SEE YOU ON THE RADIO

One annual road trip we enjoy is along the Mississippi River over to the quaint river town of Alma, WI, home of the WPR award winning Big River Radio Wave show. 

If you've never been to a 'live' taping, it's participatory as a mic hangs over the audience to capture a pre-practiced chant. Ours was a rowdy "Hey, Wisconsin"for the first show of the season with a rip roaring applause and a few unsolicited cheers. The same show is taped at 6 and repeated at 8. This variety show will be spliced for its airing and will be the lead in for the Prairie Home Companion. Pretty cool, huh?

Once again we were present for the taping of their July 4th week end broadcast. The stage was definitely more crowded as the show's band, Section 8, has grown to 10 members with a larger horn section. Mac Cherry's still the lead male vocalist. 

Also returning was comedian Tim Harmston from the Twin Cities.  There was no shortage of political material and the show's audience did not need any warming up to his humor. 

Dick Stahl who lives in Davenport, Iowa who served as the first poet laureate (01-03) of the Quad Cities shared some of his poetry from his new publication Bluffing inspired by his many hikes with his wife to many of the Mississippi bluff overlooks. 

Another guest on the show was Billy X Curmano, adventurer/artist who swam the length of the Mississippi to bring attention to pollution. He also spoke of poisoning water in fracking referring to the Dakotas and the pipeline's damage to the environment. In April he had an installation called Hidden & Collected Waters along with performances. As a vet he also uses his art to protest war with other Viet Nam vets. 

There are a lot of interesting folk to meet...

Remember, you too can be part of a live taping.  For $ 12/ticket you can have a great time  on the Big River Radio Show/ we can all just see each other on the radio. Check FB for their schedule.

Here's a link to a past blog entry:
2016 Big River Wave Radio

* Of course we made our stop for plants in Alma at 333 S. Main St. and my favorite Fiesta de Sol variety at Alma Garden Gate. Big clearance sale going on now for all you gardeners.