Sat 9/12 @ 1:30-11PM
Case Western Reserve University’s campus radio station WRUW-FM 91.1 debuted in 1967 and became a leader in the vibrant local college radio scene, helping to break indie rock bands that later went on to fame and fortune. Its diverse programming ranged from folk to bluegrass to Broadway tunes to new age to death metal.
In1982, it launched its annual Studio-A-Rama, an all-day, all-evening free concert taking place in the courtyard behind the Mather Building where its studio is located, featuring mostly local and regional acts, and with (often national) headliners who were buzz bands among the college radio crowd. It celebrated its 38th year in 2019, then took a lengthy pandemic break, returning in 2024.
This year’s lineup is headlined by the husband-and-wife duo Mr. Gnome, who have managed to build a national following out of their Chardon home, doing most of the work themselves. Their distinctive sound — heavy but dreamy — has attracted a very loyal fan base. They’ll play at 9pm. Co-headlining at 8pm is The Laughing Chimes out of southeast Ohio, featuring brothers Evan and Quinn Seurkam. They play “jangle pop”, a style that has besotted rock critics and underground music fans since they decided that Big Star was god, back in the early 70s. They’ve got a new album too, titled Behind Your Blue Fields, released this past May.
The rest of the lineup includes Rellick (2pm), Tetraviolet (2:45), With Windswept Hair (3:30), Velocity Stax (4:14), Cherry Yachtsman (5pm), Cheap Easies (5:45), False Teeth (6:30), and Niiights (7:15).
Studio-A-Rama is free and it’s family-friendly. Bring a picnic or buy some food from one of the food trucks that will be onsite. There are also a ton of eateries nearby. Just don’t bring glass bottles or alcoholic beverages into the courtyard. The concert will also be live on WRUW’s YouTube channel as well as on the station itself.