Students Get Into The Groove At Sold-Out ​“Back2School” College Street Music Hall Concert

New York drill icon Fivio Foreign and TikTok sensation Coi Leray performed at College Street Music Hall Thursday night in front of hundreds of teens in a sponsored collaboration with New Haven’s Youth and Recreation Department. The event — titled as a ​“Back 2 School Concert” — sold out in less than two days.

Mayor Justin Elicker opened the show with remarks to the youth.

“I know what you’re thinking: ​‘Mr. Mayor: You can’t wear a tie to a groove concert,’” he said. ​“So I’m going to loosen up a bit.” The crowd sent mixed reactions.

Mayor Elicker went on to describe the efforts Youth and Rec put into the event and started singing the lyrics to ​“Can We Talk for a Minute” by Tevin Campbell. The audience sang along. 

The crowd exploded into uproarious cheering when Coi Leray was announced. She burst onto the stage with an entourage of professional dancers hurtling behind her. Coi said she hadn’t spent too much time in New Haven, but she admired the crowd’s energy. 

“New Haven is turnt,” she said, holding her girlfriend backstage. ​“I don’t know much about New Haven, but the crowd is going crazy.” 

Coi’s performance followed two New Haven-based performers, Kalpheus and Acp Trigg, who had won an artist showcase sponsored by the Youth and Recreation Department in August. As a prize, they got to open for Coi Leray and Fivio Foreign. 

Kalpheus, a 17-year-old junior at New Haven Academy, exulted her love for Coi Leray. ​“It’s out of reality, it’s hard to believe I’m opening for her,” she said, ​“I’ll be performing ​‘Never Get It Back.’ It’s inspired by New Jack Swing, ​’90s-type music. It’s a heartbreak song, but I didn’t go through any heartbreak. I’ve never even dated anyone.”

Acp Trigg, a 20-year-old New Havener, said he’d be singing two of his hit singles. ​“I’ll play ​‘Broccoli,’ and I recently dropped ​‘No More.’

“‘Broccoli’ is my favorite, the way I made the song, and it started my music career. The song’s about waking up with no excuses. You going to do what you want to do for yourself. That’s how I was feeling when my brother got killed around that time.”

Gwendolyn Busch Williams, New Haven’s director of youth and recreation, called the night a success. ​“It was about having fun with the kids,” she said, ​“and also donating to charity. We don’t do these events to profit. We make them very affordable, and if there is excess beyond the costs of the venue and artists, we donate that to charity.”

Mayor Elicker agreed. ​“This is for the kids, having something fun to do in New Haven,” he said. ​“It’s exciting to have opportunities for young people in the city to have a good time in a safe and productive way. It’s also a proud moment for us to showcase some of New Haven’s artists.”

Fivio Foreign wrapped up the event with a few of his hit singles and some fan favorites before the massive crowd poured out of the theater and people made their way home. 

Learn more about local New Haven artists Acp Trigg and Kalpheus on their Instagram accounts.