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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

arts

WFHB to showcase local music in benefit

Tim Baker

On Friday night, Bloomington residents will have the opportunity to enjoy an evening of all things local, including local music, business and radio. As a part of their Local Live Showcase, community radio station WFHB is holding a benefit concert at the Bluebird featuring five local artists.

Opal Fly, singer of Opal Fly and KAPOW!, said she was thrilled to be asked to play at the showcase. It’s the band’s first time playing at the venue.

“I think it’s a great honor, just to get to play with all the other bands and maybe meet some new friends and get to play at the Bluebird,” she said. “I hope the radio station keeps going strong, so I’ll do whatever I can.”

Fly said some of the money from the fundraising is going toward solar panels for the radio station, as well as other green initiatives.

She said WFHB is a huge deal because it is completely volunteer-run. Fly also said, as a musician, she is thankful and appreciative that WFHB plays local music because many radio stations don’t.

“I think they’re very open-minded, and it’s a huge community service,” she said.

Fly said she has previously played shows with the band Chainsaw Mondays, who are also performing in the concert. Chainsaw Mondays’ singer Tim Baker said he likes getting to know the DJs at WFHB.

“WFHB is great because they let you know about everything that is going on in the community,” Baker said. “As a musician and a music promoter, it’s the best offset that we have in town.”

Baker said he has played at previous weekly Local Live Showcases, and he has also been featured on their Bloomington Live CD, a recording of artists who appear in the showcases. He said the radio station helps bring local artists together.

“WFHB is badass, because you turn it on and you don’t know what you’re going to get,” he said. “I get to turn on WFHB and it’s playing all my friends. I’m like, shit, I know this song, and I know what it’s about, and I know the players on it.”

While Fly and Baker will perform earlier during the concert, Mike Adams at His Honest Weight will close out the show. As a member of the Bloomington music scene for more than 20 years, Adams said he is very familiar with the radio station and its volunteers.

Adams said he thinks WFHB is beneficial to Bloomington as a local and alternative voice, since the station is so involved in the city’s culture.

“They’re just kind of ingrained in a way that is important,” he said. “Bloomington has a really cool and vibrant music underground that is really valuable.”

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