Wonderfest is an annual street festival which recognizes the uniqueness of Akron’s West Hill Neighborhood. The day-long celebration features music, food trucks, handmade craft vendors and art workshops.

This year was the third annual gathering but my first time attending. I was there to see Euphoria Pleasant, a new instrumental jam band which showcases the talented Berhane Selassie Okantah (Instagram) on guitar. This was to be their first live performance as a group.

I parked a few streets over from Oakdale Avenue where the festival took place. The vendors and artists were still setting up their booths, so I walked around and talked to a few locals.

A glassblower approached me while I admired his vases and plates. He told me that he liked my glass pendant. I asked him if he makes any pendants or pipes. Through a grimaced expression he replied “No.” He invited me to the free glass blowing class later that day but I had to decline due to work commitments.

When the food trucks opened I went to the taco vendor. I bought three tacos for ten dollars. The meat choices were chicken or beef. I wrestled with this decision in my head for several moments and ultimately went with beef.

There was nowhere to sit and eat, so I walked back to my car (the carfeteria). Upon glancing at the tacos, before even taking a single bite, I realized I should have chose the chicken option. Hunger was the deciding factor in my choice to move forward and consume the cuisine.

With a belly full of beef I walked towards the beer garden where the concert was to take place. It was an open lawn with a stage and seating area. It was a great place to hold an outdoor concert! There was nobody sitting at the check-in table so I walked into the garden and took a seat near the front of the stage.

A few minutes later a woman walked up to me and politely said “Excuse me, this beer garden area is 21 and over only. You will need a wristband to sit here.” As I pulled my ID out of my wallet to prove my age, two unsupervised children ran past us, laughing while waving sticks. She didn’t bat an eye at their presence, which I thought was odd. She put a wristband on my wrist and walked away.

When Euphoria Pleasant began to play I walked towards the front of the stage. I went into the concert not really knowing what to expect and I liked what I heard. The musical style was melodic, bluesy and relaxed, which was a perfect soundtrack for the blissful 70 degree Saturday afternoon.

The vibes were pleasant and they truly made me feel euphoric when combined with the Roach disposable, which I puffed during the performance. The sound reminded me of a Jimi Hendrix CD I used to listen to all the time called Morning Symphony Ideas. After attending this concert I’ve heavily gotten back into Hendrix.

The bass player, Mike Fiander, laid down a solid foundation for Berhane to groove upon. Noah Powell, the drummer, was truly amazing. He reminded me of prog rock greats such as Neil Peart and Mike Portnoy.

Noah added unique personality to the tunes while he toyed with timing and smashed satisfying symbol splashes. He wore a shirt for the band Periphery. I checked this band out after the show and enjoyed their sound! I can see how Noah draws inspiration from prog rock and I’m certain he will continue his musical journey with confidence and creative conviction.

The most intricate and well-crafted tune was Descended from High Places. All three musicians shined bright on this one, showcasing their unique talents and abilities in complete unison. The song took me on a roller coaster journey that left me in awe and truly established the band as one to watch out for. The drumming was varied and nonstop. The bass boomed and bridged the barrier between the drums and Berhane’s guitar, which told a tale of treachery and triumph.

Even more shocking was the story of how the song was written. When I asked Berhane a few days later about the track, he said they wrote the tune in one take during band practice. It spontaneously formed like it was meant to happen, almost as if the notes had been descended upon the musicians from a high place within their collective consciousness.

The band doesn’t have a website at this time but I will update this article when that changes. For now you can enjoy Euphoria Pleasant’s 2024 Akron Wonderfest performance by downloading or streaming below.

Euphoria Pleasant Live at Akron Wonderfest 2024
Saturday, October 5th, 2024 at 12:15 pm
Runtime: 39 minutes and 17 seconds

Setlist:
1. Ebb and Flow
2. The Nameless Jam
3. Descended from High Places
4. You Might Already Know
5. 10/5 Vibes
6. Four Minutes

102mb MP3 download (.zip file)