Welcome to the second edition of Moose on the Loose, U92’s concert recap series! This time, the Moose has already broken the rules of this panel and traveled farther than the greater Morgantown area, instead making his way back to my home in the greater Philadelphia area (go Birds!) to see the beloved folk singer-songwriter Adrianne Lenker.

Lenker is the lead vocalist of the indie folk rock band, Big Thief, which, in large part due to her songwriting, has gained widespread critical acclaim. Additionally, Adrianne Lenker has a solo career that strips back Big Thief’s usual sound for some of the decade’s most memorable acoustic ballads. Her 2020 pandemic double album ‘songs and instrumentals’ has become a fan-favorite, which she has followed up with this year’s ‘Bright Future’ – an album with more folk and country influences recently in U92 rotation.

Albums of the year can be a fickle thing. Sometimes, you think you’ve got your top five down for the year, and then a random band from some far-flung town you’ve never heard of comes and steals third place. Springfield, Missouri’s Pomfret have done just that with their debut album You’ll Be Back When Things Fall Apart. Released on November 25, 2024, and clocking in at just under half an hour, You’ll Be Back is like the quintessential Midwest emo album, with melancholic vocals and twinkly guitars infused with just a little extra math rock.

The album kicks off with an instrumental piano track. The first few notes are almost exactly the same as the piano intro on Combat’s album Stay Golden, but it quickly evolves into the church hymn equivalent of The Hotelier (apparently, Pomfret got the masters back for the album the same day Stay Golden released. They also opened for Combat this past October). The next song, “You Ganked My Spirit Walker”, follows the Midwest emo tradition of naming songs something ridiculous and unrelated to the actual song. Title aside, it would be hard to have a stronger start to an album, with screamy, melancholy vocals and shifty time signatures. The lyricism on the song also stands out, with heartfelt, anxious lines like “What if they never text back, / I am not something they lack?”

MORGANTOWN, W. Va. - The Sun Belt champion West Virginia Mountaineers (12-1-7) take on the Atlantic Sun champion North Florida Ospreys (7-7-4) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The road to the College Cup begins for the Mountaineers.

Following a thriller in the Sun Belt Championship Game against the Marshall Thundering Herd, ending in a penalty shootout to name the Mountaineers champions, WVU looks to continue its championship aspirations Thursday evening.

Morgantown W.Va. - After a disappointing 86-62 point loss to the Pitt Panthers, West Virginia (2-1) comes back home to take on the Iona Gaels (1-3).  

Coming back to the Coliseum, WVU looks to get its offense back on track after the mountaineers shot only 38.7% from the field and 20.7% from three-point range. 

There’s an old Appalachian folktale that cardinals carry an immense spirituality when they cross your path. If one appears in your window, it’s said to be a loved one signaling you from the afterlife. It’s a symbol of peace, hope, and prosperity to you in a time of need. 

When one appeared in the top floor window of the building across the street from Mr. Small’s Theater on Sunday afternoon, it was the first time that Amelia Murray, lead behind the musical project Fazerdaze, or Dave Rowlands, a longtime friend of Murray and touring Fazerdaze guitarist, had heard of this legend. Yet, it felt perfectly on theme with the release of her sophomore album, “Soft Power,” that was released last Friday via section1.

MORGANTOWN, W. Va. - The 13th-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers (4-0) take on the Bowling Green Falcons (2-2) in the WVU Coliseum Tuesday night. Still undefeated, the Mountaineers have won every game by 21 points or more so far this season.

Led by terrific guards Jordan Harrison, Sydney Shaw and JJ Quinerly, WVU has a high-powered, fast-paced style of play. On defense, they consistently run a high press and force the third-most turnovers in the nation, with 31.5 forced per game.

Kelsea Ballerini has always had a way of capturing raw emotion in her music, but with her latest album Patterns, she takes that honesty to a new level. Known for hits like “Peter Pan” and “Miss Me More,” Kelsea's ability to mix personal storytelling with catchy lyrics has earned her a dedicated fanbase. After the release of Rolling Up the Welcome Mat in 2023, which recounted her difficult divorce from Morgan Evans, Patterns feels like a fresh start—a journey of self-reflection, growth, and empowerment.

If you’re unfamiliar, Rolling Up the Welcome Mat was Kelsea’s deeply personal response to her divorce, where she opened up about the emotional toll of a broken relationship. The stripped-back nature of the EP gave fans a glimpse into her heartache and the process of moving forward. While Rolling Up the Welcome Mat was raw and vulnerable, Patterns highlights a sense of resilience as Kelsea looks at the lessons learned from her past and begins her next chapter.

Morgantown, W. Va. - The first-seeded West Virginia Mountaineers (12-1-6) are looking to use Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium to its advantage as it host in-state rival Marshall Thundering Herd (11-1-6).

The West Virginia Mountaineers (3-0) are set to take on  the Texas A&M Aggies (2-1)  in an early out of conference game on Friday November 15th.

The Mountaineers are fresh off a rivalry win in the backyard brawl beating Pitt 82-54. JJ Quinerly led the offensive charge for WVU putting in 17 points. 

Morgantown, W. Va. - The first-seeded West Virginia Mountaineers (11-1-6) will take on the Kentucky Wildcats (6-5-6) in a crucial Sun Belt Semifinal match.

The Mountaineers are coming off a thrilling first-round victory against the Georgia Southern Eagles, where the Mountaineers were down 2-0 in the first half before Marcus Caldeira scored a penalty just before halftime to start a run of three unanswered goals for his side. The incredible comeback was capped with an 81st-minute goal by Sun Belt Player of the Year, Sergio Ors Navarro, to win the game for WVU.