Aaron Sharpe never listened to 97X… but he wore many hats at WNKU-FM, a station that picked up the mantle from 97X/woxy.com in being a free-spirited, adventurous, community-oriented radio station that introduced many to music they couldn’t hear elsewhere — including plenty of local artists. Unfortunately, WNKU suffered a similar fate to 97X, signing off for good in September of 2017 after the station was sold.
In this episode, Aaron talks about how he got involved at WNKU-FM, the bittersweet ending, and what he’s up to now.
Many saw WNKU carrying the torch for Oxford’s much-beloved WOXY, which transitioned from the radio to the internet in 2004 and ceased altogether in 2010.
“Today is a moment of deja vu and reliving the same end that came to WOXY many years before this day,” wrote listener Michelle Voss on WNKU’s Facebook page Thursday. “It’s such a shame that all WNKU has stood for and stood with, is to be removed from existence.”
Well, the Orange & Black made a valiant effort, but in the end they were edged out by the Blue & Yellow.
Wait, I’m talking about leftover Halloween candy. What did you think I meant?
Oh yeah, the Bengals lost too. But as the people on this boat said upon further reflection* “that sure was a heck of a ride!”
*i.e. after they recovered from their concussions
OK, let’s move on to the tunes. Great news: as part of the This Week in Live Music President’s Day Weekend Sale, you can buy one week of concert listings and get one week free!
Speaking of furniture, let’s give it up for Lucy Dacus, who played a great show at the Ovation while lying on a couch for most of the gig due to two herniated discs in her back. What a trooper.
Looking heavenward with the voice of an angel
New release Friday
Today, Jacob Strom (son of list members Jen and Tim Strom) has a new track called “Charger” dropping on all the major streaming sites. It’s a song he co-wrote for an artist named JVKE, who apparently is quite the TikTok-er. Check it out. And by “it” I mean the song, not TikTok. OK, go ahead and do both, you impetuous youth!
Tickets on sale today
Bonnie Raitt and Mavis Staples at the Greg “Johnny Bravo” Brady Center on July 19th.
Gig time
Tonight, John Scofield plays Ludlow Garage.
Saturday, Beth Hart is at the Taft, Madison Live hosts a Weezer and Smashing Pumpkins tribute, and the Icon has a sold-out show: Louis Tomlinson. (Never heard of him? Same here, my friend with discriminate taste in musical artists… apparently he was a member of One Direction.)
On Monday, Superwolves (a band featuring Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy*) plays Southgate.
*no relation to Prince
Tuesday, Drew & Ellie Holcomb play Memorial Hall, and The Thing with Feathers lands in Southgate’s Revival Room.
On Thursday:
Allison Russell plays Memorial Hall. (Allison is from Birds of Chicago, and her solo album from 2021 got rave reviews.)
Zachary Williams (of The Lone Bellow) will be at Ludlow Garage, with local band The Hiders opening the show.
Ovation has Zoso: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience. That show is BYOG (Bring Your Own Groupies)
Next Friday evening, Lily Hiatt plays Southgate, with the Harmaleighs opening, and Jack Russell’s Great White (essentially Jack Russell minus all the other members of Great White… it’s complicated when that much hair is involved) plays the Blue Note in Harrison.
“What can I say? I threw a band together because I needed the money.”
On Saturday, Feb. 26th:
Anderson East plays Bogart’s
Local artists Physco and Christian Nicholas Gough play the Woodward
Alex Williams is in Southgate’s Sanctuary
Letterkenny Live is at the Taft.
Sunday, 2/27, British blues-rocker Joanne Shaw Taylor is at Southgate and Gaelic Storm hits the Taft.
The four members of the band called We Banjo Three have two shows at Memorial Hall, on Tuesday, March 1st and Wednesday, March 2nd.
Also on Wednesday (3/2), Beach House will be on the river… at the Ovation in Newport. And Wishbone Ash plays Ludlow Garage.
Goats will march forth when Bockfest kicks off on Friday, March 4th. That same evening the Devon Allman Project (featuring Luther Dickinson of North Mississippi Allstars) plays Annie’s with the Samantha Fish Band, and The Well and Howling Giant play Northside Yacht Club. If you’re into tributes, Bogart’s has The Prince Experience (no relation to Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy) and Taft hosts The Fab Four Ultimate Tribute. (I’m assuming it’s a tribute to the Rutles.)
Shows on Saturday, March 5th:
Ministry, the Melvins and Corrosion of Conformity are at the Madison Theater
Mat Kearney plays the Taft
Local artist David McGlynn has an album release show at the Woodward, with Ric Hordinski and Moonshine
Aja – A tribute to Steely Dan is at Ludlow Garage (I’m assuming it’s a tribute to the BAND Steely Dan, not the… um… toy.)
Coheed & Cambria plays Ovation on Sunday, March 6th, and the husband and wife duo called Ordinary Elephant plays Southgate, with Rachael Kilgour as the opener.
Vote early, vote often
I’m with AC Newman…
Album Covers of the Week
I spend a lot of time crate-digging at the local thrift stores, trying to add to my vinyl collection on the cheap. Usually it’s a colossal waste of time, as the bins are filled with nothing but albums from Andy Williams, Engelbert Hump-or-death Humperdinck and the Ray Conniff Singers. But this past Sunday, I scored big:
What a great time to be in the Cincinnati area. This Sunday, the local NFL team, owned by the Browns (in more ways than one), has a chance to take home the ultimate prize: a trip to Disney World!
(Oh, and a shiny trophy too.) This town is going bonkers for their Bengals!
Then on Monday, it’s VD for everyone! Let me wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day!
Always remember that I love you, even if I forgot to get you something… wait, sorry, that’s the note for my wife. Although sometimes I DO get her a gift and she’s still upset.
I have no idea why…
But I’m getting ahead of myself. Before we get to the Super Bowl and the Super Love, we have an action-packed weekend of hard-hitting rock and/or roll.
Tonight, Lucy Dacus plays the Ovation, with Indigo De Souza as the opener. Should be a stellar show – hope to see you there.
I love Lucy!
This just in… if Lucy has back-to-back back pain, she might be crooning from a couch, like she did last night in the Motor City:
Just don’t make it a hide-a-bed
Saturday, Foxy Shazam plays the Peter Brady Icon Music Center.
Iconic ‘stache!
That same evening, Manor House in Mason hosts The Cincy Winter Blues Experience, Rob Fetters kicks off Season #6 of his “Fetters is Cheap” live streams, and the Tri-State’s smelly hippies find themselves with a tough choice:
Local jam band Spookfloaters (feat. my wife’s cousin Mike on guitar and vocals) plays the event center at Little Miami Brewing Co. AND
Runaway Gin (a tribute to Phish) is at Annie’s.
I guess they’ll have to take two trips that night.
The Peter Brady mustache really makes the outfit.
On Super Sunday, Stay Outside and Leland Blue play Southgate.
Monday, in addition to the aforementioned hug fest that is Valentine’s Day, Langhorne Slim plays Southgate.
I love Langhorne!
Southgate House has two shows on Tuesday:
The Pine Hill Haints play the main room (Sanctuary)
In the upstairs Revival Room, you can enjoy An Evening with Clem Snide – I may hit this show, could be really cool.
Wednesday, Dream Theater plays the Marsha Brady Icon Music Center.
Iconic football scene.
On Thursday, Cary Morin plays Southgate’s Revival Room.
Next Friday, John Scofield will be at Ludlow Garage.
Tickets on sale today
The Who at TQL Stadium on May 15th… yes, Quadrophenia fans, that’s 5:15…
Idles at Ovation on September 12th
“Mickey Dolenz celebrates the Monkees” at Icon on April 9th
Engelbert Humperdinck at Taft on May 6th.
Trick question
Live shot
The War on Drugs put on a stellar show at Ovation this past Sunday. The venue is similar to the Mike Brady Icon Music Center, although it only has a single wraparound balcony instead of two. The sound was very good, sightlines were decent, I just wish they had more exits for post-show egress.
Album Cover of the Week
Your collection of the best Soul music isn’t complete unless you have Hutch in your hutch.
I promised you Superlove music, so here it is:
Ass Ponys covering the Afghan Whigs… it doesn’t get any better than this.
Here’s Part 2 of our interview with Jeff Rohrs, who worked weekends and vacation fill-in shifts at 97X from 1987-1991. In this part of our chat, he talks about the community of music lovers at 97X, the great program directors during his tenure, his scary sighting on the Party Patio, his side hustles (DJ… and grocery bagger), and “Balogh University.”
Jeff mentions former 97X program director Kerry Gray, and former DJ Ken “Mr. K” Glidewell.
Kerry Gray on the right, with Brett Heartz, by Kerry’s burnt car. Mr. K on the right, with former morning show co-host and PD J.J. (John Jesser) on the left
Last night’s Country Westerns gig at MOTR was scuttled by the freezing rain, sleet, and snow. Mmm, wintry mix! (Special message to all those “if it’s going to be cold, I wish it would snow” types: bite me!)
But you can love The Ultimate Doors tribute two times, babe…
OK, technically one time. And probably tonight, because they are riders on the storm.
At press time, Brother Moses and Tom the Torpedoes are still on for Saturday (Southgate and Redmoor, respectively).
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday… it’s The War on Drugs at Ovation in Newport. List member Mighty Joe Sampson and I will be there with bells on (but we will only shake them between songs).
Are you less of a Drugs person and more of a jazzer-person?
Admit it, you can’t look away…
Then you can catch the Blue Wisp Big Band’s 40th Anniversary CD Release party at The Redmoor on Sunday starting at 6 p.m.
On Tuesday, Anaïs Mitchell and Bonny Light Horseman trot into Memorial Hall. Bonny Light Horseman is Anaïs Mitchell with Eric D. Johnson (of Fruit Bats fame) and Josh Kaufman (a multi-instrumentalist and producer known for his work with Craig Finn, Hiss Golden Messenger, Josh Ritter, The National and Bob Weir). Should be a really cool show.
Washout Wednesday
Sleigh Bells were supposed to play Taft on Wednesday… but they moved their entire tour back several months.
And the Wailing Jennys were supposed to play Memorial Hall on Hump Day, but they moved that show back an entire year!
Oh, and I hate to pile on, but here’s more breaking news:
Speaking of non-music, The Moth Mainstage will be at Memorial Hall on Thursday, and comedian Whitney Cummings is appearing at the Taft.
But there IS music on Thursday: you can catch list member John Sandman’s Tye Dye Band at Eli’s BBQ in the East End. They’ll be playing (inside the heated/tented barn-like structure) from 6-8 p.m.
Next Friday, Lucy Dacus plays Ovation, with Indigo De Souza as the opener. Once again, list member Mighty Joe Sampson and I will be there. I’m assuming our bells will have been confiscated by Ovation staff earlier in the week, but we’re really pumped up for this show.
Lucy’s most recent album, Home Video, was one of our faves from 2021, and she has a new one-off single out that’s pretty tasty too.
Also next Friday, Ben Levin plays Wiedemann Brewing.
Tickets on sale today…
Manchester Orchestra is playing Ovation on Wednesday, March 16th, and Tori Amos will be at the Taft Theatre on Tuesday, May 24th. Tickets for both shows go on sale this morning. I wonder if Tori will play “Oil Spill”…
If you love me, you’ll buy this for me
Just a gentle reminder that VD is right around the corner. That’s Valentine’s Day – get your mind out of the gutter! And if you’re looking for the perfect gift for your favorite This Week in Live Music correspondent, you can get me this:
The pro model will suffice, no need to splurge on the premium or limited edition… it’s a mere $7K – you probably have that in your couch cushions. Better “rush” out and buy it soon though!
Magazine Cover of the Week
Now that’s an unfortunate sticker placement. Or not, depending on how phreaky Mike Gordon is.
Album Cover of the Week
The road to hell is paved with good intentions. And the Pathway to Heaven is peppered with polyester.
