Hawk Spreads Its Wings Slightly
The Hawk changed its sound last week, but not by much.
KWHK-FM (103.9, The Hawk) switched on Monday from a “classic hits” station to a “straight-ahead classic rock” station.
Hmm?
It sounds like practically the same thing, but in the narrowly defined world of radio formats, this is what amounts to an important distinction. The new sound is harder-rocking, and designed to appeal more to a male audience.
Whereas the station once played Elton John, the Beatles, the Eagles, Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac and a wide variety of hit songs from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, it is now leaning toward the harder-edged sounds of Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, ZZ Top and Def Leppard, and similar guitar bands of the ‘70 and ‘80s (with a few tunes from the late ‘60s).
The new motto: “Classic Rock That Really Rocks.”
But isn’t this new format almost exactly like KKZX-FM (98.9), the dominant classic-rock station in the market?
“We’re going directly after their audience,” said Ray Edwards, operations manager for The Hawk. “They’re a good station, but they’ve had it all to themselves.”
The format switch came after The Hawk spent all day Sunday airing nothing but the sound of hammering noises. (Get it? The format was “under construction.”)
Edwards said the old format was a “niche format” and the niche was not big enough. The station came in 15th in the last Arbitron ratings period, or 13 places behind KKZX-FM.
The local DJ lineup and the syndicated “Bob & Tom” morning show out of Indianapolis will remain intact.
Maestro Mechetti’s neighborhood
The Logan neighborhood is the lucky site of the Spokane Symphony’s first-ever “Neighborhood Symphony Event” on Thursday, 7 p.m., at Fourth Memorial Church, 2000 N. Standard.
This event is the brainchild of symphony executive director John Hancock, who saw the “neighborhood symphony” concept work wonders in his old stomping grounds of Toledo, Ohio. It’s also popular in Europe.
“It’s a more European idea, giving people in every area of town a chance to go to a concert,” said Cheryl Carney, symphony cellist.
Music director Fabio Mechetti will conduct a program which includes Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf,” narrated by Kent Kimball, Strauss’ “Blue Danube Waltz,” and works by Brahms, Dvorak, Mozart, Massenet and Bach.
Tickets are cheap compared to the Opera House series. Advance tickets are $5, or $15 per family, available at the church or by calling 487-2786. Tickets at the door will be $10.
KEWU-FM celebrates
KEWU-FM (Jazz 89.5) is celebrating its 50th anniversary this week, which makes it one of the oldest college radio stations in the state.
This is a student-run, publicly funded station on the Eastern Washington University campus.
It is also the only full-time jazz station in the Spokane market, and a valuable cultural resource for those who want to keep the flame of Louie and Billie and Bix and Miles and Ornette burning brightly.
Jazz fans might want to tune in to the station’s pledge festival, today through Saturday, and show their appreciation in a material way. Also, this pledge festival will be studded with on-air interviews with national jazz artists including Mark Turner, Mark Elf, the Flying Neutrinos, Melissa Walker, Bobby Caldwell, Michel Camilo, Joey DeFrancesco, Mimi Fox and Sugar Ray Norcia. Local artists include the Arnie Carruthers Trio, Brother Music, Randy Paddock, LaRae Wiley, the Doghouse Boys and Jim Tilden Brown.
On top of everything else, KEWU-FM will host a live birthday jazz celebration, Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Shilo Inn on Third Avenue, featuring Carruthers and many other local artists. Check it out.
KISS postponement
Why did KISS postpone its Farewell Tour date at The Gorge on May 28?
“It’s some logistical thing, but we’re not quite sure what it is,” said Tim McGrath of House of Blues Concerts.
He said he thinks it was just a scheduling problem. Most of the Farewell Tour dates are going on as scheduled, but all shows between May 24 and June 6 have been postponed.
McGrath stressed that The Gorge show has not been canceled. The show will be rescheduled for later in the summer. Ticketholders are urged to hold onto their tickets, which will be honored for the rescheduled show.
Jim Messina in the lineup
Jim Messina has been booked to headline the Sept. 1 Pig Out in the Park restaurant and music fair in Riverfront Park.
Messina is best known as half of the ‘70s soft-rock duo, Loggins & Messina (“Your Mama Don’t Dance”).
However, he also has an impressive rock pedigree stretching back to Buffalo Springfield, which he joined in 1968 after serving as their recording engineer. He then formed Poco along with fellow Buffalo Springfield mate Richie Furay.
Audrey Port to Chicago
Audrey Port, a KAYU-28 reporter since July and before that a KXLY-4 reporter since 1997, has landed a new position in Chicago.
She’ll be a reporter for the Orbis Broadcast Group, a big production group. She’ll be doing video news releases for corporate clients.
Port said she is excited about the job, since it’s in the nation’s third largest media market. She also has one other reason to be excited.
“My home city is Chicago, so I’m going home,” she said.
Her last day at KAYU-28 was Friday.