Cozy, moody, and embellished by twinkly lights, the O’Connell House hosted a spectacle on Thursday night. Boston College’s student radio station WZBC hosted its spring concert at the O’Connell House, featuring Shallow Alcove, Exit 18, and buffchick with her band.
Audiences were welcomed into the O’Connell House with a warm fireplace and a merch stand that was selling graphic t-shirts, mug candles, and other merchandise. Maggie Yug, CSOM ’27, is a member of WZBC and expressed her excitement about the event.
“The community is super involved in the radio,” said Yug. “They even host their own shows throughout the week. At our meeting back in January, they definitely expressed a need to create events open to the public so that the whole community could feel involved in WZBC events and programming, not just students.”
Exit 18 opened the night with a strong impression. The band built up slowly with its first song, followed by a sudden pause in the music, and then passionate soulful singing and hard drums from band members.
The band featured extreme vocals, staying true to its goth identity. Exit 18’s lead singer even got down from stage and shook their pigtails, immersing themself into the audience.
Buffchick and her band followed with a more upbeat and pop track. The passionate singing and acoustic guitar charmed the audience.
For its song “Show You Something,” the band asked the audience to participate in the performance by repeating the lyrics “show you something” with a back and forth interaction.
Buffchick and her band also played a cover of “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus, seamlessly weaving it to the end of their own song. The crowd sang along, heightening the atmosphere.
“The openers did a great job warming up the crowd and were super energetic for a daylight and early evening show on a freshman campus, which was exciting,” Yug said.
Finally, Shallow Alcove finally took the stage as the concert’s main event. Featuring soft vocals and its iconic banjo, Shallow Alcove’s performance slowed the night down with some smooth, chill vibes.
The band’s songs highlighted its melancholy music, showcasing good harmonies, and indie-style rhythms. The audience appreciated the music so much that Shallow Alcove added more songs to its set, including a cover of “Dancing Queen” by ABBA—the set’s only upbeat song.
Noely Recinos, MCAS ’27, came to the concert to watch Shallow Alcove, but said she fell in love with buffchick by the end of the night.
“Everyone who played tonight was amazing,” Recinos said. “[The bands] filled the room with so much energy and you could just tell that everyone was having a great time, even if they had never heard of the bands before.”
When asked whether WZBC will host a concert like this again, Yug expressed excitement at the idea of similar events.
“I think the e-board is definitely focused on hosting more events for the BC and Newton community,” Yug said. “Not only does it help connect students within the radio, but also allows alumni and community members to feel connected to the station.”
