On Friday, April 10th, WXCI hosted local artists in the Wolves Den at the second annual “WXCI Live” event. The bottom floor of the Midtown Student Center was the site of three energetic sets from CT-based performers—hyperpop artist ArfHudson, indie alternative rock band Lootbug, and underground experimental music band XUR.

WXCI, the student-run radio station at WCSU, organized the event with extreme care and passion. While last year’s show was a success that proved to be more than worth keeping around, the WXCI board still wanted to best themselves and make this year’s show even better.

2026’s WXCI Live was focused on being a community event. PR Director Johssa Daniels spoke about how important it was that the event was properly organized for the sake of everyone involved. “It’s to provide for the people who want to come and enjoy the show, but also to show our appreciation to the bands who we did ask to play,” remarked Johssa.

Around $100 worth of WXCI merchandise was raffled off, with all proceeds going to Danbury Unites for Immigrants. Lootbug and XUR merchandise was also sold at a separate table.

The moody and colorfully lit room, unique performances, and receptive audience created a traditional concert-esque feel. Entry for students was free, bringing together the alt music community from both on and off campus.

The show kicked off with ArfHudson, an artist who specializes in hyperpop – an exaggerated and maximalistic pop subgenre – with a “killer mustache,” according to one audience member. He performed “Soar,” the opener from his upcoming album Arf+ that’s releasing April 24th.

While not a genre I often listen to, the music felt like an experience that fostered a sense of creativity and self expression throughout the room. Mixing harmonic vocals and instrumentals with jarring percussive elements—including an airhorn sound effect—ArfHudson led audiences through a journey between the atmospheric and the industrial.

Addressing a live audience for the first time in what he described as an “invigorating” experience, Hudson shared his thoughts post-set:

“It was quite fun; I really enjoyed it. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and I think it’s a great way to round out my last semester here.”

The audience made their support abundantly clear. Each with a unique sense of style, the crowd quickly filled the “pit” area and cheered for each artist. The dance floor had a seemingly magnetic appeal, becoming more crowded as anticipation for the next set built.

The second set of the night was played by Lootbug, a band well-loved on campus by those that enjoy a more hardcore-grunge sound. Consisting of members Adam (rhythm guitar), Henry (drummer), Nick (lead guitar), and Dan (bassist), the band had fantastic synergy and a dynamic stage presence.

Each instrument was treated with as much importance as the vocals, allowing each element to shine. While shoegaze (a genre of alternative rock) can sound repetitive at times, Lootbug made sure that each song felt distinct. They prioritized tension and release, oscillating between raw, heavy moments and periods of melancholic calm that evoked different reactions from the crowd.

With the audience alternating between moshing and swaying to the beat, their energy reflected the music’s intensity changes.

Dan reflected on the band’s growth from their performance at the first WXCI Live event a year prior:

“We were a much better band this time around; we were very energetic, which is what I wanted.”

They closed with Dan taking lead vocals on “moment dancer,” a bittersweet song that was my personal favorite of the night. Embodying freedom of expression and the fleeting nature of it, the song was a perfect closing to their set: reflecting the audience’s complete momentary inhibition, yet maintaining the knowledge that the moment will end. Dan even thought he broke a string after his finger started bleeding:

“I bled all over my bass for the first time; it was fun.”

The high-energy buzz from the audience only grew as XUR, a big name in the CT underground scene, performed the third and final set.

James (guitar and vocals), Henry (bass), Matteo (drums), and Manny (saxophone) used their instruments in creative ways, utilizing unconventional methods like manipulating the saxophone’s upper register, guitar and vocal distortion, and polyrhythms. Creating a uniquely cohesive sound by challenging the traditional conventions of music, XUR exemplified their motto of “let go or be dragged.”

The layering of texture, tones, and percussive-sounding vocals gave the music an almost stop-and-go feel, contrasting sharply between high energy and slower moments to shift the audience from a state of tension to one of release.

The band loved how active the crowd was, with drummer Matteo and bassist Henry noting how “sweaty and hot” the room got after all of the dancing. Saxophonist Manny added that “it was nice and toasty, and it was fun seeing everyone go crazy.”

“Go crazy” they did, with the mosh pit that formed during Lootbug’s set re-emerging in full swing during XUR’s performance. Where some might expect a WCSU-based concert to be more lowkey, the movement and attitude of the crowd rivaled the environment seen at larger punk concerts.

“I could feel the vibrations—not just through the floor, but as I’d lift my feet to dance and kick—which was so cool,” said an audience member in the mosh. “The energy was absolutely amazing.”

With any loud music event, safety is a priority. XUR was very conscientious, checking if everyone was okay between songs and communicating with audience members directly. They seemed to prioritize an interactive environment that would keep everyone safe and having a good time. WXCI also provided earplugs at their table for those who asked.

XUR member Henry brought up the possibility of WXCI airing the event over the radio in the future. Manny said that “it would be wonderful to have it on the radio…I think it would bring more and more people out too.”

While alternative and experimental music may not suit everyone’s tastes, the event exemplified how music brings together a supportive community willing to (literally) catch you if you fall. Whether they were WCSU students or members of the general public, everyone at the event was free to be uniquely themselves. Other people’s perceptions didn’t matter; only the music and the feeling that it gave. It was really cool to watch artists and audiences alike in their own element, and I look forward to more events like this in the future.