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AIRWAVES
DREAM Capital Region
radio has its share of constants. Three times
a year, WAMC will host a fund drive, and you will
send them money just to make Alan Chartock stop
talking. PYX 106 will play Peter Frampton’s “Do
You Feel Like We Do?” in its entirety at least
once a day. And the Jim Barrett-hosted Kaleidoscope
show will never, ever die. The program, whose
programming is essentially free-form with a focus
on local music, has bounced between stations in
recent years, most recently calling the “New Edge”
104.9 FM its home. Now, 37 years into its existence,
Barrett’s old reliable been picked up by Siena
College-run WVCR (88.3 FM), where it will
air Friday mornings from 9 to 11 AM, beginning
tomorrow (July 13). Rocky Velvet will join
Barrett and co-host Ann Shaughnessy on
the air to help break in the new digs.
In other radio news, you may have noticed that
public-radio station 97.7 FM (formerly WBKK) is
no longer broadcasting classical music. Last Saturday
at noon, the commercial-free station switched
to the Adult Alternative Album (AAA) format, dubbing
its new incarnation “The Exit” and adopting
the call letters WEXT. (We checked: There
was a country-music station in Wisconsin with
the same call letters, but it is no longer on
the air.) On a cursory listen, I heard tunes by
Ryan Adams and LCD Soundsystem (good), followed
by John Mayer and Trey Anastasio (meh). So, while
the free-form-ness of it all may repel those who
prefer to “lock it in and break off the dial,”
it should be a fine alternative for incessant
channel surfers (like me). Check out exit977.com
for more on the station.
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| Scientific
Maps |
BURNING
BOOKS The Albany Public Library’s main
branch (161 Washington Ave.) will become a music
venue for two nights this summer. The Garage
Bands in the Garage series will bring four
local rock bands into the library’s large garage
space (in the rear of the building, facing Elk
Street) from 6 to 8 PM on Friday nights. On July
20, catch Scientific Maps and Guiltless
Cult; August 17 features the Ben Karis
Band and Wait Until Dusk. A selection
of music CDs, DVDs, and books will be made available
to check out at the shows (remember, the library
proper will be closed), and library cards will
be issued to those with picture ID and proof of
address, for those who do not already have one.
For information on the series, contact readers’
services librarian Sarah Clark at 427-4300.
WHO ARE YOU? Pete Townshend will unveil
his latest stage musical this weekend— right in
our backyard. Titled The Boy Who Heard Music,
the piece follows the continuing journeys of sulky
lead character Ray High, who first appeared in
Townshend’s Psychoderelict project, and
features some songs that were featured on the
Who’s 2006 don’t-call-it-a-comeback (because it
wasn’t) album Endless Wire. The musical
will have its premiere this Friday and Saturday
at the Powerhouse Theater at Vassar College
in Poughkeepsie. (Yes, Poughkeepsie.) Tickets
are, as of press time, still available for $25
through the Powerhouse box office at (845) 437-5599.
IN THE STREET It’s been brought to our attention
that Springfield, Mass., has a free summer-concert
series going, and it’s a good’un. The shows happen
on Thursday nights at 6 PM in Springfield’s Stearns
Square, and run through the end of August. Detroit
Cobras and Marshall Crenshaw have already taken
part; upcoming shows include the Charms
(July 19), the Smithereens (July 26), Shadows
of the Knight (Aug 9), and Willie Nile
(Aug. 16). For more on the series, visit springfielddowntown.com.
ENOUGH ABOUT THEM One quick shameless plug,
and then I’m out: My band of seven years or so,
the Suggestions, are calling it quits.
We’ll play one final show this Friday at Tess’
Lark Tavern (453 Madison Ave., Albany), starting
around 9:30 PM. My new band, Maggie Mayday,
will open. Please, leave the tomatoes at home.
—John
Brodeur
Let
us know about local-music news and happenings
for inclusion in Rough Mix: E-mail John Brodeur
at jbrodeur@metro land.net or call 463-2500 ext.
145.
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