The WUTK Exam Jam, a concert to benefit UT’s student-run radio station, 90.3 The Rock, will take place this Friday at The Valarium.
All proceeds go directly to WUTK, a non-profit radio station at the university.
The benefit show will feature various genres of Knoxville’s local music scene, such as americana/folk group Big Country’s Empty Bottle, electronic-jam band Arpetrio and indie punk from Faux Ferocious.
Also playing is the “Sound-Off Battle of the Bands” winner, funk/soul group Aftah Party, and metal band The Idle Hand. The show will also feature DJ sets from J-Mo and Groove Troop, who will close the show.
“This is really an opportunity for our listeners to become active in keeping our radio station on the air, and we absolutely depend on that,” Benny Smith, WUTK station manager, said. “At the same time, they can enjoy the variety of our local music scene as well.”
WUTK depends on many different sources to keep them functioning on a daily basis.
“If it wasn’t for our listeners, underwriters and donors, we would not be able to play all this great local music,” Smith said. “We wouldn’t be on the air. WUTK has played more local music and supported the local music scene in Knoxville more than anyone else by far, and we continue to do so and will for many years.”
Sometimes WUTK asks the bands they support to support them as well.
“From time to time, we ask our local music scene to help us out,” Smith said. “This is a great way with them stepping up, as they always do, and donate their services with these performances.”
Alex Mindermann, guitarist/keyboardist for Arpetrio, said the band is excited to return the support the station has given them.
“The station has played a huge part in getting our name out locally, so the very least we can do is play this benefit concert,” Mindermann said. “Especially when we get to perform among some of Knoxville’s finest music.”
Carey Hodges, one host of The Rock’s “Local’s Only” show on Tuesday nights, said the musical diversity is exactly what the students involved were going for.
“We wanted to do a benefit that represented all of the different genres that exist in our local music scene,” Hodges said. “I think this event is really unique. We really have something for everybody.”
Admission is a minimum $5 donation for those 21 and over and $8 for those 18 to 20.
For more information and an event schedule, go to http://wutkradio.com or http://thevalarium.com/ValariumWebApp/.