WASU celebrates 30 years of college radio

Kevin DeLury - Entertainment Beat

College radio has become an essential promotional tool to up-and-coming musicians and independent labels in the last 20 years.

This April, Appalachian State University’s student-run station, 90.5
WASU, will be celebrating its 30-year anniversary.

While most major radio stations are filled with automated playlists and relatively unexciting one-hit wonders, college radio takes a break from played-out artists who have already established a name for themselves in order to give exposure to bands unheard of in the mainstream.

On more than one occasion, college-run radio stations act as a springboard into the world of corporate music. Artists like Jimmy Eat World and Dashboard Confessional can be found every day on MTV2 and even MTV’s top-10 hit show, “Total Request Live.” Upon close inspection, one finds the roots of these bands are based in college radio.

Aside from music, there are also sports and talk radio, tailored toward events and issues concerning students.

Most importantly, college radio is run by students, who devise their own playlists suited to their show’s format. Almost every hour, students will rotate shifts on air and in turn rotate genres.

In just one day, a listener can hear everything from talk radio to classical music to hip-hop. Boundaries that have been firmly established at major radio stations for years are done away with in a college radio environment.

Appalachian State’s student-operated station will commemorate its milestone with a Friday show at Cafe Portofino. The lineup will include local bands such as Brentwood, which recently won-over students with their infectious brand of punk at the Battle of the Bands, Sherman and Winston-Salem hometown heroes Codeseven.

Codeseven will be arriving in Boone fresh off their nationwide tour with Trustkill Recording artists Poison the Well, American Nightmare and Eighteen Visions.

Renowned for their intense and often intimate stage shows, listeners will be able to hear songs off the seminal Codeseven albums “A Sense of Coalition” and “Division of Labor” as well as preview new songs from their upcoming album, “The Rescue.”

Sophomore Ross Herosian is currently a disc jockey and one of the assistant programming music directors at WASU. He can be heard Tuesdays from noon - 2 p.m. and Sunday from 8 – 10 p.m. with his punk show “Take Warning.”

“The good thing about alternative radio is that it’s like an umbrella,” said Herosian of the variety in programming on the station. “We get a little of everything, and we’re always open to new ideas.”

The most important aspect of the station and its commitment to underground music is the dedication and passion which students pour into their work.

“Music is my whole life,” said Herosian. “Working at the station is an experience that you can’t equate into any paycheck.”

Herosian also hopes other students will take interest in WASU.

“I encourage people if they don’t like the station to get involved. I
want everyone to know about WASU, even if they hate it,” he said.

WASU’s anniversary show will begin at 8 p.m. Admission is $5.