Music lovers’ weekends in Chico are typically spent in a trance at house shows, coffee shops or wherever live music is being played. Thursday, Feb. 13 was no different– The Naked Lounge and Chico States’ radio station, KCSC, collaborated to host a Valentine’s Day free show, putting on some heartfelt tunes for those who showed up. 

This is my second semester being a part of the campus radio and it has been a fascinating experience so far. I was tasked with something special this evening — announcing the bands and ensuring seamless transitions between sets.

Before the show, there is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure the shows go off without a hitch. At least, that’s the intention.

The process of finding artists to perform isn’t easy. Luke Weeg, the KCSC music director, takes the lead when the search begins. 

“I mainly looked at the Instagrams of the artists who submitted on the Google form we sent out,” Weeg said. “I also asked other KCSC interns if they had seen any of the artists live and asked who they’d want to see.”.

The form was set up by the promotions manager, Marley James, who was responsible for securing the venue. KCSC shares sign-up forms through their Instagram account.

Setting up the venue is simple and short, allowing every member to do their part. I arrived about 20 minutes early to make sure I was prepared to talk on stage and mingle with all the other interns.

With the stale aroma of coffee lingering in the air, Naked Lounge turns from coffee shop to music venue when the sun goes down. Guests were immediately greeted with the information table as they arrived. 

Embellished with small red and pink plastic hearts, anyone who stopped at the table was rewarded with a lollipop. The seating that was available crowded the entrance to create as much space as possible for standing room.

The small stage is highlighted by two glass chandeliers and performers stand comfortably close. I found the classiness of the stage to have a charm that perfectly contrasted with the humble sound of the show.

Sound tests were ongoing until about 7:15 when the show suddenly started. The initial plan was for my announcing partner and I to go up before The first artist, Kyle Mason, began so we could introduce him and get people ready for the music.

That was not the case. When he started playing, we shared a confused glance. Not what we expected, but that’s alright. 

With the mix-up aside, the show started with no trouble. Mason sounded wonderful with an acoustic set that included a mix of covers and original songs. His setlist was scribbled on a napkin taken from the Naked Lounge.

The set ended in five songs, which was initially agreed to be three — which was encouraged — one of the artists dropped out on the day off so performers had to make up for the extra time. Now it was time to do the thing I was there for. I walked up to the stage with my hand dragging behind my body, holding my partner’s.

The pink hue lights hit my face perfectly to the point that I couldn’t see anyone in the audience.

The microphone clung to the stand when I grasped for it, eventually giving in to my hand.

Something was loud in my ears, and then I realized it was my voice. What a weird feeling that was, hearing the first few words that left my mouth. All I asked was what everyone thought of the performer. Loud claps and cheers echoed throughout the crowd.

It was our job to make sure everyone was having a good time. That was it. But it felt like there was some kind of power bestowed upon us at that moment. We quickly made our piece, introduced the next artist, Jeffrey Lenh, and walked off stage hastily.

Pretty good for the first-time announcing, if you ask me.

The next artist went on to perform 5 songs, most of them being covers of popular songs including the likes of Billie Eilish and Katy Perry. A majority were love songs, very fitting for the evening’s theme. 

At the end of his set, we marched up there again to introduce the final act of the evening, Sarah Good, a three-part band. They rounded out the evening with a heavier sound, playing into the “heartbreak” part of the evening — something they said, not me.

A sudden energy shift in the crowd made me realize people were excited for their performance. 

Their lineup was a variety of original songs and covers, from the likes of Alex G and Joyce Manor. Once again, they added a few extra songs to compensate for the missing artist, but they were prepared. 

It was also at this moment that I noticed just how many people actually came to the event. The entire café was full 

to the entrance of people wanting to hear what the commotion was about. The atmosphere was consistent the entire night. I was impressed with our work.

Unfortunately, at the end of Sarah Good’s set, we were prevented from giving a proper conclusion to the show. Someone turned on the lights, signifying to people the show was over. Everyone left in droves, except for the core group of people who helped set everything up. It was time to do the worst part of the evening – cleaning up.

Was love in the air here? Honestly, that was not the takeaway I got from the show. It was scrappy and unique to the people that were there. The audience was a group of thrifted clothed, colorful-haired young people who were looking for an alternative style Valentine’s Day. And I think that’s good enough for a successful show. 

James says the next confirmed KCSC show is going to be on April 17, so if you’re free, check it out!

Marianne Akre can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com