“Off the Record” IS the West Chester Music Scene

By: Joshua Lennon

Last semester, WCUR started a series of in-studio concerts, aptly named Off the Record.  Inspired by Live on KEXP and NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts, Off the Record gives local artists an intimate backdrop for their music for a small studio audience and radio listeners.  

WCUR has always been a part of the local music scene, but now the station is going beyond just promotion. According to WCUR’s music director, Kiera Peterson, independent local bands known as DIY, need a new home.  

“There were one or two house venues that those bands could play at, but really in the past six months or so, those venues have fizzled out,” said Kiera.

The West Chester Moose Lodge 908, which has been a popular location for DIY bands for years, closed at the beginning of January, taking away one more significant venue.  

In addition to WCUR’s attempt to revitalize the university’s music scene through three band bill shows at Station 142, Kiera launched Off the Record as a way “to give our local bands a place to play, to share the music, and bolster the music community.” While the series might not provide the same experience as a house venue, it’s about as close as WCUR can get. 

The first band to shake the WCUR lounge was Redletter, a self-described “alt-country, alt-rock, power pop trio”. With drummer Lucas Snavely as the backbone, Eric Prescott and Jonas Weidenhammer share the microphone while playing the guitar and bass, respectively. The band’s previous releases have been very measured, but the band raved that Off the Record helped them move towards a “live feel” for their next album.  

“We felt empowered to be ourselves, try some new things out, and have fun,” said Eric.  

The shows enable artists to gain experience that they might not get otherwise.  

 “A lot of the bands this will be their first show, and then we have bands that only get booked as a cover band, so they’re coming on with original music,” said Kiera. That’s kind of the whole point of Off the Record: giving artists a place to share their voice.   

 WCUR is working to develop what Kiera describes as “a synergistic relationship” with local bands where artists rely on venues to host them, and venues rely on artists and their fans. The station’s direct engagement with bands has made it a crucial player in the budding music West Chester scene, felt by the Off the Record acts. 

It’s simple: bands grow, WCUR grows.  

Reaching more students through these concerts means that more people will have the opportunity to get involved with local music, seeing people grow, find their voice, and just have fun.  

Come out to the second floor of Sykes this Friday, Feb. 6th at 6:30 pm to see Philly band Sunfields bring their bright, warm folk tunes to WCUR. Beyond this week, stay tuned this semester for Off the Record performances on Friday evenings. For more information, check out wcur.org or @wcur917thecurve on Instagram.