WVKC, a student-run radio show at Knox, will host a concert with guest artist MAITA and a student band on Oct. 6. This event will be the first live concert hosted by WVKC since the start of COVID, and the first to have a guest artist in attendance. The event will run between 7PM-10PM on the Gizmo patio.

The event will begin with an introduction by senior Sage Lundquist, the Co-General Manager of WVKC, followed by the performance of a band formed by Lundquist and the other General Manager, senior Lua Powers. 

The event will end with a performance from guest artist MAITA. The artist has recently released songs such as A Beast, Pastel Concrete, and Loneliness. MAITA is currently on a tour, with the next stop in Denver. In addition to performances, merch will also be sold at the event. 

For the staff of WVKC, this is a big advancement from the previous difficulties of the pandemic. During times of COVID restriction, audiences were only able to attend virtual events. 

Now, with most restrictions lifted, the radio show is aiming to match the number of events that they hosted before COVID, which was two or three a year. Future events will include celebrations of homecoming and Halloween. 

Both Powers and junior Marli Messner, the music director, expressed how difficult it is to host an event. The process started in July, and involved a lot of emailing and paperwork. But to them, making the event more accessible to the public is worth the hard work. 

On a personal level, organizing an event has given them tremendous growth. The WVKC team were meeting every week to prepare for the event, and it significantly strengthened the team bond. For them, they have built skills that are important to them for life. 

“Just taking the initiative was important in the process, including asking a lot of questions,” Messner said. 

Thanks to the WVKC staff’s hard work, for the first time since COVID began, students on campus will enjoy live music.