Fund Drive the Lane

I make my argument for supporting public radio all through this week's episode. Don't fret, I keep my pitches few and far between (though hopefully persuasive!).  A real down and dirty, let's-get-serious-about-supporting-NPR type blog entry isn't my forte; I found better folks to do it for me:

#OffAirAsks
What's the BEST reason to support public radio?

@TheCurrent "because you listen, and because it's personally important to you."

@theharryshearer "Cause some of it isn't NPR."

@IdaZL Obvi bc it's the only place 4 awesome programs like urs.

The Current is an indie rock/AAA public radio station from Minnesota Public Radio

Harry Shearer is an actor/comedian/writer/singer whose resume includes Spinal Tap and The Simpsons

Ida Lieszkovszky is a former CPR employee currently residing in Ohio

R/I/P/H/U/B/

Late Monday night word started spreading that the secret Sacramento venue, The Hub, was closing its doors. It still isn't super clear why but perhaps disappearing is the best way a club shrouded in mystery to go out.


The Hub was like no other venue in Sacramento (how many OTHER "venues" are the front office of an auto garage?).  Consider its notorious secret society atmosphere: No record of its location online, it's listings on Facebook and UndieTacos purposefully misspelled and if you DID know its whereabouts, you were politely asked to keep it under your hat.  Anyone attending a show (especially in the winter) quickly found out about The Hub's no ins-and-outs policy.  If you had to smoke you had wait until the end of a set as too much escaping noise would quickly tip off Sacramento's finest.

When looking at /t/h/e/e/h/u/b phenomenon, Daniel Trudaeu (aka Pregnant) remarked "The seasons of music in Sacramento are like this, season one Music Death and season two is Music Birth." In that vein I'm disappointed The Hub is closed, though I suspect it's only a short time before we'll see another venue for local and big time acts like Wild Flag, Crystal Stilts and White Fang.  Hopefully that venue's future will be less dependent on secrecy, though it was great fun while it lasted.

- Mike Archibald