The "New WCHQ" grand re-opening celebration -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

MUSIC, BEER AND FOOD MAKE FOR A PRETTY GOOD DAY

(I step away from...UofL women's sports today to discuss the events surrounding the radio station where The Cardinal Couple Radio Hour gang does their stuff on Saturdays.)

When the basketballs finally stop bouncing on campus, Softball swings out of town and Volleyball gets two of our esteemed staff in attendance for out-of-season action, it brings one to the dilemma on a Monday morning..."What shall I write about?" 

Half the Cardinal Couple staff, beloved Sonya and Mr. Mike Gilpatrick of River City Cards did attend an event of sorts on Sunday...the radio station where we apply our weekly nonsense was having a "grand opening" of sorts to celebrate "The New WCHQ". The weather decided to cooperate around 1 p.m. on the sabbath and the event went off as planned. Unfortunately, the temperature dropped after the rain went away and by 4 p.m....the thermometer was registering a chilly 42 degrees. Not the best of settings for an outdoor event. 

Nevertheless, a good time was had by most, it seemed. The live music at Apocalypse Brew Works (right across from the station and the event site) was fantastic with Jo Ann and the Dakota, Yon, and Cut Family Foundation.  These were the three bands we caught in our time there while working the "greeters booth"....which basically consisted of saying "Hi and Welcome!" to people, pointing out we had bumper stickers, information sheets and posters and answering various queries like "Where's the beer? Where's the bathroom? How much is the food? and Do you know if (fill in the blank) is here yet"? 

Apocalypse offers (usually) a dozen or so craft beers on tap during their Fri-Sun hours of operation. They had run out of several by the time Sunday evening rolled around. I don't presume to be the beer expert that our Worldwide is, but I tried a couple and liked hwat I hd. So did Sonya. The "porter" was a favorite...and by that I don't mean the guy who checks in your luggage at the airlines or train station.  

Mr "Anderson Jared" and "the Gilpatrick" arrived shortly before five...and we spent a very enjoyable two hours plus talking with them, listening to the sounds and commenting on what was going on around us.  I also got the chance to introduce Mike to K.C. Skull, the inaugural stadium manager of Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. Mike will, in all probability, do a story on "Colonel KC"...he is now retired and likes to hit Apocalypse o the weekends with his wife for a "beverage" and a bit of social interaction. I've known K.C. since the late nineties and could probably never do an article on him...based on all the wacky and clandestine things we pulled off as friends, members of the Parrish House and Sportsmen's Supper Club...without possible recriminations and possible investigations 

K.C. got things done. We'll leave it at that.

For the musical reviews...the first band we saw -- Jo Ann and the Dakota -- does original music that has heavy influence from the Beatles' John Lennon, her father and other 60's alternative bands and features her strong voice and song-writing, She named the band after the apartment that John Lennon lived in (THE DAKOTA) until he was tragically shot. 

She brings a non-stop energy to her performances that transcended out into the crowd and got a lot of attendees dancing in front of the stage. She plays an acoustic guitar and trats it almost as a dancing partner at times and the backing band expertly leads her through original ballads about life, relationships and society.

This is thinking music, not head-banging or political anthems stuff. The musicians are quite talented and they put on a great show despite the chilly stage.  Below is a link to one of their recent releases, a song called The White Rabbit (not to be confused with the old Jefferson Airplane song). 

LINK:

Joann and the Dakota

Performing next was YONS, an eight-piece local outfit that does rap stylings, hip-hop and featured three singers performing their crafts and words. I got involved with a few things going on at the booth and was involved in a discussion with a couple of the station DJ's at WCHQFM during their performance, so I didn't get to watch them as closely as I would have liked. All seemed to be intrigued by their performance, though.

I wasn't quite sure what "YONS" was or is, definition wise and no one around me knew. The only think that came to mind is the Shakesperian lines alluding to: 

Romeo: But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she..

The band was selling hats that were black and had the lettering [SPACE] on the front. That really didn't give me a clue either, so I went to the Urban Dictionary for a clue and knowledge about YONS and here's what I found:

Yons

YONS- formed from the Greek language meaning sexyness.

One sexy gorgeous brilliant cook and AMAZING IN BED. A kind-hearted, loving man who makes one happy with his attentiveness and desire to please. Wonderfully handsome and incredibly sexy, he oozes sex appeal. Fancied by all women that set eyes on him. VERY easily led astray but quick to realise his mistakes and try to make amends. Very intelligent. Sometimes pompous but not overly so. Sensitive. Funny. Brave. Strong. Gorgeous. Loves lists. A brilliant father and someone any lady would be proud to call their husband.

Yons is always right. 

In any event, they were well-received. I can't attest about the sexy-ness part. Below a link to one of the recordings that they performed live Sunday.

LINK:

YONS -- the-campaign


THE CUT FAMILY FOUNDATION 

They were my favorite performers out of the three we saw. They put out a "wall of funk" -- 80's style - in their performances and thoughts of Parliament, Funkadelics, Sly and the Family Stone, Bootsy's Rubber Band and George Clinton raced through my mind as I watched the five-member group lay down the grooves. Only thing missing were the "Horny Horns." 

They refer to themselves as "a musical think tank focused on good get down and hip dip inducing tunes". I'll agree. They even had ol' Paulie here up and off the bench and displaying a few moves and grooves while they played. They go so much farther that the description R&B or Soul.

Thanks to Kevin Cox and Bryce Gill of WCHQ for originally turning me on to them during the now-extinct MORNING JAM days! They were also instrumental, along with several other volunteer staffers,  in organizing and planning the celebration event. A "big" thanks to them. 

I've included a "T.C.F.F." set they did back in their early formations days at the link below: 

THE CUT FAMILY FOUNDATION

So, after the non-stop hustle of UofL women's sports over the last nine months, it's getting close to the time where we slow down a bit, look to do more interviews instead of straight-out coverage and explore some of many things that are involved in the "UofL women's athletics" genre. 

Yesterday, though, was a chance to do just a little bit of unwind for Paulie. A celebration our radio station's new facility, new directive and my own beginning transition into what we'll later refer to the "summer doldrums".  Worry not, there is still softball, lacrosse, rowing, tennis and several other sports to fill these pages this springs and the "knuckleheads" and I will keep you up on them. 

We gratefully acknowledge and appreciate our chance to bring you radio and Facebook Live once a week about the joy and excitement of UofL women's sports on the non-profit, community-oriented WCHQFM 100.9. All the hard work and volunteer hours that go in to programming and production, not just hours...obviously...but all the different shows, music and talk that make WCHQ truly unique. I humbly ask you give the station a try, via app, car radio, laptop streaming or any way you care to access it. 

Thanks for bearing with Paulie today on something that didn't involved balls, bats, nets, courts, fields, fouls or referees. You'll get plenty of that here just about every other day of the year. 

Hey, even Jeff Walz takes a break from hoops and goes skiing. 

I've linked up the home page to WCHQ  below. Give a listen.

www.wchqfm.com




Paulie
xxxxx