Syracuse radio station hosts virtual music event ‘Binge This Festival’

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Syracuse’s alternative rock radio station, 95x (WAQX-FM), is hosting a virtual music festival Saturday and Sunday. The lineup features 22 artists, including All Time Low, Neon Trees, Judah and the Lion, Cold War Kids and the Peach Tree Rascals.

The event, which starts at 7 p.m., is available online at 95x’s website and on YouTube. The festival is free of charge.

The virtual festival is 95x’s first concert since the coronavirus pandemic, said Joe DeTomaso, program director for 95x. The radio station is used to hosting festival-type shows during the summer and winter months that seat 2,000 to 3,000 people each, DeTomaso said.

The pandemic has forced organizers and artists to get creative with their events. Artists have shifted to virtual or socially distanced events, such as drive-in concerts, to showcase their music. Planning 95x’s virtual festival was challenging, DeTomaso said.

“I wasn’t really sure what kind of response we would get from bands and artists,” he said.

The response was overwhelmingly positive, with 22 bands willing to perform over the course of two days. This was a “nice surprise” for the 95x team, as they were unsure of what the turnout would look like, DeTomaso said.

The event is not live-streamed but is composed of pre-recorded performances from each artist. The pre-recording cuts down on the chances of technical difficulties, ensuring the show will run as smoothly as possible, DeTomaso said.