to fill the room just after 7:00. As the time draws closer to the first act, voices rise and the anticipation begins to build gradually.
At 7:29 the lights dim, building anticipation even further.
Brennen McNally, the stage manager of the event, introduced Ok Naledi calling them a “high-energy afro fusion group” that “blends guitar lines and movement-inspiring beats.”
Ok Naledi set a slow but progressing tone. The crowd, settled into pews and scattered seating, leaned in quietly — an intimate listening experience rather than the dance floor energy the music seemed to call for.
The set’s early highlight came with “The Lonely Heart Killer” the second track of the night. Naledi prefaced it with a story about a trip to Nova Scotia and an obsession with true crime documentaries and podcasts, a detail strange enough to pull the room tighter. The song itself leaned harder on guitar and a driving beat, a slight departure from the opener, and it landed well.
As the set progressed Naledi did much of the talking, charming the crowd with stories — including one about a stint working on a cruise ship where she claimed to know 200 songs — and calling the Grassroots volunteers the “nicest human beings.”
At one point she caught herself and laughed. “Just play the songs Naledi,” she said.
By track six, ”Catch My Vibe,” the room began to loosen. The crowd was warm, engaged, and appreciative — but never quite moving. This could be a product of the narrow seating arrangements within the pews.
I spoke to a man named Ian, a grassroots music fan who drove three hours to be at the festival this weekend. He explained that even though you may not expect it, people at blues festivals are usually “up at the front moving around”, though today was not the case.
When Naledi invited the room to dance for the final song, ”Keep Going,” only a few obliged.
Ok Naledi are a captivating act. But on this night, in this room, they may have had the wrong crowd.
During the intermission, the spectators filed from the pews to other areas. Some moving outside to look at the solar system on such a clear April night. Others gathered for refreshments and conversation in fellowship hall beside the theatre.
As the crowd waited patiently for the second act, Holly Alaine was seen setting up her canvas to do something quite unfamiliar to the live music stage: paint Alysha as she performed.
Holly Alaine with her painting of Alysha Brilla. April 14, 2026. Photo by Jacob Carabetta.
By the time Alysha took the stage, the fans in attendance were excited.
Alysha, began her set with a calm, collected thank you to the sponsors and spectators of the event, making a joke about the live painter saying, “I’ve only seen this at weddings.”
The first song, Rescue,” immediately captivated the audience with Alysha’s guitar playing and voice, and by the second hook of the song, almost everybody was singing along with her fostering a beautiful, welcoming atmosphere.
At the end of the first song, Alysha gave the crowd a tidbit about how she rarely plays alone. So Holly Alaine painted a black and white cat on her left cheek, to symbolize that she is not alone while performing solo after all.
“Sacred Rage” was a different kind of captivation entirely. Preceded by a call to “hold evil governments to account” — met with a roar from the crowd — the song’s intricate arpeggios, played while singing, marked Alysha as a true class act. The audience leaned in, tuning harder into every lyric.
From there, Alysha turned the audience into a community. Taking fan requests, she crafted a medley spanning “Deep Talk,” “Dreamer,” “Woman,” “Healing,” “Hungry Heart,” and “Centre” — a “sampler platter,” as she called it, joking it was “good for attention spans.” Those who knew the songs felt it; those who didn’t, wanted to.
By the final song, “Bigger Than That,” the crowd was singing loudly. Alysha brought out Kiera on drums and Naledi on the shaker, creating a full band celebration.
As the night wrapped, the stage manager’s words said it all: “This isn’t the end, it’s only the beginning.”
Related