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Will Wood is coming to Millersville University on April Fool’s Day— and that’s no joke! The University’s radio station, WIXQ 91.7, is joining with Phantom Power to host the avant-garde singer-songwriter.
Wood, who began releasing music in 2015, incorporates many different genres into his distinct style of piano-based music regarded as “avant-pop.” He has over 870,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and some of his most popular songs include “I/ Me/ Myself” and “Love, Me Normally.”
“I’ve been a big fan of his since 2018, so being able to book him for our spring concert was really exciting for me,” says Andrea Yahraes, WIXQ’s assistant music director. “I was so happy that the April 1st date sold out so quickly. I definitely was not ready to see almost immediate results.”
Yahraes, along with music director Sam Bailey, worked with Phantom Power and Will Wood’s management team to organize this concert.
“He’s an extremely funny, dry humor kind of person who doesn’t really stray from hard topics,” says Bailey. “I feel like the appeal in that, especially for college students who come from all kinds of backgrounds, is that he makes us feel comfortable both emotionally and mentally in a way some artists try to do, but don’t come off in a genuine way like Will does.”
WIXQ has hosted music showcases in the past, and each year the radio station hosts a spring concert. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these events have been virtual. This event will be the first in-person concert for the station since the beginning of the pandemic, and this will also be the station’s first major collaboration with Phantom Power.
“For myself, this has been one big learning experience, so there have been some bumps in the road where I wasn’t sure what to do next,” explains Yahraes. “Both Phantom Power and Will’s agent were incredibly patient with me and helped guide me along my way so we could get the best outcome possible.”
“The concert with Will Wood is special for a couple of reasons,” says Dr. Lowery Woodall, WIXQ’s faculty advisor. “It marks one of the few times we’ve been able to bring in a nationally known artist. Having an artist of Mr. Wood’s caliber is a major step forward for us.”
Wood will visit Millersville as the first stop on his “In Case I Die” tour. The show on Friday, April 1 has been sold out, but a second show at Phantom Power has been added on March 31. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.
“I am immensely proud the considerable effort put in by our station staff and council to make sure that this event came together,” says Dr. Woodall. “I cannot say enough about how diligently they have worked on making this event something truly special for all involved. They are a remarkable group of student leaders and they have outdone themselves with this concert.”
Doors for both shows will open at 7 p.m. and the concert begins at 8 p.m.
For over 50 years, WIXQ has provided the opportunity for Millersville University students to share their views and taste in music while providing technical and communicative experience. For more information, visit https://www.917theville.com/.
