Colin Tobin
Contributing Writer
Over the weekend, the student-run radio station, WOO91, held a CD giveaway in the Alley. As a result of the plans to renovate Lowry center, the radio station will be moving to a smaller station. Throughout the organization’s history, they have accumulated hundreds upon hundreds of CDs since the mid ’90s. In the past, people have been able to send them directly to the station, which is how they’ve accumulated so many. According to Chris Gately ’21, co-general manager of WOO91, moving the location is not going to be an easy process, and the new location will not allow for them to keep the majority of their stock. “We sifted through them all and kept the ones we wanted to keep and removed the ones we didn’t think were absolutely necessary,” Gately said. A space was rented out and tables were set up with stacks of CDs for students to pick through and choose from.
Turnout at the giveaway was fairly steady. The high points saw about “ten people at the tables and the rest waiting around the room, so about twenty at a time.” COVID-19 precautions played a role in how the event was carried out, and everyone practiced social distancing and wore masks while sifting through the stacks of CDs. Others waited their turn, as the number of people allowed in one space is still limited to prevent overcrowding. Discs that were picked up but not taken were sanitized afterwards. Students who wanted to return CDs that they had already picked up could take them to a separate table that was dedicated to disinfecting the cases as a precaution.
Overall, the event went very well, with hundreds of CDs given out on Saturday afternoon; however, the station still has a decent portion of their stock left. Gately mentioned that another CD giveaway might be in the station’s future. Not only did this giveaway provide an opportunity for people to find some new music, it also allowed music lovers to come together and socialize as well. “We did it safely and hopefully it’s a new way for people to discover some new music and chat with people who listen to music,” Gately expressed. For now, the plan is to integrate the station next to the podcast club studio.
Despite the change in situation, Gately feels optimistic about the future of WOO91. “We’ve been talking to the architects a lot and they have some really cool ideas,” he said. “For the people who get to see it, it’s going to be really cool.” Make sure to keep an eye out for another CD giveaway announcement by WOO91 if you are looking to expand your physical media collection or broaden your musical horizons.