This Saturday, audiophiles will invade downtown Pullman to experience the musical styling of local musicians at the Main Street Music Festival.
KZUU, WSU’s student-run noncommercial radio station, collaborated with Pullman’s Main Street businesses last year to celebrate the reopening of downtown following extensive construction. It served as a reintroduction of Pullmanites to their downtown as well as stimulating Main Street post-construction.
“Main Street Music Festival was a way to celebrate the reopening of downtown and as a way to promote local businesses,” Bridget Murphy, fourth-year public relations major and KZUU general manager, said. “It also brings light to local musicians and student musicians.”
The second annual Main Street Music Fest will take place across four local venues: Rico’s Pub, Pups and Cups cafe, Brused Books and the Hotel McCoy.
Each venue will host 2 to 3 artists over the course of Saturday afternoon and evening, with many acts sourced from WSU.
KZUU DJ and music director Devyn Upham will perform an acoustic set at Pups and Cups, finishing up just in time for listeners to catch rock duo Aqua Velva at Rico’s Pub.
Laine Bennett, a third year criminal justice major and KZUU’s events manager said student acts like Aqua Velva were sourced directly from last semester’s Cougs Got Talent.
“It was a really good talent show this year, we got some great talent show people,” Bennet said.
In addition to student acts, WSU professor Cameron McGill will be performing, accompanied by students, and the Palouse Jazz Society, which Murphy says includes many WSU Alumni.
Murphy was stationed at Pups and Cups for the duration of last year’s festival, but Bennett said that the dark, speakeasy vibe of Rico’s is perfect for the jazz acts stacked through the evening.
“They’ll be closing Rico’s, it’s such a cool vibe, it’s perfect for jazz,” Bennett said.
Among acoustic singer-songwriters, jazz group Radiohead 2 will follow up the hardcore rock of Aqua Velva at Rico’s Pub before relinquishing the jazzy vibe to the Palouse Jazz Society.
“Radiohead’s coming. People have to come see them,” Bennett said.
KZUU collaborates with organizations across campus and across Pullman to organize local live music events, like last semester’s Zzutopia and the Main Street Music Festival.
“Pullman is very tight-kint,” Bennett said. “I think the event is really exciting and fun and it brings the community together and I think that’s what we’re trying to do with the radio station.”
While the Student Entertainment Board focuses on bringing larger acts to WSU through events like Cougfest, KZUU’s purpose of bringing attention to underground artists aligns with local live music events like the Main Street Music Festival.
“Our mission is to promote smaller artists, it’s important specifically with local musicians to give them a platform to share their art. It’s cool that we get the opportunity to do that,” Murphy said.
The Main Street Music Festival will be taking place from 2 to 9 p.m. on Saturday Nov. 8, split across four downtown venues in Pullman. Keep an eye out for performance times and locations on KZUU’s Instagram @kzuu90.7fm. The event is free to attend and suitable for all ages.
