Pi Beta Phi hosted its 10th annual Arrow Jam benefit concert on Wednesday.
“We are having our Arrow Jam, which is a yearly concert part of our philanthropy week. Monday we had our carnival,” said Katie Koplow, the Pi Beta Phi Philanthropy Chair and a junior in parks, recreation and tourism.
The concert featured groups from a variety of genres.
“We have nine groups here that range from rap to country to lyrical. Some groups have their own music they made while others are doing covers,” Koplow said.
Money raised at the event was donated to a variety of organizations that help increase literacy for children.
“We work with four different groups, First Book, Arrow in the Arctic, Champions are Readers and the Pi Phi Foundation. All of these organizations help promote literacy and increase literacy across America. Our mission statement is ‘Read, Lead, and Achieve,’ and our goal is to create a more literate society because one in four children grow up illiterate,” Koplow said.
The fundraising goal for the concert was $1,000. Last year $800 was raised. Pi Beta Phi raised $1,500 during the carnival on Monday.
One of the student performers was not new to the stage.
“I started rapping two years ago, and this is my second Arrow Jam,” said Nicholas Wassner, also known as Captain Nerk, the leader of the group AGGRO and a junior in film. “I’ve performed up in Boise and for about four different venues in Salt Lake. We have four mix tapes out right now and three music videos.”
Some students attended the event and donated money because of Wassner.
“I’ve been listening to Captain Nerk for a while now, so it was cool to see him live and help out Pi Phi with their philanthropy,” said Eric Swider, a freshman in biomedical engineering. “I thought it ran really smoothly. There were no kinks that came up. It was all planned out really well, kudos to Pi Phi.”
Cameron Larson, a freshman in exercise sports science, also enjoyed the concert.
“I thought it was pretty cool, Captain Nerk killed it,” Larson said. “I think they should’ve had a bigger venue to fit more people, it was a bit crammed.”
Disclosure: Davis Bunting and Nicholas Wassner are both in the Sigma Nu fraternity.