Weekend on The Radio Recap

Every Thursday morning at 6:20 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. Sam Gallant of the Creative Alliance shares with you all the cool happenings around town on Weekend on the Radio. In case you missed a detail about a specific event, here's the list for this week.

All Weekend Long:

• Bunny Bonanzoo, Maryland Zoo, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.
  
• Universoul Circus, Security Square Mall, check website for showtimes
  
• Cherry Blossom Cluster Dog Show, Timonium Fairgrounds

Thursday, 4/21

• Environmental tourism discussion with Will Potter, Atomic Books, 7 p.m.
• Eco Hour, B&O Brasserie, 5-7 p.m.
• Appetite For Destruction, Ram's Head Live, 7 p.m

Friday, 4/22

• Rush, 1st Mariner Arena, 7:30 p.m.
• Heroes of Charm City. Pikesville Hilton (Also Saturday)
  
• Rain Barrel Workshop, Herring Run Park

Saturday, 4/23

• Tilted Torch, Creative Alliance, 8 p.m.
• Urban Farming Classes, Real Food Farms

Sunday, 4/24

• Go Ape! Treetop Adventures
• Earth Day Celebration, Maryland Science Center
• White House Easter Egg Hunt, The White House
  

CD of the Week: A Compact and Content Wye Oak

WTMD's CD of the Week, Civilian, features Wye Oak's apparent new fondness for shorter songs.

The Baltimore duo of singer/guitarist Jenn Wasner and drummer/keyboardist Andy Stack still build suspense through hushed and sparse beginnings to explosive crescendos- check out Wasner's guitar shredding in the title song.

But Stack's overall tighter arrangements maintain a mood, helping to balance his counterpart's conflicted lyrics about a relationship's end and her quest to find happiness in solitude.

Enjoy this video for "Fish," from Baltimore painter Katherine Fahey, who made the paper dolls, and photographer Michael O'Leary.

Weekend on the Radio Recap

Every Thursday morning at 6:20 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. Sam Gallant of the Creative Alliance shares with you all the cool happenings around town on Weekend on the Radio. In case you missed a detail about a specific event, click here for the list for this week.

Weekend on the Radio Recap

Every Thursday morning at 6:20 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. Sam Gallant of the Creative Alliance shares with you all the cool happenings around town on Weekend on the Radio. In case you missed a detail about a specific event, here's the list for this week. All Weekend Long:

• Peep Show, Caroll Arts Center


• Johns Hopkins Spring Fair, Johns Hopkins Homewood Campus, Friday 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.


• West Side Story, The Hippodrome, check website for showtimes

Thursday, 4/14:

• Bowie Baysocks Opening Day, Prince George's County Stadium, 7 p.m.

Friday, 4/15:

• Charlie Chaplin's The Gold Rush, Strathmore, 8 p.m.

Saturday, 4/16:

• Record Store Day, independent record stores in the greater Baltimore Area, check website for details


• Fells Point Privateer Day and Pyrate Invasion, Fells Point, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.


• Baltimore's Grand Procession, starts at President Street Station and ends at Camden Station, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.


• DeCanter: A Day of Maryland Wine and Racing, Pimlico Race Course, 11 a.m.


• Federal Hill Block Party, Federal Hill, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.


• Wye Oak, 2640 Space, 8 p.m.

Sunday, 4/17:

• March for the Animals, Druid Hill Park, 9 a.m.

Between the Grooves: The Apache Relay's Refined Roots

Nashville-based The Apache Relay bring their animated live performance to the air this week.

Despite the name, it's not a baton they pass around, but instruments. Their rousing live shows have turned audiences into advocates for the band.  Even more impressive, they've opened for Mumford and Sons and friendships between the bands have developed.

Their second album, American Nomad, produced by Neilson Hubbard, evolves their rootsy, raw repertoire from their early days at Belmont University into intricately structured, symphonic pop and soul. Frontman Michael Ford Jr sings passionately and is sure to place the record on critics top CDs of the year lists.

The Apache Relay play this week's Between the Grooves Thursday at 2pm on WTMD.

CD of the Week: Paul Simon's Rock of Faith

Christmas was a few months go that the song that opens  Paul Simon‘s So Beautiful or So What, seems late to the party.

On “Getting Ready for Christmas Day,” a sample of a 1941 sermon by Rev. J.M. Gates anchors a contemporary mortality tale. And that sets the mood for Simon’s musings on reaching the Pearly Gates on “The Afterlife,”  another standout track on the CD.

Simon returns to speaking in straight ahead rock and roll “Love & Blessings.”
So Beautiful or So What doubtlessly will rank with Paul Simon’s best.

Pop Composer Jimmy Webb Reveals MacArthur Mystery

Jimmy Webb, author of countless pop classics such as "Wichita Lineman" and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" plays Germano's Trattoria Cabaret in Little Italy for 2 shows this Sunday and Monday evening.

His latest record Just Across the River features new versions of his songs with help from Jackson Browne, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Mark Knopfler, and of course, his longtime kindred spirit and muse Glen Campbell. I had the honor of speaking with him recently. We covered everything from what inspired one of the most famous lines in pop history, "Someone left a cake out in the rain" (perhaps, the first time he's publicly revealed one of "MacArthur Park's" big secrets), to his time at Motown to hanging out The Beatles. Known more for having others sing his words, I also asked Jimmy to name his favorite version of one of his songs. Hear the full interview below.

Weekend on the Radio Recap

Every Thursday, Sam Gallant of the Creative Alliance shares all the cool happenings around Baltimore on Weekend on the Radio, which airs on the TMD Morning Show at 620am and 820am.

This week, Sam explores a tattoo convention, a high flying circus and indoor flowers at the Walters Art Gallery. Click here for more!

Between the Grooves: Cas Haley's Real Deal Talent

Being America's Got Talent's Season 2 runner-up may have given rise to his career,  but once Cas Haley opens his mouth and pounds his acoustic guitar strings with such surprising rhythmic virtuosity, you'll be glad this reggae-ska vocal dynamite got the break.

Still, even with the TV boost, the Paris, Texas native works like any other hungry musician, touring incessantly (he was on a bill with others at Bourbon Street last Thursday) to support his wife and two kids back home, which fans of the show know motivates him to no end.

Cas tells us why his second album Connection feels like his first and he demonstrates a surprising vocal influence this Thursday at 2pm on Between the Grooves. Don't miss this undeniable and uplifting talent!

CD of the Week: Continued Excellence From Truckers

With the "Wig he Made Her Wear" from last year's The Big To-Do, Patterson Hood started a streak of Southern murder dramas, which he continues on the title track and "The Fireplace Poker" from WTMD's CD of the Week, Drive-By Trucker's Go-Go Boots. 

This time, Hood, who reportedly may be writing a movie on Southern crime syndicates, flips the true plot of an allegedly abusive preacher who met his untimely end at the hands of his humiliated wife. He's matter-of-fact yet empathetic to his female victims.

A real feminine touch comes courtesy of bassist Shonna Tucker's lone original, "Dancin' Ricky," which declares to her dancing fool antihero, "Don't let the diabetes get you!" But, don't miss "Where's Eddie," Tucker's stunning cover of underappreciated Muscle Shoals session guitarist and songwriter Eddie Hinton (who wrote Dusty Springfield's  "Breakfast in Bed"), one of two on the record.

Mike Cooley's warm, familiar baritone twang appears on the made-for-Cash "The Weakest Man" while a dobro and banjo make his plucky "Cartoon Gold" ripe for Avett Brothers fans.

Drive-By Truckers songs play more like vignettes than muscular country-flavored rock songs, though they still can flex a-plenty live.

Check out the talents of this uniquely American band all week long on WTMD.

Peter Tork: A Monkee Coming to Your Town

At Club 66 in Edgewood Saturday night you'll have the rare opportunity to see a member of band which, in 1967, outsold The Beatles and the Stones combined! While Peter Tork of The Monkees played the "dumb"one in the prefab band of four, whose cheery mugs graced many a lunch box at the time, he arguably is the most intelligent and musically gifted one of the bunch. His early folk years buddy Stephen Stills can attest, as can Hendrix, who praised Peter's prowess on guitar. These days Tork sings the blues. The Shoe Suede Blues. That's the name of his band. Not that he has them. In fact, after some pretty trying times in the past few years, the blues mean something joyful, like watching an episode of The Monkees! Hear the interview with Peter and watch a little "I'm a Believer" below. For non-oldies, Peter is on the right "playing" keys (he actually does play piano, guitar, banjo, French horn, and much more.

Here is Erik's full interview with Peter Tork!

Weekend on the Radio Recap

Every Thursday morning at 6:20 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. Sam Gallant of the Creative Alliance shares with you all the cool happenings around town on Weekend on the Radio. In case you missed a detail about a specific event, here's the list for this week. All Weekend Long:

• Baltimore Tattoo Convention, Baltimore Sheraton Hotel
• Art Blooms 2011, The Walters Art Gallery
• Cirque de Soliel: Totem, Westport Waterfront, 7:30 p.m., 5:30 (Sundays)
• TotSwap, Maryland State Fairgrounds

Thursday, 11/7:

• Bridal Happy Hour, American Visual Art Musuem, 5:30-7:30

Friday, 4/8:

• Don't Think Twice: An Evening With Howard Alden and Jeanne Gils, Germano's Trattoria Caberet, 7:30 p.m.
• The Stoop Storytelling Series, Center Stage, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, 4/9:

• The Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble: Steps and Stripes, Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, 8 p.m.

Sunday: 4/10:

• Grilled Cheese Cookoff, Mt. Washington Tavern, 2 to 4 p.m.
• TV On the Radio, Rams Head Live, 7 p.m.
• Squeeze Bayou, Glen Echo Park, 3 p.m.

Weekend on the Radio Recap

Every Thursday morning at 6:20 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. Sam Gallant of the Creative Alliance shares with you all the cool happenings around town on Weekend on the Radio. In case you missed a detail about a specific event, here's the list for this week All Weekend Long:

• Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus, 1st Mariner Arena, check website for showtimes


• Shrek: The Musical, The Hippodrome, check website for showtimes


• Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival, Timonium Fairgrounds, 5:30 p.m. Friday, 2:30 p.m. Saturday


• Smith College Book Fair, Timonium Fairgrounds


• 23rd annual Jewish Film Festival, Gordon Center for the Performing Arts, check website for showtimes

Friday, 4/1:

• Vinylmore Opening, Atomic Books, 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, 4/2:

• David Lynch Tribute Festival, The Wind-Up Space, 7 p.m.


• The Creative Alliance Marquee Ball, Creative Alliance, dinner at 6 p.m., dance at 9


• Sante: Spoil Your Pallate, B&O Railroad Museum, 7 p.m.

Between the Grooves: Austin's Frontman Bob Schneider

Like seeing Kermit Ruffins in New Orleans, visitors haven't really experienced Austin until they've taken in a Bob Schneider show.

The Michigan-born, Germany-reared rocker won over the Texas capital years ago as a member of Ugly Americans and The Scabs. Solo, though, fans can't get enough of his signature adult humor, energy and ever-evolving catalog of confessional songs soaked in his uniquely Texan brew of musical flavors.

On his forthcoming album A Perfect Day, a boat trip inspired Bob to set the perfect soundtrack to your next summer outing on The Bay or Deep Creek Lake.

Catch up with Bob Schneider on this week's Between the Grooves, Thursday at 2pm.

CD of the Week: Devotchka's East Meets Southwest

The score work on "Little Miss Sunshine" first got people turned onto the exotic, Balkan folk-rock of Denver's Devotchka.

On WTMD's new CD of the Week, 100 Lovers, lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Nick Urata (whose becoming quite the film composer) romantically croons over strings and brass made in the Arizona desert with producer Craig Schumacher (Calexico, Neko Case).

It's worldly music for movies, yet just as rooted in American imagery;  "Sunshine" sounds like an add-on to the dramatic sunset ending of U2's "All I Want is You."

Listen all week long and be swooned.