Dave Matthews And Los Lobos Pair Up At Gorge

Two big new shows have been announced at The Gorge: Van’s Warped Tour on July 10, and the Dave Matthews Band with Los Lobos on July 11.

The Van’s Warped Tour is one of the new festival-like events that have sprung up, this one featuring the Mighty Mighty Bosstones as the headliner. The rest of the festival has a punk-ska flavor, featuring California punk bands Social Distortion, the Descendents and the Vandals, plus ska-type bands Hepcat and Reel Big Fish. Rounding out the bill will be Pennywise, Sick of It All, Face to Face, Royal Crown Revue, Blink 182, Tha Alkaholiks, Limp Bizkit, 22 Jacks, Sugar Ray, Millencolin, Lo Presher, Sun Child, Buck-O-Nine, and Strung Out.

There will be four stages to accommodate all of this music. The show starts at 2 p.m. on July 10. Tickets go on sale Saturday at 11 a.m. through Ticketmaster outlets.

Meanwhile, the Dave Matthews Band-Los Lobos double-bill promises to be one of the great shows of the summer, at 8 p.m.on July 11. Tickets go on sale Saturday at 9 a.m. through Ticketmaster outlets.

KDRK leads ratings

The country sound of KDRK-FM once again leads the radio pack in the Spokane market, according to the just-released winter Arbitron ratings.

This is the second straight quarter that KDRK has been on top, which constitutes quite a feat in the up-and-down world of the radio ratings.

Also of note:

KISC-FM continues to be on the upswing. In fact, the adult contemporary genre looks strong overall, taking both second and third places.

KAQQ-AM, a station that plays Frank Sinatra and Perry Como, makes a rare appearance in the top five.

KPBX-FM, Spokane Public Radio, garnered about a 3.1 share, which would put it at about 14th place. However, because it is a non-commercial station, it does not make the official Arbitron list.

A breakout of Kootenai County’s numbers show KXLY-FM as No. 1, followed in order by KDRK, KCDA-FM and KHTQ-FM.

Here are the numbers, for all listeners 12 and over, based on quarter-hour share, copyright 1997, The Arbitron Co. (with format and dial number in parentheses):

1. KDRK-FM (country, 93.7), 8.3.

2. KISC-FM (adult contemporary, 98), 8.0.

3. (tie) KXLY-FM (adult contemporary, 99.9) 7.6.

3. (tie) KZZU-FM (contemporary hits, 93), 7.6.

5. (tie) KKZX-FM (classic rock, 98.9), 7.4.

5. (tie) KAQQ-AM (nostalgia, 590), 7.4.

7. KGA-AM (news-talk, 1510), 6.1.

8. KAEP-FM (adult alternative, 105.7), 5.5.

9. KXLY-AM (news-talk, 920), 5.3.

10. KNFR-FM (country, 96.1), 4.7.

11. KCDA-FM (country, 103.1), 4.3.

12. KEYF-FM (oldies, 101.1), 4.2.

13. KNJY-FM (rock, 103.9), 3.9.

14. KHTQ-FM (contemporary hits, 94.5), 3.0.

15. KTRW-AM (sports-talk, 970), 1.5.

16. (tie) KEZE-FM (rock, 96.9), 1.3.

16. (tie) KJRB-AM (talk, 790), 1.3.

18. (tie) KTSL-FM (Christian, 101.9), 1.2.

18. (tie) KAZZ-FM (nostalgia, 107.1), 1.2.

Morning show upset

The radio morning show ratings are the biggest shock.

A show called “Gathering Around the Breakfast Table” came in first over such more familiar names as the Radio Men and the Breakfast Boys. It ranked only ninth last quarter.

This is KAQQ-AM’s show with host Barry Watkins, newsman Steve Nelson and veteran agriculture reporter Wey Simpson. The numbers reveal this show to be very popular among listeners 50 and older, enough to push it to the top overall this quarter.

Here are the weekday morning show Arbitron rankings, for persons 12 and over, quarter-hour share:

1. KAQQ-AM (Gathering Around the Breakfast Table), 10.2.

2. KKZX-FM (Radio Men), 9.4.

3. KISC-FM (Wise Guys), 7.9.

4. KDRK-FM (Diamond and Crystal), 7.4.

5. KZZU-FM (Breakfast Boys), 7.1.

The Radio Pirate

That “Radio Pirate” who has been breaking into KZZU’s frequency and spouting insults and profanities was still at work as of Thursday morning.

The unknown person went after Santa Claus this time - he repeated the words “Santa Claus was killed today,” which made at least one child in the Spokane Valley burst into tears.

KZZU is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the Radio Pirate. Tips should be called in to 324-2333.

By the way, I don’t think this is merely a radio station stunt. If it is, it is even dumber than the average stunt.

Jeff Ray heading to Portland

Jeff Ray, KXLY-4 news reporter since 1990, has been hired by KATU-TV in Portland.

Ray has worked many big stories for KXLY, including the Fairchild shootings, the Dexter Amend controversy and Firestorm ‘93.

He said he is sorry to leave KXLY, a company which he says has been great to him. However, he couldn’t pass up the Portland opportunity. Ray is a graduate of Lewis and Clark College in Portland.

His last day here will be May 21.

Verne the maestro

The Spokane Youth Symphony has hired Verne Windham as the permanent conductor of the Spokane Youth Orchestra. Windham, an accomplished musician as well as the music and arts director of KPBX, has already been serving as interim conductor this season.

In announcing the hiring, a Spokane Youth Symphony press release said that “Windham has shown the young musicians an unforgettable orchestral experience, laced with a deeper understanding of the music they performed.”

To hear for yourself, you can catch the orchestra in performance on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Young Artists Concert of the Greater Spokane Music and Allied Arts Festival in the Performing Arts Auditorium of Spokane Falls Community College.

The orchestra also will perform its final concert of the season on May 18 at 7 p.m. in the same auditorium. Both concerts are free.

New Symphony Chorale director

In other conductor news, Paul T. Klemme has been named the new director of the Spokane Symphony Chorale.

Klemme is an associate professor of music at Washington State University where he conducts the Concert Choir and the Vocal Jazz Ensemble, among other duties. He is also an organ recitalist and a singer and accompanist with Male Ensemble Northwest.

“Paul was extremely well-received by the Spokane Symphony Chorale during his recent preparation of Brahm’s ‘German Requiem,”’ said Symphony music director Fabio Mechetti.

Klemme replaces Randi Von Ellefson, who is now at the University of Chicago.

Terry Holiday on Saturdays

Terry Holiday’s “Voices in the Night” show on KXLY-FM will now be heard on Saturday nights at 7 p.m.

This will be a recorded version of shows from throughout the week.

PEN Center literary finalists

Two authors with local connections were named finalists in the PEN Center USA West Literary Awards Competition, for outstanding works by writers living in the West.

Sherman Alexie, formerly of Spokane and now living in Seattle, is a finalist in the fiction category for “Indian Killer.”

Rita Nachtmann, a playwright, is a finalist in drama for “How I Spent My Life’s Vacation.” That play had its world premiere at the Spokane Civic Theatre. Nachtmann is also one of the co-writers of the Civic’s “Mama Drama.”

Winners will be selected later this month.

The Missoula Colony

Some big names in writing for stage and screen will be in Missoula from June 3-13 for the second annual Missoula Colony, “a week of celebration and creativity for writers.”

It is a joint presentation of The Montana Rep (a Missoula theater group) and the University of Montana’s School of Fine Arts.

Among those in attendance will be Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman (“Night Mother,” “Getting Out” and the musical “The Secret Garden”), James McLure (“Lone Star” and “Laundry and Bourbon”) and Roger Hedden (“Bodies, Rest & Motion” and “Sleep With Me”).

In addition, there will be 10 “emerging” writers, seven of whom are from Montana.

A schedule of public forums will be announced. For more information, call (406) 243-6809.

Early warning on ArtFest

ArtFest, Spokane’s annual rite of spring at the Cheney Cowles Museum, will be May 30 to June 1 this year.

The big Saturday Evening Beer Garden Concert will feature Three Track Mind, a Seattle group, on May 31 at 5:30 p.m.

A total of 58 juried artists will be in attendance.

, DataTimes