Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Lexington station WRFL celebrates 20 years of radio

An article in yesterday's Kentucky Kernel talks about University of Kentucky station WRFL 88.1 FM (Lexington, Kentucky) and its recent Alternative Music Week, which culminated in their first all-day music festival last weekend (featuring Hair Police, Jolie Holland, Apples in Stereo, The Coup, fire dancers, and other performers) in honor of the station's 20th anniversary (and to raise funds). According to the piece:

"The crowd at WRFL's FreeKY Fest on Saturday was as eclectic as the music the station broadcasts every day - some were children; others had grey hair and wrinkles. Some came dressed in tie-dyed shirts; others wore Polos and khakis. Some were pierced and tattooed; others had hair as colorful as the decorations hung around the concert venue.

'We had all the different shades of Lexington here,' said Chuck Clenney, WRFL's general manager. 'Everyone from the kids to the Indian community to the people who love crazy loud music came out. That's just what WRFL is about, offering something for everyone and bringing people together.'..."

WRFL is hoping to do some major transmitter upgrades to increase their coverage area, so they are doing serious fundraising right now, no doubt a big reason for this awesome week of music. One of their many slogans is: "Revolutions Don't Happen Between Commercial Breaks!"

Wouldn't it be great if every college station could put together a week like this for their local community? Has your favorite college radio station every undertaken something like this?

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