Locals On the Airwaves

· Local commercial radio has nobly begun sniffing around local music’s butt the last couple of years, with local-centric shows popping up on 97.3 FM (“Homegrown,” Sundays at 9 p.m.) and WEBN (“Native Noise,” Sundays at 11 p.m.). But no one has been turning over the airwaves to locals longer than WAIF’s “Kindred Sanction.” Starting in 1986, Cynthia Dye Wimmers and various co-hosts have been interviewing Greater Cincinnati artists and playing all kinds of local sounds on the program, which currently airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. This week, Wimmers hosts the 20th anniversary edition of “Kindred Sanction,” joined by special guest David Wolfenberger. Besides tuning your radio dial to 88.3 FM, you can also listen to WAIF online at waifstream.com.

· “Studio 89,” the excellent live music radio show (think Austin City Limits, but with the picture turned off) on WNKU (89.7 FM), returns this Monday at 9 p.m. The weekly show — running each Monday through the end of August — features live performances from and interviews with a mix of local, national and international acts. The show’s new season kicks off Monday with Cincy-native Katie Reider and her band. Other notable local acts performing on the show this summer include Raison D’Etre (June 19), the Danny Frazier Band (July 10), Ellery (Aug. 7) and The Hiders (Aug. 14). This won’t be the first time The Hiders have been on a National Public Radio program; the sublime Indie Americana act was recently featured on the nationally-syndicated World Café radio show (do a search and listen at npr.org).

Those wanting to attend the live “Studio 89” performances can request reservations one week prior to the show; to sign up (and view the full schedule of artists participating), go to wnku.org. You can also call 859-572-6500 for reservations.

Rumors, Lies and General Misunderstandings
· Saturday at the Southgate House in Newport, Spindle, The Spill, All Their Eyes and Steven Gregory join together to raise money for The ALS Association, an organization dedicated to finding a cure for ALS (also know as Lou Gehrig’s Disease) and helping those living with the disease. The show is also being used to remember Kyle Hahn, a local musician — and diligent ALS activist — who passed away in 2003 from the disease.

· “Exile on Main,” the monthly local music showcase in Over-the-Rhine, returns this Friday to the clubs in and around the Main Street Entertainment District. A different local-music aficionado curates the showcase each month; this time out, Buckra’s Andrew Laudeman has the honor. A $5 cover gets you into all four venues. At alchemize, Goose, The A.M. Elevator and Kamikaze Saucers perform; at Cooper’s, it’s the Whitney Barricklow Band, Dayton’s Shrug and Buckra; the Courtyard Café has Wake the Bear, The Newbees and Michael McIntire and the Marmalade Brigade; and RBC’s hosts Earle Grey, MercuroChrome and The Trojan Rabbit.

· Local Blues/R&B crew II Juicy won the Cincy Blues Society’s “Cincinnati Blues Challenge,” beating out 22 other bands during the live playoffs May 21. Sonny Moorman won in the “Solo/Duo” category. II Juicy now gets the chance to represent the Blues Society at the “International Blues Challenge” in Memphis in February. II Juicy and Moorman, as well as runners-up Cheryl Renee, Jimmy D. Rogers and a few others, were also awarded slots at the Cincy Blues Fest, celebrating its 14th year July 28-29 at Sawyer Point (a new “Local Stage” will be added this year to accommodate more of our local Blues faves). Much of the fest’s main-stage line-up has been announced (including headliners like Deborah Coleman, Calvin Cooke and Bobby Rush); go to cincyblues.org for the full rundown.

· Shake It Records in Northside is hosting a doubleheader release party/bar-b-que Saturday at 6 p.m. The guests of honor are Viva La Foxx and Staggering Statistics, who both have new releases on the Shake It imprint — I Knew It Wasn’t Love, But … (see review, page 32) and All Of This and More, respectively. Along with free grub cooked up on the patio grill, you’ll be able to hear sets from both acts at the store; the Foxxes then head to Jacob’s in Northside for a nighttime CD release blow-out, this one featuring the amazing This Moment In Black History (from Cleveland) as special guests. (shakeitrecords.com)

· About 124,000 local bands are in the running for the Zippo Hot Tour battle of the bands contest. OK, there are not that many, but there are a lot. To help your favorites get to the next round (and have a chance to, ultimately, win some big-time exposure and juicy prizes), go to zippohottour.com.

This article appears in May 31 – Jun 6, 2006.