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Show Recap: WDHA Rocks New Jersey with 2024’s Rock the Rock Fest

By Evan Leong

Photo Credit: Evan Leong

On April 25th, 105.5 WDHA held its third annual Rock the Rock Fest at the iconic Prudential Center in Newark. A festival for rock lovers across the state, iconic bands Staind and Seether prepared to deliver historic performances. Meanwhile, fans like me felt nothing but excitement for a long night of rock music. I’m happy to report that I left the show thrilled after discovering new artists and witnessing great performances from others I was more familiar with.

Photo Credit: Evan Leong

WDHA’s Program Director Terrie Carr introduced songwriter and guitarist Ayron Jones and his band to kick off a long, energetic night. They were the only artist I was completely unfamiliar with entering the show, but I truly enjoyed their performance. In particular, I enjoyed Jones’ gritty vocal delivery. Their songs also featured diverse guitar lines with twangy, shimmering cleans and upbeat, overdriven leads. Jones’ band members guitar and bass players were animated and full of smiles. I thoroughly enjoyed their set, and I’m excited to check out more of their material. They set the stage well for the next band on the bill.

Photo Credit: Evan Leong

That band was Dayseeker, one of my favorite artists – and a band I was so excited to see perform again. Known for their sad, synth-laden alternative metal, they were a great change of pace from Jones’ upbeat rhythms. I last saw Dayseeker in New York City with metalcore band Bad Omens, where they put on one of the most emotional sets I’ve ever experienced. This performance was no different. Vocalist Rory Rodriguez put on a standout performance, as I’ve come to expect. His powerful belted vocals in songs like “Burial Plot” and “Neon Grave” conveyed so much pain and emotion. If there’s ever a band that can get you through a tough time, it’s Dayseeker. And I’m thankful I had another opportunity to experience them live.

Photo Credit: Evan Leong

The next band absolutely blew me away, British rock quartet The Struts. They put on one of the bounciest, danciest rock-and-roll sets I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing. Prior to the show, I had heard a couple of songs by the band, but I wasn’t familiar with their music. However, their live set was an otherworldly experience (and now as I write this review, I’m voraciously digging into their discography). While every act was great, The Struts may have orchestrated my favorite performance of the night. Their playful vocal lines and upbeat rhythms were accompanied by a charismatic performance full of dancing and smiling. It was such a joy to watch, and their performances of “Kiss This” and “Primadonna Like Me” were energetic and unforgettable.

Photo Credit: Evan Leong

Hailing from South Africa, Seether has been an icon of the hard rock/alternative metal scene for over two decades. Their experience is evident on stage; their performances sounded nearly identical to the studio versions of the songs. I was surprised when the band pulled out their hit song “Broken” early in the set. While photographing the band, I heard a united choir of voices behind me as fans sang the words. Toward the end of the set, “Fake It” elicited cheers from the crowd, and I saw plenty of fans bouncing up and down in the crowd. Their set was fun, and I enjoyed my first time seeing the iconic band perform.

Photo Credit: Evan Leong

After a long wait and budding anticipation, the curtain dropped for esteemed rock band Staind as they launched into “Lowest in Me,” which at the time of its release was the band’s first single following a 12-year hiatus. What impressed me the most was the cohesion in their performance. Vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis displayed a cool, collected rockstar swagger; he casually smoked a cigarette while alternating between deep, raspy cleans and distorted screams. Lead guitarist Mike Mushok also stood out to me, bouncing around on stage with boundless energy. Fans jumped around for the entirety of Staind’s performance, and the band closed with “It’s Been Awhile” and “Mudshovel,” two defining songs in the post-grunge genre.

Rock the Rock Fest may have been a long night, but its relentless energy kept me excited throughout. The diversity between the bands kept me on my toes, and I felt privileged to be able to cover a show at an arena as iconic as Prudential Center. I’d also like to thank WDHA for their generosity in allowing me to organize a ticket giveaway for the show. I had an excellent experience, and I’m excited to see what next year’s Rock the Rock Fest has in store.

Tagged concert, music, show review |

Festival Preview: Gov Ball 2024

By Deven Sukhdeo

New York’s iconic festival Gov Ball will return in 2024, headlined by SZA, Post Malone, 21 Savage, The Killers, Peso Pluma, and Rauw Alejandro.

Located in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York City, other strong acts will perform, such as fan factories Sabrina Carpenter, Dominc Fike, and Reneé Rap.

Credit: Gov Ball

Gov Ball has something for everyone this year.

Fans of rap will be excited to see Yung Gravy, Teezo Touchdown, Sexyy Red, and many other acts that will bring the energy. Fans of more relaxed alternative and indie music will get to witness memorable performances from Faye Webster and Beach Fossils.

Attendees can look forward to amazing food and beverages, with an entire food lineup.

Credit: Gov Ball

Purchase tickets at https://www.governorsballmusicfestival.com/ while they are available!

Festival Preview: Boston Calling 2024

By Deven Sukhdeo

Boston Calling is back for Memorial Day Weekend this summer! Many fans from across the world will be traveling to Boston to see this year’s lineup. This year’s headliners include Ed Sheeran, The Killers, and Tyler Childers.

WRSU alum Mike Emanuel among five to be honored in Rutgers’ Hall of Distinguished Alumni

Westfield native and WRSU alum Mike Emanuel (RC ’90) has been selected as one of five influential Rutgers University graduates to be inducted into the school’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni.

Emanuel was a prominent member of the WRSU Sports staff in the late ’80s, graduating in 1990 with a degree in communication. He’s currently Fox News Channel’s chief Washington correspondent, and a co-anchor of Fox News Live. He joined the network in 1997, working out of Los Angeles, and now resides in the Washington, D.C. area.

Also to be inducted:

Jeffrey Bluestone, and internationally recognized immunologist
Wade Henderson, a civil rights veteran and advisor on the subject to major corporations and non-profits
State Sen. Ray Lesniak, who served in the New Jersey Senate from 1978 through 2018
Patricia Devitt Risse, who founded a company that developed multiple innovative cancer treatments

The April 25th ceremony will be held at the Stone House at Stirling Ridge in Warren, NJ.

Tagged Mike Emanuel |

Live Show Recap: Couch @ Brooklyn Bowl

By Briana Perez

Photo Credit: Briana Perez

On Saturday November 11, Couch performed a sold out show at the Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn, New York. The venue was one that I had never seen before. There were multiple bars surrounding the general admission pit and a bowling alley right next to it! I thought it was such a cool set up! Will definitely be checking that out in the future!

The opening act for Couch was Alisa Amador, a bilingual singer songwriter from Massachusetts. From the moment she went on stage, I was in awe. Alisa, along with her band, played several of her original songs, both in English and Spanish. Some of my favorite songs from her setlist was Timing and one of her Spanish songs which I, unfortunately, cannot remember the name of (so sad). I loved watching her set and I even added one of her songs to my rotation playlist!

Live Show Recap: All Time Low @ Starland Ballroom

By Evan Leong

Photo Credit: Evan Leong

In the past two decades, few pop punk bands have been more influential than All Time Low. With tracks like iconic emo anthem “Dear Maria, Count Me In” and recent TikTok sensation “Monsters,” the band’s discography of catchy punk rock has inspired millions since their inception in 2003. The Maryland pop punkers easily sold out Sayreville’s Starland Ballroom on September 15th, despite it being the first night of a back-to-back at the same venue. Though anticipation was at an all time high, fans still left awestruck after All Time Low’s electric performance.

The show kicked off with a great set from singer-songwriter Lauran Hibberd and her band. Her energy was exactly what fans needed from a first opener. Hibberd’s set was full of smiling and dancing, and her performance of her single “Honda Civic” was fun and bustling with energy.

Tagged concert |

Live Show Recap: Trivium & Beartooth @ The Warfield

By Evan Leong

I had high expectations for this show. As a fan of both headliners, I know that Trivium and Beartooth are veterans, masters of their crafts. But they easily exceeded my expectations and assembled one of the greatest live shows I’ve ever witnessed. I’m currently stationed in California, and I had the opportunity to cover their double headliner here at San Francisco’s Warfield Theater.

As fans streamed into Market Street’s historic venue, the atmosphere was beautiful – partly cloudy weather, a fresh breeze, a light chatter as fans formed a line down the block. Fans repped Trivium’s red and gold “Deadmen and Dragons” tour merch, as well as purple and tie-dye Beartooth shirts.

At 6:30, hard rock band Archetypes Collide kicked the show off. They’re a band I wasn’t too familiar with, but they quickly won me over with catchy vocal melodies and a fantastic stage presence. The highlights, for me, were their excellent cover of Linkin Park’s classic “One Step Closer,” as well as their opening song “Parasite.” The band’s youthful energy was contagious, and they set the tone for the rest of the show.

Tagged live review, music |

WRSU inducts inaugural Hall of Fame class, including Matt Pinfield and Mark Chernoff, while celebrating 75th anniversary

Matt Pinfield, shown here (on left) DJing with Ed Wong on June 10, 2023, was one of the headliners in WRSU’s inaugural Hall of Fame class.

With over 120 alums, current students and community members on hand, WRSU not only celebrated its 75th Anniversary Saturday night, but also inducted its very first Hall of Fame class, including legendary MTV host and rock DJ Matt Pinfield, and New York radio programmer Mark Chernoff.

The gathering at the College Avenue Student Center’s Multipurpose Room on June 10th followed live broadcasts on the air from the four living Hall of Famers – Sudzin, Pinfield, Vericker and Chernoff – over a span of eleven hours.

A total of six individuals were enshrined in the brand-new Hall of Fame – including the late WCBS newsman Harvey Hauptmann, the late journalist and journalism professor Roger Cohen, “Knightline” trailblazer Steve Vericker, and long-time “Sudzin Country” host Herb Sudzin.

The reunion also was a celebration of the upcoming 50th anniversary of WRSU becoming an FM radio station, a transition that was completed in 1974, after being an AM carrier-current station – heard only on campus – for 26 years starting with its debut on April 26, 1948.

In conjunction with marking both anniversaries, two groups also were honored with induction into the Hall of Fame: the founders of the station in 1948, and the FM transition team which included students there as far back as 1968.

Live Show Recap: NCT Dream @ Prudential Center

By Chey Olexa

After nearly 7 years since their debut, NCT Dream has come on their first full-group tour to the United States. The NCT subunit has been releasing hits and topping charts in various countries since 2016. Their tour, The Dream Show 2 made stops in Asia and Europe before their first show on the American leg in Newark on April 5.

Fans made the best of their day in the city with free fan-made goodies along with events hosted by different groups. Some freebies spotted were photocards and phone charms with different members’ names. If you came before 5 p.m., there were cupsleeves being given to those who bought drinks at the local bubble tea spot. At 4 p.m., many gathered for what is called a random play dance. This is where the choruses of popular K-pop songs are played at random and those who know the choreography come to the center to show off their skills. Despite the chilly, wet weather, everyone was kept in good spirits with those around them.

The show was electric from start to finish. From the moment everyone’s lightsticks lit up to the moment the lights came back on, fans were screaming in glee. The setlist included songs from all eras of the subunit’s career from their debut song “Chewing Gum” to their latest release “Candy.” There were different medleys performed throughout the show in order to include as many tracks as possible. One of these medley’s included what is called the “first love” series. This part of the set started with a fun skit of the members observing their youngest, Jisung, and his troubles texting his “first love”. The songs in the performance included “My First and Last”, “Bye My First…”, “Love Again”, “To My First”, “Sorry Heart” and “Puzzle Piece.” Many of their popular title tracks were performed in shorter versions throughout the night.

All sides of NCT Dream’s performance skills made an appearance during the concert. Throughout the set, they made sure to include songs that showcased their vocal and rapping skills along with their choreography heavy tracks. This included a dance to the song “Quiet Down” with transparent boxes as props that some members moved inside while some moved on top. As the setlist was filled with songs from all eras of their career, the group transitioned from youthful to mature so there really was something for everyone. Even security was found dancing along to their English version of “Beatbox.”

Each of the seven members gave their all. There were many fun moments to be caught as the night went on and the members gave their farewell speeches. Some fans were lucky enough to interact with the guys from a distance. During their encore stage, the audience was allowed to throw gifts on the stage (carefully) as NCT Dream played with a few of the stuffed animals and hats on the floor.

Both the group and the fans waited patiently for this tour and it was a positive experience for all in attendance. As of this writing, The Dream Show 2 is making its final few stops in the U.S. before heading back over to Asia. When this subunit comes back around, it is worth a visit no matter how much of a fan you are. While awaiting for Dream’s comeback, NCT’s newest unit ‘DOJAEJUNG’ is debuting with the mini album “Perfume.” Make sure to check out NCT’s extensive discography. There are so many different styles so you’re bound to find a few new songs you’ll love.

An Interview with khai dreams

Visual Media Director Olivia Stabile sat on a call with Oregon-based musician khai dreams to discuss their latest album Absolute Heartbreak, the pressures of virality, and future projects. Check out the interview on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/d0hU3FXn3Dw!

Tagged interview, music |

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