Fundraisers to benefit new community radio station
by Alicia Grega/The Electric City
Published: October 21, 2010
There’s no arguing that the Internet has changed the way the world listens to music. We have access to an overwhelming diversity of genres and formats. Artists are overthrowing record labels and selling increasingly creative packages directly to fans. What hasn’t changed, amazingly enough, is the thrill musicians get from hearing their song on the radio.
Just ask Shawn Z of Gypsy or the members of Northern Outlaws, Coal Town Rounders, Erthan or Rogue Chimp. They’ve all volunteered to perform Saturday, Oct. 23, at the first of several “Get on the Air” concerts benefitting new community radio station WFTE 90.3 FM. The show at the Stone Elephant in Olyphant is set to begin at 9 p.m. A donation of $10 will be collected. Raffle tickets and WFTE merchandise will be available for sale.
The non-commercial, listener-supported, volunteer-operated community radio station secured a Federal Communications Commission broadcast license in February 2008. It has collected $180,000 so far and is in the process of raising the last $40,000 it needs to build and erect the tower that will transmit from Mount Cobb. Not unlike WJFF in the Catskills, WFTE will follow a progressive format, broadcasting a couple of nationally-syndicated programs like Democracy Now in response to the glut of right wing talk shows available on the airwaves. Most of its programming, which will be determined by committee, will be locally generated. It’s expected to consist largely of local news and talk shows and Spanish-language programs. The station hopes to pick up some of the community programming the University of Scranton’s WUSR left behind when it switched to an all-student DJ format. And music by local artists will be represented, assured WFTE board member Julie Judge.
“We’re already collecting CDs. We’re on the Internet and we’ll be playing music before we’re on the air,” she said.
Those who have supported a movement toward shopping at local businesses this past decade are likewise gung-ho to support local artists and musicians. And while there have been short weekly programs here and there, with annual music showcases, and a lot of benefit concerts, there has not been a constant, comprehensive source for music by local artists.
“It’s rare these days for radio stations to care about anything but the mainstream artists and in NEPA we have such a wealth of original talent,” said Jay Luke of The Mess. “I hope it really takes off to showcase all the real artists out there that have the courage to play their own music rather than cover everyone else who is the current flavor of the week.”
Luke is among the artists who will perform at the second WFTE “Get on the Air” concert at The Irish Wolf in Scranton on Nov. 7. Other artists performing that night include Jeremy Burke of Jung Bergo, Paul Martin, Aaron Roberts of Northern Outlaws, Jerry Sapphire, Mark Sutorka, and Larry and Dave.
“We fully expect these concerts to be successful events and if they are, the venues, the bars, are going to be happy just to sell beer and food, and they’re going to allow us to keep doing it. We want to keep the momentum going. We want bands to contact us if they are interested in doing a benefit,” Judge said.
“This first show is a mix of Americana, country/blues, jam band, experimental music. It’s all over the map, but in a way, they blend into each other,” she said. “The next concert will be all acoustic. We also want to have a metal show and other genre nights.”
– alicia grega
