On Friday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m., the University of Maine student-run radio station WMEB 91.9 hosted an acoustic session at the North Pod in the Union. According to Collin Wilkinson, WMEB radio host and UMaine student, the goal of the acoustic session was to provide a space for local musicians to play in an intimate environment.
“WMEB is putting on this session because as a radio station we have an obligation and a responsibility to incorporate and service the community with different events and different information,” Wilkinson said. “Music is a huge part of community and a lot of things in the community are better centered around music because music is important to a lot of people.”
Many students attended the event to support musicians and to watch the show. Six total acts performed and played a range of original songs and cover songs. The event was very low-key and intimate in setting.
“I love it, the first thing I noticed was how wonderful it looks,” Jonathan McCullum, a UMaine student, said. “The setup was done really nice and I think [the setup had] right amount of acoustics.”
Local Orono band Wyld Lyfe performed at the acoustic session, as well as other performers from the UMaine area.
“I think it’s important that WMEB is hosting an acoustic session because it ties the whole music scene together here; a couple of years ago I didn’t really know of any live music scene in the Orono and Old Town area and I feel like the radio station is helping to cement the scene together,” Sean Randall, guitarist and vocalist for Wyld Lyfe, said.
Wyld Lyfe played at the Boomhouse Restaurant in Old Town from 9 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, Dec. 5 in a show open to ages 18 and older. The band played original material as well as cover songs. Wyld Lyfe’s new EP album, “Mess Around and Mayhem,” was available for sale.
“It is a really cool opportunity for us to play in a bar where there can also be younger people so there is a wider audience,” Randall said.
On Friday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m., WMEB will also be hosting a concert at the Innovative Media Research and Commercialization Center (IMRC) at the UMaine Campus. Wyld Lyfe will be opening for Boston band Vundabar in this post punk and rock event. Orono is one of the many stops on Vundabar’s tour after the release of their sophomore album, “Gawk.” Tickets are free and can be picked up at the WMEB station in the basement of the Union.
“We chose Vundabar because of personal connections and their album was very successful at the station,” Wilkinson said.
This will be the second time that Wyld Lyfe plays with Boston trio Vundabar. Wyld Lyfe has played shows all over Maine and teamed up with local bands such as The Cards, Gym Dandy, Lunch Cult and Livid Orange.
“We plan to use the money from the gig to buy a PA system which means we can do random shows anywhere that there is an outlet,” Randall said.
Wyld Lyfe began at UMaine in 2012 when musicians Sean Randall and Jackson Cromwell started playing music together. The band consists of three other members: Collin Whitton, Dexter Morse and Joe Hern.
