Graphic by Emma Kumer / North by Northwestern
Let’s be honest – you probably don’t know any of the WNUR stage lineup this year. But that shouldn’t discourage you from getting to know them, according to the station that’s bringing Bunny, Chynna Rogers, Downtown Boys, MikeQ and Marie Davidson to Dillo Day. NBN spoke with Bienen junior Brock Stuessi, the general manager for WNUR, for all the details about this year’s WNUR stage lineup. (This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.)
NBN: What makes the WNUR stage different from the Dillo main stage?
Stuessi: WNUR focuses on promoting underrepresented music and voices and ideas on our station, and so that’s what our stage is about. It’s trying to bring forth these underrepresented artists – we generally tend to try to include female artists, people from the LGBTQ community, Black artists. We really want to have the most diverse stage and maybe fill in the places that maybe the main stage does not and cater towards the underground music community and those who have those music interests.
NBN: How did WNUR put together this year’s lineup?
Stuessi: We had a team come together that was made up of the music directors from Rock Show and Streetbeat, [two WNUR shows]. We always want to bring a DJ. We’re always looking to bring a rapper. Those are the two things that Streetbeat does, and so they were fortunate enough to come across a bit of a pairing of Chynna and MikeQ, [who] both work through the same booking agency. Then with the Rock Show, I really wanted to have bands. We’re super excited to have Downtown Boys – female-fronted, representing the Latino community as well, and a more hardcore band, which I really like. And then Bunny, a local Chicago band. And then Marie Davidson was kind of a collaboration between the two shows, this live electronic musician.
NBN: Who are you most excited to see perform on the WNUR stage?
Stuessi: I’m probably most excited to see Downtown Boys. I think it’s going to be a super fun show, very high energy. I’m interested to see what Marie Davidson does too, like her live electronic setup. I’ve heard good things about her shows.
NBN: What’s WNUR’s goal in having a Dillo stage?
Stuessi: It’s twofold. It’s to present this music to a larger audience, to give it voice to the larger Northwestern community. But also, to raise awareness about WNUR and about the thing we do here. I think that there are a lot of people on campus who don’t even know we have a radio station, a student-run radio station. I would hope that through doing this, if people see the stage, like the music, [they] can hopefully find a home at WNUR if they haven’t found it yet.
NBN: Why should students make sure to check out the WNUR stage?
Stuessi: Though you may not have heard of any of these artists, they all are extremely talented musicians. It’s really good to sometimes bring yourself out of your comfort zone, sometimes see something that you aren’t familiar with, and that’s the kind of experience you’re going to have at the stage. Regardless, it’s going to be fun, it’s going to be a good time. Open your ears.
Find the WNUR stage at Dillo Day on May 20 on the Lakefill.
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