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WTUL, Tulane University’s radio station, will host its 37th Rock-On Survival Marathon March 11 - 28. This annual fundraiser takes place each year to keep WTUL on the air. Through a series of shows, DJ sets and a few gimmicks, WTUL hopes to raise as much as $30,000 this year.
The radio station will team up with NOIR Collective to co-sponsor the inaugural Foburg Fest, kicking off the Marathon hoopla March 12 – 14, and supporting local bands and many others heading to South By Southwest. WTUL’s designated venue for all shows is the downstairs stage at The Maison, located at 508 Frenchmen. Join DJs and festival-goers alike for three nights of alternative indie rock. On Friday, Maison will feature Blue Party, Gamma Ringo, New Grass Country Club and Wazozo. Saturday night brings us MyNameIsJohnMichael, followed by Sun Hotel, Reno Bo and Booty Trove. Closing out the Frenchmen Street festival on Sunday are Silent Cinema, Dr. Manhattan, Chris Rehm, Oso Closo and Meg Roussell. Each show begins at 10 p.m., with weekend passes available for $25.
Photo of Sick Like Sinatra| Courtesy of Myspace.com
A 24-hour DJ Weekend will bring WTUL out of the Lavin-Bernick Center basement for some fresh air in Pocket Park. From noon on March 19 through noon on March 21, three hard-working DJs elected by the air-staff will each spend 24 consecutive hours on-air. The first 24-hour shift will go to Assistant General Manager Rachel Wenzel. Darryl Williams, perpetual subber, will take over at noon that Saturday for the next 24 hours, with Program Director Hunter King closing out the weekend. All three DJs have made promises ranging from live music performances on the steps of Pocket Park to shaving off eyebrows and setting body parts on fire for pledges. If you enjoy funny people doing crazy things for money, come get to know the 24-hour DJs and help them stay awake.
Saint Mary Street hipster dive The Saint will bring three live DJ sets to the masses each Thursday of Marathon — March 11, 18 and 22 — for free. WTUL DJs will compete for the honor of a three-hour set, beginning at 11 p.m., that will be as lively as the Hip Hop dance parties that take place at that very bar every Saturday night. Expect sweaty dancing in cramped quarters and cheap beer — always a winning pair.
As far as concerts go, WTUL will put on several must-see events. For opera fans, the station will host a night at the Flying Dutchman March 19 with the help of the New Orleans Opera Association. Ballzack and Oddoms and Madd Wikkid will take the stage March 20 at One Eyed Jacks to warm up the crowd for a rousing Quintron and Miss Pussycat show. The third and final weekend of Marathon will feature another show at One Eyed Jacks, this time with the caberet-esque New Orleans Bingo! Show March 26.
If you want to personally meet and drink with some of the hip DJs of WTUL, head down to the Marigny on March 27 for WTUL’s annual CD Release Party at Saturn Bar. This CD compiles the best local artists of the year for one disc jam-packed with hits. With a performance by Sick Like Sinatra, countless CDs available for purchase and a few surprises in store, this night will bring excellent performances to the coziest bar on Saint Claude Avenue. Finally, Marathon will conclude on March 28 with WTUL’s 5th annual Hootenany at the Maple Leaf. Performers include Luke Winslow King and The Howdies at this early show, starting at 5 p.m.
If you — or perhaps your parents’ credit card — are a fan of non-commercial radio, pledge your support for the station. If you donate money, WTUL will reward you richly with swag. By pledging at least $25, you can hear three songs on air and then receive a Songs from the Basement CD, plus WTUL stickers and buttons. With each pledge level increasing to include prizes such as WTUL messenger bags, t-shirts and even a few Voodoo Fest tickets, there is no reason not to give to the station. Listen to WTUL at 91.5 FM or stream the broadcast online at wtulneworleans.com where updated Marathon information can also be found. Playlists are updated in real-time, and requests can be made by calling 504-865-5885 or 504-865-5887.
| SICK LIKE SINATRA | LUKE WINSLOW KING | THE HOWDIES |
|---|---|---|
| At WTUL’s CD Release Party at Saturn Bar, you can catch one of the liveliest bands in New Orleans, Sick Like Sinatra. This theatrical group lip syncs and mimes performances to their own original music. While this may sound boring, their choreographed dancing and mock-instrument playing make for top-notch dance music. Pairing punk rock timing with synthesizer beats, Sick Like Sinatra forces audiences to move frantically to keep up with their pace. The trio, usually dressed in spandex and surrounded by pulsating lights and props as oddball as inflatable dolls and gigantic packs of cigarettes, riffs on commercialism with their over-the-top lyrics. Look for Sick Like Sinatra to pack the house March 27 for an unforgettable set that will have people climbing off the balcony to join in on the fun. | Once all the high-energy Marathon events are nearly over, spend a relaxing Sunday evening at the Maple Leaf Bar to the tunes of one of the most important musicians in the city. WTUL’s Hootenany features Luke Winslow King who hails from Michigan but honed his craft on the streets of the Crescent City after studying composition at the University of New Orleans. King writes traditional New Orleans-style music, which he performs solo with only his guitar by his side. Playing with local greats such as John Boutte and Lisa Discoll, King has earned his merit as a true New Orleans performer. His latest album Old/New Baby plays on a ragtime tune with an original approach to jazz music that fans of both old-time and modern jazz can enjoy. Look for his presence to envelop and enrapture audiences at the Maple Leaf Bar March 28. | Alongside Luke Winslow King, Lafayette’s own The Howdies will perform at the Maple Leaf for the Hootenay. The group plays thumping Americana featuring ukulele, harmonica and kazoo along with the more traditional guitar, percussion and upright bass. This super group of sorts, with all members coming from well-known bands of the South, say they rehearse in a trailer in the woods, a claim you will certainly believe once you hear their backwoods rockabilly stomp music. The Howdies’ debut album, Made With Pure Lightening, touches on zydeco as homage to their country roots. Their energetic live show can inspire dancing in even the most uptight New Orleanians, so prepare yourself for a boot-stomping good time at the Hootenany March 28. |
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Some later breaking news on the above WTUL Rock on Survival Marathon events.
There will NOT be a New Orleans Bingo! Show on March 26th - over exuberance on WTUL’s part got that printed. Just to be clear, Bingo! did not bail - the show was never confirmed and key members will be out of state on that day.
Also, Throbbing Thursday will not be at The Saint tonight - it will be at Rocco’s Tavern on Maple Street.
18+ (really!) and no cover