Everything you missed at WCWM Fest

Despite cold weather, WCWM Fest was a success.

On Saturday, April 9th, The College of William & Mary’s radio station WCWM 90.9, hosted WCWM Fest, a concert the station puts on each semester.

In the past, the music festival has featured acts such as Mac Demarco, Real Estate, and countless other indie bands and artists.

Last week’s concert was particularly special. On Saturday, the student-run radio station celebrated its 50th anniversary. WCWM alumni, along with current students, were in attendance at the event.

The line up featured Lucy Dacus, a singer-songwriter from Richmond, Virginia with a strong local following, Soul Case, a funk-rock band from Litchfield, Connecticut, as well as headliner Car Seat Headrest.

Soul Case at WCWM Fest (photo by Gabrielle Pachon)

The festival was held outdoors at Lake Matoaka Amphitheatre. Bundled up in winter coats and hats, students huddled together as they watched the bands play in front of a beautiful, scenic background with the sun setting over Lake Matoaka.

For such a large venue, the concert felt remarkably intimate. The show was well-attended and audience members stood on the stage to be as close as possible to the bands performing.

The crowd danced to Lucy Dacus’s new hit single “I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore,” as well as Soul Case’s “Zombies.” Both tracks have gained enormous popularity amongst students at William and Mary this year. Audience members danced, moshed, and sang along to the songs they knew.

Lucy Dacus at WCWM Fest (photo by Gabrielle Pachon)

For Car Seat Headrest frontman Will Toledo, playing WCWM Fest was a homecoming. As a graduate of William and Mary’s Class of 2014, many of the audience members knew him personally. He played popular tracks such as “Maud Gone” and “Drunk Drivers / Killer Whales,” as well as taking requests from the audience who sang the words to all of his songs.

Car Seat Headrest at WCWM Fest (photo by Gabrielle Pachon)

WCWM Fest has always been a music event featuring up-and-coming artists. Over the past year, Car Seat Headrest in particular has garnered a massive following. With the release of his album Teens of Style last October, Car Seat has risen from a college rock band to indie stardom status. The band has received critical acclaim from prestigious music publications like Rolling Stone and Pitchfork. They have also embarked on successful tours across North America and Europe and they continue to record new music.

Although Car Seat Headrest was the event’s headliner, the highlight of the show was Soul Case’s set. Their music filled the space with positive energy and catchy tunes that made the crowd dance – an impressive feat for a relatively-unknown band. Soul Case’s guitarist Mike Brightly, a junior at William and Mary, played melodic and funky guitar solos that accompanied the powerful vocals of singer Jeremy Kriksciun. Matt Abel, a senior at William and Mary, filled in on bass which complemented Kriksciun’s vocals, Brightly’s guitar playing, and drummer Elliott Hall’s steady beats. After such a spectacular performance, Soul Case definitely gained some new fans.

Altogether, WCWM Fest was impressive concert. Each artist brought their own style and musicality on stage and each act appealed to the audience. I look forward to hear what they do in the future.