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WONC 89.1FM


Pure Rock FM89: The Radio Voice of North Central College


Featured Posts


Featured

R.E.P.O.: Robots, Monsters, and Absolute Anarchy

by Gray Bunch Gravity? No problem. Voice-altering item effects while you hold it? You got it. Do robots that speak look similar to Canadian characters from South Park? Definitely! R.E.P.O. is a horror co-op voice proximity game you can play with 5 friends, or by yourself; no one’s judging here.

Featured

From Miami Soul to Disco Gold: The Legacy of “Rock Your Baby”

by Ashly Rico Rolling Stone magazine voted it the #1 Single of the Year in 1974. The following year, John Lennon praised it on Spin Magazine, saying that he wished he could have written the early disco track that made him regard his songwriting differently. George McCrae’s debut single, “Rock

Featured

Short ‘n Sweet is A Perfect 10

by Gray Bunch After winning Grammys for Best Pop Vocal and Best Solo Performance, Sabrina Carptenter released Short ‘n Sweet Deluxe on February 14 as a thank you to her beloved fans with a featured duet on her song “Please, Please, Please” with Dolly Parton,”15 Minutes,” and more. Carpenter released

Featured

Dark Comedy is Shining in 2025

by Sierra Knutsen   Horror movies have become increasingly popular over the years, each attempting to either rebrand themselves as something entirely original or replicate the formula iconic franchises have delivered audiences over the years in a new way. This year, there’s been a rise in popularity of a refreshing

Featured

Flow: Animation That Speaks Louder Than Words

by Elena Bantista On March 1, Director Gints Zilbalodis’ film Flow won an Oscar for the 2025 Best Animated Film. The hero in the movie is a black cat who doesn’t talk but still speaks volumes by his bold expressions and larger-than-life personality and adventures that jump off the screen.

Featured

Soda Stereo: How Latin Rock Became the Voice Against a Dictatorship

by Paloma Mena It’s the 1980s and rock music is reaching new heights, especially in Latin America. Rock had been popular here since the 60’s, but with the political turmoil between the left and the right, rock had been cast as “American” by both sides. Whether it was cultural imperialism

Featured

How John Cena Broke My Heart

by Jesse Hudgins For over 20 years, John Cena has been entertaining audiences on WWE television. During a premium live event in July of 2024, Cena announced that 2025 would be his last year of in-ring competition, marking an end of an era for the WWE. After that announcement, fans

Culture Shock

Nardo Wick Continues His Growth Beyond TikTok

by Jayden Lawrence On February 21, Nardo Wick dropped Wick, his latest project. This album was delayed only by a few months, although we know this will not reach the same success as his debut album. It’s hard for trap artists to create hit albums continually, usually, only singles will

Culture Shock

Analysis of Kendrick Lamar’s Half Time Show

by Noah Redmond Super Bowl LIX was held in New Orleans on Sunday, February 9th. The game itself is usually the main event, but this year’s halftime show was highly anticipated and better than the actual game. The hype was for Kendrick Lamar, who performed the whole show impressively. There

Featured

Deathloop Fails to Deliver

by Preston Rizzo   During winter break, I finally had the opportunity to play a game I had been waiting to play since 2021. Deathloop is the latest single-player focused game from Arkane Studios, who’ve made games I liked such as Dishonored and Prey. Naturally, I was interested when I

Music


Featured

From Miami Soul to Disco Gold: The Legacy of “Rock Your Baby”

by Ashly Rico Rolling Stone magazine voted it the #1 Single of the Year in 1974. The following year, John Lennon praised it on Spin Magazine, saying that he wished he could have written the early disco track that made him regard his songwriting differently. George McCrae’s debut single, “Rock

Featured

Short ‘n Sweet is A Perfect 10

by Gray Bunch After winning Grammys for Best Pop Vocal and Best Solo Performance, Sabrina Carptenter released Short ‘n Sweet Deluxe on February 14 as a thank you to her beloved fans with a featured duet on her song “Please, Please, Please” with Dolly Parton,”15 Minutes,” and more. Carpenter released

Featured

Soda Stereo: How Latin Rock Became the Voice Against a Dictatorship

by Paloma Mena It’s the 1980s and rock music is reaching new heights, especially in Latin America. Rock had been popular here since the 60’s, but with the political turmoil between the left and the right, rock had been cast as “American” by both sides. Whether it was cultural imperialism

Culture Shock

Nardo Wick Continues His Growth Beyond TikTok

by Jayden Lawrence On February 21, Nardo Wick dropped Wick, his latest project. This album was delayed only by a few months, although we know this will not reach the same success as his debut album. It’s hard for trap artists to create hit albums continually, usually, only singles will

Culture Shock

Analysis of Kendrick Lamar’s Half Time Show

by Noah Redmond Super Bowl LIX was held in New Orleans on Sunday, February 9th. The game itself is usually the main event, but this year’s halftime show was highly anticipated and better than the actual game. The hype was for Kendrick Lamar, who performed the whole show impressively. There

Featured

Four Must-Listen Albums From February

by Jesse Hudgins   We’re still early into 2025, but music hasn’t slowed down. Here are four different releases from this month I recommend checking out!   Cowards – Squid It isn’t too often that when I’m describing a band to someone I’m lost for words. Squid’s third album, Cowards,

Featured

Chappell Roan’s Grammy Acceptance Speech Sparks Controversy and Possible Change

by Jade Reynoso   When Chappell Roan accepted her Best New Artist Grammy on February 3, her call for artist healthcare sparked an unexpected chain reaction. Her speech has now prompted Universal Music Group to launch a new mental health initiative, though questions persist about label responsibility toward developing artists.

Featured

A Needed Sense of Optimism from L.S. Dunes

by Jesse Hudgins L.S. Dunes is a group made up of members from other bands that released a phenomenal record in 2022 titled Past Lives. It was a hard-hitting, in-your-face effort that was grim and cynical throughout its 43-minute run time, reflecting on the state of the world through the

Music

Planning for Your Next Concert

by Karla Damian   Concerts happen year-round and knowing what to pack with you is crucial to having the best experience. Depending on where you’re going, each venue will and won’t allow certain items. Always check the venue’s website for accepted and prohibited items. The bag policy is what gets

Music

Why Was Metallica’s Load So Hated?

by Erik Batkiewicz After the massive commercial success of Metallica’s 1991 self-titled album, a.k.a The Black Album, fans were eager for the long-awaited follow-up album, but they had to wait 5 long years for it. Despite receiving mixed reviews, Load debuted at #1 on the Billboard chart on June 8th,

WONC Sports


Featured

How John Cena Broke My Heart

by Jesse Hudgins For over 20 years, John Cena has been entertaining audiences on WWE television. During a premium live event in July of 2024, Cena announced that 2025 would be his last year of in-ring competition, marking an end of an era for the WWE. After that announcement, fans

Featured

My Development Through the Journey of Football

by Sean Allen   One of the most impactful experiences of my life has been playing team sports, which has shaped not only my physical prowess, but also my personality and social skills. When I think back on my experiences playing different team sports, I see how much they’ve shaped

Featured

The Floor and Ceiling of the 2025 Chicago Cubs

by Dylan Gantz   The 2025 offseason for the Chicago Cubs has been one of the better offseasons in recent history for the club, with the last good offseason being the 2023 offseason when they signed Dansby Swanson and Cody Bellinger to the squad. This year, they made big moves

Sports

Chiefs Lose First Super Bowl in Three Years

by Anthony Licata On Sunday, February 9, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles played in Super Bowl 59. The Chiefs were very lucky this season, winning games they should have lost. Patrick Mahomes is good, but I believe he gets too much credit for being the greatest QB

Featured

Hamilton’s Next Chapter: Ferrari

by Morgan Piontek A new era has begun as Lewis Hamilton is officially a Scuderia Ferrari Formula One driver. About a year ago, the F1 community was shocked with the announcement that the seven-time world champion would be driving for Ferrari in 2025. Rumors had circulated, but no one would

Specialty Shows


Jesse Hudgins

Joker: Folie A Deux Trailer Finally Debuts

by Jesse Hudgins After years of anticipation and speculation on whether the movie would even be happening, the sequel to the 2019 movie Joker has gotten its first trailer. Dropping on April 9, the trailer gives us our first look at what to expect from what’s said to be a

Jesse Hudgins

The Crow Needs to Be Left Alone

by Jesse Hudgins This year, we’ll be getting a new adaptation of The Crow, the first in 19 years. It’ll star Bill Skarsgard as Eric Draven (The Crow) as he takes revenge on the group that killed him and his fiancé Shelly, played by FKA Twigs. This is a project that

Alternage

Contemplative Pop Punk: Neck Deep at The Salt Shed

by Chloe Kallberg After four months across the pond and on the road, Neck Deep’s second American tour came to a close in Chicago on February 25. Tucked into a tiny and expensive parking spot, my friends and I emptied our pockets, flashed our tickets, and permeated the Salt Shed

Jesse Hudgins

The Time Has Come for Sony to Sell Spider-Man

by Jesse Hudgins   For nearly 25 years, Sony has owned the rights to Spider-Man and the characters connected to him. In that time, we’ve had 11 films using the Spider-Man characters under the Sony banner, nine live-action and two animated, with the latest being Madame Web with Kraven the

Alternage

2024 Music Predictions

by Jesse Hudgins and Chloe Kallberg Alternage is approaching its third birthday, which means we’ve been closely following release schedules of our favorite punk, pop punk, emo, and alternative genres since we began college. Meshed with our own personal wish lists, here are three predictions we have for what’s in

Jesse Hudgins

FX Deserves Their Flowers

Over the years there have been TV channels that have reigned supreme as those with the best original content. Whether it be AMC with Breaking Bad and Walking Dead or HBO with Game of Thrones and The Sopranos, each channel had their time at the top. There’s been one channel,

Alternage

Alternage Retrospective: Milo Goes to College

“I want to be stereotyped; I want to be classified.” These are lyrics that can apply to any generation of music listener. They were written by California punks Descendents and were released on the 1982 album Milo Goes to College. Descendents are a California punk band that formed in 1977

Crossroads

The Crossroads Artist Highlight: Bryan Martin

by Sam Corbett The Crossroads is one of the newest shows on FM89, meaning a whole new batch of genres, artists, and songs. Outlaw country rock, southern rock, shadow country, and delta blues are just some of the genres that the show will highlight. While I’m excited to bring new

Jordan Mark

Pop Stop: Have We Lost Our Minds?

by Jordan Mark A pop show on a rock station. The same station that’s dedicated itself to keeping the rock spirit alive and running for decades. The station that prides itself on playing the classics to the cutting edge. FM89 is that sanction to keep you moving in the world,

Crossroads

The Crossroads: Embrace Your Inner Outlaw

by Sam Corbett We all have an inner outlaw. The voice in your head and in your heart that wants to strut around town with a swagger. That feeling that you don’t always have to listen to others; that you can blaze your own trail. A badass vibe that always

Reviews


Featured

R.E.P.O.: Robots, Monsters, and Absolute Anarchy

by Gray Bunch Gravity? No problem. Voice-altering item effects while you hold it? You got it. Do robots that speak look similar to Canadian characters from South Park? Definitely! R.E.P.O. is a horror co-op voice proximity game you can play with 5 friends, or by yourself; no one’s judging here.

Featured

Dark Comedy is Shining in 2025

by Sierra Knutsen   Horror movies have become increasingly popular over the years, each attempting to either rebrand themselves as something entirely original or replicate the formula iconic franchises have delivered audiences over the years in a new way. This year, there’s been a rise in popularity of a refreshing

Featured

Flow: Animation That Speaks Louder Than Words

by Elena Bantista On March 1, Director Gints Zilbalodis’ film Flow won an Oscar for the 2025 Best Animated Film. The hero in the movie is a black cat who doesn’t talk but still speaks volumes by his bold expressions and larger-than-life personality and adventures that jump off the screen.

Featured

Deathloop Fails to Deliver

by Preston Rizzo   During winter break, I finally had the opportunity to play a game I had been waiting to play since 2021. Deathloop is the latest single-player focused game from Arkane Studios, who’ve made games I liked such as Dishonored and Prey. Naturally, I was interested when I

Featured

2025 Academy Awards Live-Action Short Films

by Mia Sciabica   Recently, I was able to watch all of the Oscar-nominated animation and live-action short films at my favorite historic theater, the Music Box. The Academy made great choices for the animated shorts, but I’d like to explore more deeply the films chosen for the live-action category

Featured

Lola’s Showbiz Studies: Steps in Directing (The 39 Steps)

by Lola Furbee   The North Central College Theatre Department started the new year off strong with their first production of the semester, The 39 Steps, a comedic stage play based on the Alfred Hitchcock movie of the same name. I had the immense privilege to be the Assistant Director

Lola Furbee

Lola’s Showbiz Studies: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

by Lola Furbee   I had the incredible opportunity to relive one of my greatest childhood passions over winter break. The Harry Potter book series was my absolute favorite reading venture throughout middle school. I became totally engrossed with the entire franchise; I binge-watched all of the movies, took tests

Jesse Hudgins

28 Years Later Trailer Creates Excitement

by Jesse Hudgins   The initial trailer for 28 Years Later has been released and it is the best trailer I’ve seen for a movie in years. This is how a trailer is done! A big problem with modern-day movie trailers is they give most of the movie away. Staying

Reviews

Civil War: A Visually Impressive Film

by Elena Bantista Director Alex Garland’s much-acclaimed film Civil War (2024) had a profound impact on me as a viewer. It drew me into a gripping storyline that explores various themes of personal identity, conflict, and the balancing act of assessing right from wrong. The film features powerful performances and

Reviews

The Magic of 35 MM

by Mia Sciabica      Over the years, I’ve grown as a cinephile, hence this article. While there are a few television shows I enjoy, I’ve found they’re rarely my cup of tea. What I really love is watching a movie. There’s something so special about sitting down and, within two

Alumni Spotlight


Alumni Spotlight

Brian Iossi

Years at WONC : 2006-2009 In his time at WONC, Brian hosted one of the longer-running specialty shows, Precious Metal, with a number of people. He also spent time hosting Vintage Rock, and called baseball, softball, and basketball games. After graduating from NCC, Brian began a career in teaching and

Alumni Spotlight

Bob King

Years at WONC: 1977-1981 In his time at WONC, Bob wore many hats. He was an on-air DJ, specialty show host, newscaster, and occasional color commentator for sports broadcasts. He also served as the News Director from 1977-1978, and was the Station Manager from 1980-1981. In 1981, he was named

Alumni Spotlight

Greg Williams

Years at WONC: 2017-2021 In his time at WONC, Greg was a force in the WONC Sports Department. Starting as a color commentator for football, he soon took on the role of play-by-play for almost all NCC football games, and covered baseball, softball, and men’s and women’s basketball games.In December

Alumni Spotlight

Megann Horstead

Years at WONC : 2014-2015 During her short stretch at WONC, Megann made the most of her time, hosting various DJ shifts, as well as frequently covering news, sports, and traffic reporting duties. She used her experience at WONC to earn a programming internship at WDCB Public Radio. After graduating

Alumni Spotlight

Lucas Burris

Years at WONC: 2019-2022 Lucas began his time at WONC doing only newscasts and sports, but his involvement in the sports department was quite heavy. He called many baseball and softball games his first year, even earning Best Play-By-Play (Baseball) at the 2020 Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Awards. His sophomore year,

Concert Photos


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