As students pack their bags and prepare to head back to Grounds, the annual Wahoo Welcome Concert rapidly approaches — and the University Programs Council has been hard at work making this year’s show an especially enticing occasion. In a post Friday, UPC revealed that Malcolm Todd, an R&B-inspired indie pop singer-songwriter, will be performing Aug. 22.
The Wahoo Welcome Concert is a free concert for University students of all years organized by UPC and hosted at John Paul Jones Arena. The concert aims to welcome students to Grounds just before classes begin. Recent previous artists have included Neon Trees, Swae Lee and Between Friends.
Todd rose to stardom on social media with hits such as “Earrings,” “Roommates” and “Chest Pain (I Love),” and is currently selling out shows on his "Do That Again" tour at venues such as The Anthem in Washington.
UPC’s Pots, Kettle and German committee — which arranges musical events and acts for the University community — has led the organization of this year’s Wahoo Welcome Concert. Maddie Foreman, member of the PKG committee and rising third-year College student, discussed the unique opportunity to see one of Todd's shows for free at this point in his career.
“I think we're catching him at a really good time in his career, where I kind of predict that he's on the cusp of becoming a really big deal,” Foreman said. “He's going on tour this fall, and I've looked at ticket prices, and they are pretty expensive. So I feel like this is a really great opportunity to see a really good — and potentially huge in the future — artist for free.”
In addition to Todd’s headlining performance, UPC has planned several activities — including interactive LED wristbands, exclusive t-shirt and plushie tosses and surprise giveaways including meet-and-greets with Todd himself — to make the entire night of the concert an engaging event. Siwen Liao, UPC vice chair of public relations and graduate Arts & Sciences student, said that UPC is making an effort to reward dedicated fans, and ensure the time at JPJ — even before the headliner comes onstage — is enjoyable for all students.
In late July, UPC held a contest on Instagram to select a student band opener for the concert, which Foreman stated was judged on the criteria of University impact — which applicants had to write a paragraph about — as well as compatibility with the headliner and notoriety around Grounds. UPC selected student band Wildcard from a competitive eight-band pool to take the stage and warm up the crowd before Todd. Teddy Price, lead singer of Wildcard and rising fourth-year College student, reflected upon the opportunity to open up for a renowned artist as a University student.
“We are so stoked,” Price said. “This has been something we've been dreaming about, quite literally, for years. So it's super cool to finally see this happen.”
UPC launched a new marketing strategy for this year's concert in order to increase attendance and buzz surrounding the event. Forrest Sun, director of the PKG committee and rising fourth-year Commerce student, said the committee placed a high emphasis on improving the marketing strategies surrounding the concert. He noted that this year’s physical marketing includes flyers around Grounds and in first-year residence halls, timing the advertising around first-years moving into their dormitories in the days leading up to the concert.
Sun and Foreman also commented on the digital side of the marketing strategy — UPC teased the artist reveal via a joint Instagram post with the official University account, and the organization is also working with the University to send an email to the student body promoting the concert. Sun said that the committee made changes to the ways in which the concert was advertised and marketed to make the event as visible and accessible to students as possible.
“I definitely have made a large concerted effort into making sure that — and at the risk of maybe annoying people — this concert gets in front of everyone's eyes at least once from the digital side,” Sun said. “I would rather have people say ‘the marketing is too much,’ and ‘you guys are so annoying,’ than people saying after the content ‘hey, I wish I knew about this.’”
In order to garner attention from the University community, UPC prioritized secrecy in the rollout of this semester’s concert. Traditionally, the UPC Instagram account posts three hints before revealing the artist. This year, however, they have kept the hints particularly vague, which Liao said was done intentionally to maximize the surprise upon the announcement of the artist.
The only mystery is the reveal of the artist, as the Wahoo Welcome Concert is well known around Grounds as a bonding experience for first years, who annually flood JPJ ready to meet new people and kick off the newest chapter of their lives to a great soundtrack. Nicholas Oh, UPC director of concert operations and rising third-year College student, remembers the event his first year as a moment of connection and festivity.
“It was probably my best memory from first year. I made a lot of new friends there as well,” Oh said. “It's just a nice big event, kind of like a celebration to kick off the year. There's no better way to celebrate.”
However, the concert is not just for first years. Sun noted that UPC has worked hard to make this semester’s concert enticing and memorable for all students, and Todd is known for his energetic live presence despite the more relaxed nature of his discography. Attending the Wahoo Welcome Concert is a way for students of every year to connect over live music and gather in advance of the excitement of the semester to come.
“I think free live music is such a blessing, and we should all take advantage of the opportunities that U.Va. provides for us,” Foreman said. “It is always super cool to look out and see thousands of students that are excited to be there. I love that. It's really such a bonding opportunity for everyone.”
Live music is a big part of University life, from house shows to acoustic performances on the Lawn, and UPC has amplified that culture in an innovative way with this year’s Wahoo Welcome Concert. Whether it is to bond with new people, reunite with old friends or simply enjoy some great music, the event is the perfect way to celebrate the start of a new semester.
Read More
Hoo’s Watching: The Summer We Showed Up
By Caroline Lee | 3 days agoAs August ushers in autumn, the records and ratings of summer 2026 will remain a receipt of a cultural moment of time — and a reminder of the unique and collective effervescence that comes from showing up, together.
The wait is over for ‘Reality Awaits,’ but the album disappoints
By Zachary Geller | 4 days agoAfter a six-year-long drought of albums, indie rock band The Strokes returned with their newest project, “Reality Awaits,” July 24.
On Repeat: Celebrating the magic of a World Cup to remember
By Siddharth Sharma | July 27, 2026These four songs aim to ensnare just a little bit of what defines the World Cup, along with the spirit that made this year’s edition unforgettable.
