N.C. State’s student-run radio station, WKNC 88.1FM, pumps out 25,000 watts of music across Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and Cary 24 hours per day, non-stop. It’s one of the largest student-run radio stations in America.

The readers of the Independent Weekly voted WKNC best radio station for music in 2005. WKNC is taking it a step further and bringing the sounds down from the air waves to the stage.

This Friday, the station will host a two night concert event at Kings Barcade, a local downtown club. WKNC will pack the house, give Raleigh a taste of what real rock is and throw a concert better known as the Double Barrel Benefit.

This year’s affair will mark the third annual show. The gig first started when former WKNC general manager Jamie Proctor decided to figure out a way to supplement the tight budget. About 90 percent of WKNC’s funds come from student fees, so when there is a budget cut the wrath is felt firsthand.

This year’s opportunity to organize the event was left open since Proctor graduated in May, and Sam McGuire, better known on the air as Sac, took over the responsibility.

“Double Barrel Benefit is the brainchild of Jamie Proctor,” McGuire said. “He got King’s to sign on and help; after Jamie left, I took over and ran with it.”

He is anticipating two evenings of music that will raise the bar even higher.

“Last year we did five bands each night, but we changed it to four bands each night for longer sets, and people can get a better feel of the music,” he said.

Getting to feel the music is one of the main features that comes loaded with this gun.

All of the bands carry a unique sound with distinctive highlights that make for a wide array of different rock sounds.

The lineup features the essence of indie music. The Capulets, DeYarmond Edison, TV Knife and The Dynamite Brothers perform on Friday night, followed by A Rooster for the Masses, Cinemechanica, We vs. the Shark and The Trousers for Saturday night. Brian Ware, on air as Bware, the program director for WKNC, anticipates a hot two nights.

“It’s going to be the best one yet. A couple of the bands are traveling from out of state,” Ware said.

Most of the bands are local, but McGuire discovered two promising bands from the Athens, Ga., area and hopes to expose Raleigh to some new sounds.

The Capulets, which performs Friday night, played at the Design School’s Halloween Bash. The band knows firsthand the benefits of a relationship with WKNC.

“I hear a lot of people tell me they hear our songs on the radio,” Josh Pope, singer and guitarist, said.

The band is looking forward to more exposure from this concert.

“It’s cool to see other bands all in the same scene, representing the region — as a group together,” Pope said.

Adam Eckhardt, from A Rooster for the Masses, also holds ties to the station.

“It’s been publicized a lot; it’s gonna be great,” Eckhardt said. “It gives us a chance to give back to the station.”

This dual-benefiting relationship is what keeps the fire burning.

“It’s a doubled-edged sword — expose bands and expose N.C. State to the downtown scene,” McGuire said.

WKNC has worked hard to spread the news. Fliers can be seen up and down Hillsbourgh Street posted to any telephone poll.

Disc jockeys have been plugging the show on air and paying special attention to add the bands’ songs into their rotation.

McGuire is pushing it a step further by giving people a chance to wear the publicity.

“This year, for the first time, we’ll have T-shirts,” McGuire said. “Vince Carmody helped out with the poster and T-shirt [design].”

Ahpeele, a local company from the Five Points area, also lent a hand.

“Ahpeele helped us out,” McGuire said. “In exchange for some advertisement, they donated 100 T-shirts, so all the money goes to profit.”

WKNC is earning a name for itself by helping local musicians earn their keep in a quickly-recycled music scene.

The show is open to an 18-and-up crowd and requires a five dollar cover charge for each night. Doors open at 8 p.m. and the show begins at 9 p.m.