Category: Local

by John Downey '23 on November 4, 2022
A&E Co-Editor

WDOM’s Events Continue to Get Better

On Oct. 28, Providence College’s radio station, WDOM, held its annual “Tune In With WDOM” event. Six student performers and bands performed for their peers in the crisp autumn air. While there was consternation about attendance due to the event falling on the first day of Halloweekend, Tune In turned out to be a massive success and a great time for everyone involved.

DJ Houseparty, a.k.a. Kieran Kraus ’23, kicked off the proceedings with a vibrant blend of songs that got people moving the minute they were within earshot. For the first 20 minutes of Tune In, the beats emanating from Kraus’s laptop echoed off the buildings surrounding Slavin Lawn, calling out to anyone in the area who was not already en route to the concert.

The music completely changed direction when Alex Sateriale ’24, the next performer, took the stage. With just an acoustic guitar, Sateriale played sparse, emotional versions of songs such as Foo Fighters’ “Everlong” and The Fray’s “How to Save a Life.” Many of Sateriale’s friends showed up to support him, and they were invited to sing along with him during the last song he performed, The Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris.” The sound of everyone singing together, whether they were in key or not, truly highlighted the togetherness of everyone who was in attendance. It was one of many nice moments of the event. 

After Sateriale came a trio under the name The Skimp, The Jamoke, and The Liar. Composed of Ben Guisto ’24, Reid Keiper ’24, and Nick Grilli ’24, the group pulled up some chairs, sat down, and immediately captivated the crowd with their remarkable vocal harmonies. Performing songs by Fleet Foxes, Coldplay, and The Beatles, as well as original material, the three brought to mind groups such as Crosby, Stills, and Nash, with their vocals flowing over a mix of guitars, tambourine, and piano. Recordings of the group’s original songs have become highly anticipated after the show; perhaps there will be a review of their music in a later article of The Cowl.

The performance by The Skimp, The Jamoke, and The Liar marked the end of phase one of Tune In, as the next three performances were by full bands. The first of these was The Keegan Turner Band. Featuring Keegan Turner on vocals and guitar (obviously), Colin McNamara ’25 on lead guitar, Jack Downey ’23 on bass, and Dennis Chadwick on drums, the group tore through six original songs. One of these songs, “Thrill of the Hunt,” was brand new and had never been played live before. The other songs included the band’s most popular single “Prequel Love” as well as the crowd pleaser “Take a Chance.” 

Coming on after The Keegan Turner Band was Freshman Year. The band consists of Maisie Cocker ’25 on vocals, Alonso Moreno ’25 on guitar, Mason Wasserman ’25 on guitar, Wesley Stephens ’25 on bass, and Ryan Peduto ’25 on drums. Cruising through songs such as The Pixies’ “Where is My Mind?” and Declan McKenna’s “Brazil,” the five-piece combo radiated confidence during their entire set. Towards the end, they even ventured into the crowd for a rendition of Cage The Elephant’s “Cigarette Daydreams.” Bathed in the glow of the stage lights, as well as the flashlights from people’s phones, the group truly ended their set in a blaze of glory.

Concluding the night’s festivities were the raucous stage antics of St. Joe and the Dorms. With the classic lineup of Griffin May ’24 on vocals and guitar, Jack Downey ’23 on vocals and bass, and TJ Johnson on drums, the group returned to their roots by playing a set almost entirely composed of Ramones covers. In rapid succession, they played “Rockaway Beach,” “Blitzkrieg Bop,” and “California Sun,” along with some deeper cuts. During their set, they displayed their usual high amounts of energy, running and jumping all over the place. There was even an instance of somersaulting on the ground in front of the stage. The night ended with a performance of the Dorms’ original “Sometimes I Think” as well as “Route 66.” As soon as they had appeared on stage, the band was off, and the show was over.

The event was a giant success for WDOM, with a larger stage and new sound system vastly increasing the quality of the concert. The fan favorite Presto Strange O truck also made an appearance, selling out almost as soon as they arrived. Overall, the night was incredible, and the anticipation for the next WDOM event is through the roof.