Emily Neelon |
Tucked away by the trees on the bluff is an unassuming bungalow housing UP’s radio station, KDUP. But this year, KDUP is anything but inconspicuous. With 60 Internet radio shows throughout the week, a bi-monthly e-zine and an upcoming concert, KDUP is breaking out of its bubble and bursting onto the scene.
Program Director Jack Greenwood aspires to establish the student-run station by building on past ideas.
“Last year we set up a lot of new experiences we were testing out,” Greenwood said. “This year is about perfecting them.”
Greenwood hopes to get students across campus involved in KDUP’s events and creative initiatives. The KDUP e-zine, an online publication that showcases music literature and visual art, accepts student contributions. And now that they have some new equipment, KDUP will also hold frequent DJ mixing workshops in The Cove during Pilots After Dark events.
Greenwood’s main focus is promoting student musicians through events, such as the acoustic showcase on Oct. 22. KDUP will be teaming up with Global Aide and Espresso UP to provide free live music and coffee to students while showing UP’s own talented music-makers.
“The UP music scene is small,” Greenwood said. “We know UP musicians are out there, they’re just hiding”.
Brian Blair, KDUP advisor and producer of 94.7 FM’s “Bottom 40,” has watched KDUP’s considerable growth during his five years on campus.
“I’m really happy with the staff this year,” Blair said, “and what they’ve been able to accomplish in a month. To get as many freshman and returning DJ’s back in is very exciting.”
Blair views the radio station not only as a voice for students, but also as a place he can share his love of radio.
“Being lucky enough to do it professionally for 20 years, you can’t really consider what we do work,” Blair said. “It can busy and tedious and stressful at times, but overall if you are passionate about the project, it becomes almost contagious.”
Sophomore Danny McGarry caught this contagious music passion his freshmen year. He now hosts the show “Soundcloud Spotlight” on Thursdays at 3 p.m. During his show, the DJ shares his favorite songs posted on the music-sharing site Soundcloud.
The best part of McGarry’s job, he said, is exposing students to little-known artists.
“[I enjoy] having the freedom to play music that I like [to] an audience, so I can help them discover new music,” McGarry said.
Blair, Greenwood and McGarry all agree that interested students should come by the station to get a better idea of how KDUP works.
“The more we get people in here to see what we’re doing and to hang out with us, [the more] they’ll realize just how cool what we have going on here really is,” Greenwood said. “Just come check us out.”
For more on information about KDUP, visit wordpress.up.edu/Kdup, like them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr, or visit the station located behind St. Marys. Emily Neelon is a reporter for The Beacon. She can be reached at neelon17@up.edu.
