What Everyone Really Wants

Graphics by Anika Dua

The popular student-run radio station WERW (What Everyone Really Wants) hosted their 2023 launch party for the year last night, and it was all we hoped it would be. The party was held in the beloved Schine Underground, filled to the brim with booths that sold vintage clothing, cool posters, and totally cute tote bags. And really, who doesn’t need a tote bag? 

As it is a radio station after all, I was excited to see the powerhouse lineup of musicians for the evening. Padma, a sophomore at SU, played a dreamy indie set with classics such as “Beltway”, “I’m so Cool", and even a cover of Radiohead’s “High and Dry”, which was a real crowd pleaser. With an all female band to boot, Padma brought the house down in a haze of powerful drums, classic chords, and an atmosphere full of light. 

Next up was Devon Again, an alternative pop artist backed by a live drummer. With fresh originals and electronic flairs, everyone was hype. I mean, everyone. One 100 gecs cover of “Stupid Horse” later, I was completely sold. At a launch party, you need an upbeat and fun vibe, and that is exactly what Devon Again brought to the purple-lit stage. 

Last but certainly not least, was Hannah Jadagu. She’s an NYU student (which, in all fairness to my beloved Syracuse, is the cooler New York school), and brought a full live band with her. All over the map with genres from indie rock to bedroom pop, there was a little something for everyone. Between the distortion off the wall and playful interaction with the crowd, we at Jerk consider Hannah one of our new favorites to watch out for. 

WERW is known around campus as the place to go for student radio. One of the amazing hosts of their many shows, sophomore Olivia Friess, was kind enough to answer a few questions about working at WERW. Her radio station is called Not Ur Dad Radio.

Jerk: How did you hear about WERW?

Friess: I actually knew about WERW before I even got to Syracuse! I knew about their launch party events as well prior to coming here. As a Bandier student I connected with a lot of kids in the program over the summer before my freshman year, and I heard all about WERW and knew I had to join. 

Jerk: Why did you want to join WERW?

Friess: I’ve wanted to have my own radio show as long as i’ve been into music (so, forever). I grew up listening to a lot of radio stations that really influenced my taste, so as soon as I got to Syracuse, I got involved with WERW. I love discovering and sharing music more than anything, and this is a really cool way to be able to do that. 

Jerk: Lastly, what is your favorite thing about WERW? 

Friess: I would say that my favorite thing about working with WERW is the community of the station. I've been running Not Ur Dad Radio since my first semester here, and since then I've had a lot of my friends stop by for a show and eventually start their own radio shows, and it’s been really fun getting to see their shows too. The community is another reason I'm really excited that the launch party is back because we all just get to come together and listen to great music for a night. It's also been an oddly good way of staying in touch with people. I'll have friends from back home or family members reach out to tell me they tuned into the show and had a good time, which is always really cool to hear. 

You can stream Not Ur Dad Radio on Tuesday nights from 10-11 PM EST :)))