With a gorgeous neon sign in the front and a massive inflatable pumpkin in the back, Wave is hard to miss. Located in Downtown Wichita just minutes from Old Town, Wave is a brand new concert venue that had its grand opening Friday.

What this venue lacks in parking and security, it makes up for in a positive atmosphere and aesthetics. Featuring both an indoor and outdoor stage that can fit up to 3000 concert-goers, Wave provides the type of large-scale art venue that Wichita was missing. Both stages are equipped with professional-level tech, boasting brand new speakers and stage lights.

With a name like Wave, I expected a place that was modern and energized. My expectations were more than met. The staff was friendly, the facilities were clean and well-kept, and the quality of music was impressive. At Wave, there is space for every type of music lover. You can hang out at a table towards the back with a drink, or you can rage like mad in the front. I chose the latter. Days later, my body is still sore from dancing so much.

The opening night featured a lineup of impressive local talent. Familiar names such as Team Tremolo, The Cavves, and Kill Vargas all had strong showings. By giving Wichita artists a place to showcase their skills, Wave is already off to a great start.

Logan Bush, drummer for Kill Vargas, said Friday’s grand opening “incredible.”

“Way better than anything I could have expected,” Bush said.

Kill Vargas always draws a crowd, and Friday night was no different. Fans could easily mosh without having to worry about breaking chairs, denting walls, or shattering ceiling lights — a major problem for Wichita shows that aren’t in an actual concert venue.

“Seems like there’s 800 people here right now,” Bush estimated. “It’s super cool to see people just out to support local music and local venues.”

When asked what Wave could potentially mean for the Wichita music scene moving forward, Bush said “it’s a lot of opportunity to network and meet promoters that bring in real national bands — a lot of opportunity to come out and see how a real venue functions.”

“It’s not like the Donut Whole. This is the real deal,” Bush said.

Wave already has multiple events planned for the rest of the season — spanning from classic country shows to 90s-themed raves. If Friday was any indication of how successful this venue will be, I believe Wave will have a very bright future.