WKNC Double Barrel Benefit: Kate Rhudy, Max Gowan, Real Dad, Das Drip

The Triangle received an unexpected reminder of the value of college radio after last year’s controversial decision by Shaw University to sell the frequency of its historic WSHA station. Keep that in mind this weekend when N.C. State’s WKNC hosts its largest annual fundraiser, which historically accounts for eight percent of its budget. That money is even more essential after some hefty equipment expenses incurred with WKNC’s recent launch of its HD2 substation. Friday is headlined by the exquisite folk of Kate Rhudy, who captivates with mesmerizing vocals and candid storytelling, while Max Gowan conjures Beck with dreamy lo-fi pop steeped in melancholy. Real Dad’s retro electropop, which could soundtrack films by a darker John Hughes, contrasts sharply with Das Drip’s careening hardcore. Night two features both Young Bull and M8alla fusing hip-hop with R&B, the former’s live band occasionally treading in old-school soul while the latter leans into trap beats. Housefire adds abrasive, apocalyptic noise, and Moon Racer brings gorgeous bedroom pop. —Spencer Griffith