Snow may have covered Hamline’s campus the night of Winter WonderJam, but the musical acts that the Hamline University Programming Board brought in were on fire and filled the space of Kay Fredericks Ballroom with music that, many agreed, was worth the venture into the tundra.

Starting off the night with their first-ever acoustic set was local Minneapolis group Early Eyes. The five-piece group, who performed as a four-piece with their drummer sitting this gig out, brought an almost bluesey vibe, captivating the crowd with universal truths hidden in the lyrics of their seemingly everyday songs.

One such song that really captured the audience’s attention was “Penelope,” which was Early Eyes’ closer. The simple tune had a bouncy rhythm and an easy to join in section giving  the crowd a moment of unity with the band in one last vocal section before the instrumental fade out which signified the end of the performance.

“They had a very chill vibe but it was fun,” sophomore and Oracle Photographer Tyler Leininger said.

The highlight of Early Eyes’ set appeared to be their rendition of Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie.” The already-familiar tune was given new life thanks to the band’s use of cello, which enhanced their acoustic sound.

“Early Eyes’ cover of ‘Valerie’ was my favorite moment of the night,” sophomore Erica Stewart said.

After their performance, the members of Early Eyes were just as excited and energized about the show as the crowd was.

“It was one of the most fun things we have done in awhile,” guitar player Joe Villano said.

Lead singer Jake Berglove echoed this sentiment.

“It was our first out acoustic show together… It turned out really well in my opinion,” Berglove said.

When asked how Early Eyes wanted their audience to feel during a show, guitar player John O’Brien described the desired effect.

“I want people to feel good and escape for a bit. I want people to feel like all the things they have been depressed about for however long stop existing for a while,” O’Brien said. And it would seem the band accomplished just that.

“I dug it a lot,” sophomore Katie Keyport said. “I was excited to be there because they were into it and feeling it.”

“They had a chill vibe and it was a fun surprise. They were a change of pace from the last three years which is cool because it shows Hamline hosts a variety of bands,”  senior Taylore Evans said.

But the night did not end there. Following Early Eyes was London-based performer L.A. Salami, who delivered just as impressive and enjoyable of a performance.

L.A. Salami started off with a bang: his harmonica. From there, L.A. Salami brought his hard-hitting grooves that wove complex and compelling stories, enthralling the entire room.

“L.A. Salami was heavier than Early Eyes but he was still feeling it so I felt it too,” Keyport said.

“Everything is so textual and he’s such a good songwriter and lyricist,” Berglove said.

A highlight of L.A. Salami’s performance was his song “Day to Day (For 6 Days a Week)” which he wrote for anyone who has a job and doesn’t want one, or for those who don’t have one but need one.

“It makes you really appreciate the good turn of phrase….’Day to day (For 6 Days a Week)’ I wanted that to be three hours long, I was feeling it,” said O’Brien.

Another highlight of L.A. Salami’s performance, and the night as a whole, was when he dismissed his band and took the crowd on a journey of ballads.

“When L.A. Salami was alone and pulled out his harmonica, that was an intimate moment… Both bands made very beautiful music” sophomore Kiira Christopherson said.