Classroom Series — Wildcat 91.9’s live, over-the-air concert series — will begin again later this month, adapting from the pandemic with more ways to view and listen to the performing bands.
Brahm Berry, senior in vocal performance and co-host of the afternoon show, said the Classroom Series are sets of in-house concerts that Wildcat 91.9 puts on throughout the year.
“We have our live studio, Studio E, and we invite bands to come in and play live, and we stream that live over the air,” Berry said.
The Classroom Series production started up again after pausing in March 2020 because of the pandemic.
Jackson Berland, junior in theatre and film studies, is the promotions director and morning show co-host of Wildcat 91.9. Berland said the Classroom Series intends to show the Kansas State community-artists in their own community.
“Most of the Classroom Series are bands that people do not know the names of, but they have incredible music,” Berland said. “I want to be able to share with [K-State] these incredible bands that are right in your backyard that are doing incredible stuff.”
Berland said he has put a lot of work into improving the Classroom Series by creating more opportunities to promote the visiting artists.
“Now, if [artists] travel to Manhattan, Kansas, you will get a live show [on the air], a live interview, a live performance [at a venue] and a video or content of your choosing, which is a lot of promotional material,” Berland said.
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There are a lot of ways to listen to and watch the Classroom Series. The series is broadcasted live between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Wildcat 91.9’s morning show.
Connor Balthazor, senior in political science and Wildcat Watch president, said Wildcat Watch partners with Wildcat 91.9 during the events.
“We go there and collect footage of the event while it is happening, and then after the event, we collect audio from 91.9 and we compile that into a video that we give back to 91.9 and the performers,” Balthazor said.
Wildcat Watch posts the Classroom Series videos to its separate YouTube channel and Wildcat 91.9 posts to its website and YouTube channel.
Max Lansdowne, junior in communication studies, is the music director and morning show co-host of Wildcat 91.9. He said he is looking forward to the reemergence of the Classroom Series.
“Classroom Series will create community, and I am excited about that,” Lansdowne said. “I think Classroom Series will become more of a big deal. It can be something that a lot of people care a lot about.”
Balthazor said he agrees with Lansdowne.
“I love the variety of acts that they have,” Balthazor said. “Every single time that I have been on a Classroom Series shoot — which has probably been at least a dozen times — it has been a different band of a different genre it seems. … I like that every time I go, I can expect something different and new.”
The next Classroom Series is Oct. 15, featuring the band, Same Sounds. Following is a live show from Same Sounds at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 16 at Public Hall.
“What I love about Same Sounds is they structure their music in a way that the chorus, bridge and sequence give a lot of different energy to dance to,” Berland said. “It is incredible house music.”
Updates on upcoming Classroom Series dates will be on the Wildcat 91.9 Twitter.
