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Leslie Odom Jr. singing with his arm raised at Gentlemen's Factory in Brooklyn
The GF Journal · Performance

An Evening with Leslie Odom Jr. at Gentlemen's Factory

Tony and Grammy Award winner Leslie Odom Jr., the original Aaron Burr in Hamilton, filled Gentlemen's Factory with music on a Friday night in March 2025: an up-close performance, a candid conversation and a room that didn't want the night to end.

When
Friday, March 7, 2025
Where
Gentlemen's Factory, 1082 Fulton Street, Brooklyn
Featuring
Leslie Odom Jr.
Theme
An intimate performance and conversation
Photography
Kevin Jean-Jacques / KvonFoto

Some performers fill arenas. On Friday, March 7, 2025, Leslie Odom Jr. filled a room on Fulton Street, close enough that the front row could have reached out and touched the microphone.

Odom is a Tony and Grammy Award winner, best known for originating the role of Aaron Burr in Hamilton, with starring turns in One Night in Miami and Purlie Victorious. For one night, he brought that voice to Gentlemen's Factory in Brooklyn for an intimate party and performance.

The performance

With nothing but an acoustic guitar beside him, Odom sang to a standing-room crowd that pressed in from every corner. He laughed between songs, stepped into the audience, sang to guests up close, and raised his arm to the ceiling on the big notes while phones went up all over the room to capture it.

Leslie Odom Jr. singing with his arm raised at Gentlemen's Factory in Brooklyn
Leslie Odom Jr. live at Gentlemen's Factory.
Leslie Odom Jr. singing seated on a stool
Leslie Odom Jr. singing into the microphone
Leslie Odom Jr. reaching toward the crowd as he sings
A guitarist accompanying Leslie Odom Jr.
Acoustic guitar and a voice: all the room needed.
Leslie Odom Jr. and his guitarist performing together
A packed room watching Leslie Odom Jr. perform
A packed room on Fulton Street.
A guest filming the performance on her phone
Guests smiling and recording the performance
Guests enjoying the performance from the couch
Leslie Odom Jr. singing to guests up close
Leslie Odom Jr. smiling as he sings
Leslie Odom Jr. laughing between songs
Leslie Odom Jr. embracing a guest after his performance

The conversation

Between music, Odom sat down for a candid conversation with Michael Blake, a former New York State Assemblyman and former Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee, who was running for mayor of New York City at the time. The evening was presented by Blake's campaign as a fundraiser, and Odom lent his support.

Leslie Odom Jr. in conversation with Michael Blake
Leslie Odom Jr. in conversation with Michael Blake.
Leslie Odom Jr. smiling during the conversation
Leslie Odom Jr. and Michael Blake seated beneath the event flyer
Leslie Odom Jr. and Michael Blake embracing

The room

Jeff Lindor, founder and CEO of Gentlemen's Factory, welcomed guests as host. Michael Blake has long been close to the Gentlemen's Factory community, and we were glad to open our doors for the evening. Hosting the event was not a formal endorsement by Gentlemen's Factory.

Jeff Lindor welcoming guests to Gentlemen's Factory
Jeff Lindor welcoming the room to Gentlemen's Factory.
Jeff Lindor and guests cheering at the start of the evening
Leslie Odom Jr., Michael Blake, Jeff Lindor and guests at the start of the evening
Jeff Lindor embracing a guest as the evening begins
Michael Blake addressing guests
Guests gathered for a group photo with Leslie Odom Jr. at Gentlemen's Factory
The whole room, one photo.

Why it matters

Gentlemen's Factory was built to be a home for the conversations, culture and people that move our community forward. Nights like this one, when a world-class artist shares his gift in a room built by and for our community, are a reminder of what that home can hold. See what's next on our events page.

Thank you to Leslie Odom Jr. for an unforgettable performance, and to everyone who packed Fulton Street that night.

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