LAKEWOOD, Ohio — Jan. 7 was a big night for Mahall’s in Lakewood. The venue featured three local bands: The Little Ditties, Archangel, and Guiche.

Archangel and Guiche opened the night, with The Little Ditties playing the headlining set. Each band showcased local musical talent ranging from high school students to young adult musicians.

The event drew a large crowd, and the performers plan to continue playing as their groups grow. In Lakewood, local bands demonstrate pride, bring people together, and provide a space to share a love of music. Many bands begin locally, and concerts like this at Mahall’s help grow their platforms and introduce new music to the community.

The first band featured was Archangel. The group, comprising five high school students, combined instruments and vocals to create original music.

“The best quality in the band is seeing how each and every single one of us has a different view or idea, due to our variety of influences, and yet we still come together and are able to make a song fully without shutting down someone’s idea,” said Phoenix Reavis, the band’s lead singer.

“The best part of our concerts is seeing the crowd — the variety of people that show up, new faces, returning faces. It’s always a beautiful sight to see people have a genuine interest in what we do,” Reavis added.

Archangel is scheduled to return to Mahall’s on Jan. 20.

Following the two opening bands, The Little Ditties took the stage. The band, started three years ago by three girls, now includes a new male drummer.

The group has grown significantly over time. “Since it’s been three years, we have played so many genres, played so many places, and gained such a community to surround us,” said bassist Lana Collins. “We started with just four girls who had literally no idea how being a band works, to making an album and selling shows bigger than we could have imagined.”

Collins originally formed the group through connections at The Lakewood Project, the high school’s youth rock orchestra. “I had asked around The Lakewood Project to see if anyone was interested, and Anna and Emily had said yes. We had one practice, and then I posted on Snapchat that we were searching for a vocalist. Ten minutes later, Elizabeth was at practice,” Collins said.

Although the band members have busy lives, they still make time to practice and perfect their music. “We are known to kind of cram all of our practices two weeks before a show, but we try when we can,” Collins added.

The community has shown immense support for these local bands by attending their shows — even when they are unfamiliar with the music.

“I think the best part is the fact that kids are easily able to perform in front of a crowd and get money at a young age, giving them a lot of practice and opportunity for if they want to pursue music in the future,” said Olivia Brady, a Lakewood High School student who attended the concert. “My friend asked me to go with her, and I will return — I enjoyed it very much.”

The Jan. 7 concert also featured Guiche, a band of four young adults. The group gave the audience a teaser of their new single, “Bananananana,” which debuts today, Jan. 16. Guiche’s next show is also scheduled for tonight.

The love of local music was in full bloom at Mahall’s last Wednesday night. The venue hosts concerts for a variety of bands multiple times a week, usually at a low cost, providing a consistent platform for emerging musicians to connect with the Lakewood community.