WRFI Spring Fund Drive – Saturday 4/11 through Friday 4/17
Spring is SPRUNG - The sun is shining, the plants are waiting with bated chlorophyll for this *last* cold snap to end before unfurling their blooms - and the WRFI Spring Fund Drive kicks off Saturday April 11th!
Details coming very soon (on @wrficommunityradio, WRFI.org, and your email inbox) about our daily specials including live in-studio performances, special guests, deep cuts, discography dives, and delving into the depths of musical invention and our DJs minds.
We're pretty excited about it - and hope you're getting excited too!
WRFI is here, broadcasting from Downtown Ithaca to keep independent journalism front and center every morning, providing a platform for local voices and issues, and supporting a diverse and varied genre-fluid musical experience for all our listeners.
Ears of every size are encouraged to tune in for a wholly unique week of auditory adventure April 11th through 17th. You can show your support in keeping the station vibrant, enthusiastic, and in regular technological repair with donations to WRFI.org/donate
Over 50% of WRFI’s funding came from our listeners in 2025, and we steward the responsibility of being community-supported seriously. WRFI is a vital civic infrastructure for our region, available to 300,000 people across six counties. We broadcast 7 days a week, intentionally creating an on-air space to share independent voices, alternative music and news, Public Service Announcements, and as a free network to amplify the resources and support services of non-profits and community organizations.
Whether you started listening to WRFI for the unique and eclectic music options, or because of our deep commitment to independent news that values facts, integrity, and the lives of human beings, or because a local friend told you they were hosting their very own show on-air, we hope you've stuck with WRFI because we help you feel connected to your Finger Lakes community in a unique way. The gift of WRFI is that you never quite know what you'll hear when you tune in, but you know that our 70+ local hosts are curating every hour for their neighbors in our beloved community.
4/11 - Saturday
- 9-10am Radio Days; The Hochbergs
- 10-11am SPECIAL Call to the Universe; Niko & co-host Sam the Cool Fishman explore Central and Western New York jazz from the 1960s/70s
- 11-1pm SPECIAL The Mustard Hour; DJ Dijon & co-host Somer- A spicy, grainy and rockin' batch of Mustard to kick off the WRFI Spring Fund Drive. Featuring a mix of rock selections from Dijon's collection, spanning genres, eras and hopping borders.
Then at noon; a visit from the members of Six Pound Test, Ithaca's own garage rock/psych blues trio. They'll be dropping by the studio to chat and share some songs from their new release 'Excelsior'. - 1-3pm SPECIAL IN-STUDIO Bartlemania; Doctor B. & special guest Niles & co-host Josh H. - I, Doctor B will be LIVE in the studio, with my faithful sidekick, NC! Hour one will be my usual mix of tasty new and vintage tracks. Hour two will feature NC, and his choice collection of 1976 funk and fusion!
- 3-5pm SPECIAL Lowlands Radio; Somer & co-host Jacob - Lowlands will feature an in-studio performance and interview with artist, Sam Weber. Sam Weber is a Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, music producer and recording engineer. His own recorded works and collaborations with Bahamas, Madison Cunningham, and producers Robbie Lackritz and Tyler Chester have yielded millions of streams. He is currently on tour with Lily Talmers with his latest record Shape Confused Cowboy Be You that came out last April.
- 5-6pm LIVE Jennie Lowe Stearns with Kristin Bigness; Niko - Jennie Lowe is a prolific Ithaca-based songwriter and singer. Her songs and style provide a view of life from the darker side, but with an ease that allows for easy entry and a gentle exit. She has five studio albums, all of which have received international acclaim.
- 6-7pm LIVE Ha'Penny; Niko - Teenager lead Ha'penny is self described Ithaca silly punk.
- 7-9pm The Strangest Feeling; Dija & co-host Caylyn
- 9-11pm SPECIAL Bombast; DJ Kid Catharsis & co-host Gayle - A BOMBASTIC COMPLICATION! "Various Artists" compilations have a bad rap; naturally, at Bombast, we love them. Kid Catharsis and Lady Catharsis will dust off their favorite compilations and share some hard-to-find musical treasures. Special guest co-host Gayle (of Vicious Pink Show) will take your phone calls and your money! Spend the evening vibe-ing out to sounds you never knew you needed. Saturday, April 11th, 9 to 11 pm, right here on WRFI.
4/12 - Sunday
- 10am-12pm Made of Clay Report; Peaches Gillette & Eric Clay
- 12-1pm Will Spring Astrology; Tim T. & co-host Peter B.
- 1-3pm The Joe Show; Joe Romano & co-host Peter B.
- 3-5pm SPECIAL 'It Takes Two'; DJ Daniel & co-host Heather - From Amadou & Mariam to Marvin & Tammi to Johnny & June, it's all duets for two hours of twosomes
- 5-7pm SPECIAL SWAG The Secret Ingredient; Jordan & co-host Kevin Deery - Any folks who call in during our show will enter for a chance to win The Secret Ingredients Super Secret Spice blend! Just give your name and contact info to our cohost from 5-7 on April 12th.
- 7-pm LIVE & UNPLUGGED Motherwort; Doctor B. - Self-described 'Farm grrrl folk punk', Motherwort consists of a crew of local farmers, community builders, butchers and all-around badass humans creates a sound that fuses folk and Celtic threads to anarchic metal-inspired thrashing. Tune in for a very special "unplugged" show in the WRFI studios this Sunday.
- 9-11pm SPECIAL - Lake Snake Radio Show; Rob H. & co-host Jacob - To celebrate community radio, the Lake Snake Radio Show will serve up a full-throated, double-zany, left-dial jambalaya of great needle drops from cinema history. Nothing stuffy, no showtunes, nothing algorithmic about it — just home-cooked radio from the heart of the Finger Lakes. Join us and support this station on Sunday at 9pm.
4/13 - Monday
- 12-2pm SPECIAL & SWAG African Postman; DJ Art-V & co-host Jay Leeming - Airing a “Local Special Delivery” featuring music exclusively from African bands that have performed locally here in Central NY along with a special “DJ Gift Bag” for one randomly selected donor during the show with a number of cool gifts including a copy of Nigerian band The Elcados hit release from 1979 “Whatever You Need”.
- 2-4pm The Big Scoob Show; Big Scoob & co-host DJ Art-V
- 4-5pm SPECIAL Are You Out There?; Max & co-host Billy
- 5-6pm Who's On/What's On; Five & co-host Talia
- 6-7pm SPECIAL No Stairway; DJ Plutonium & co-host Talia - Rattlesnake Hour: all songs will be titled "Rattlesnake" (or Rattlesnakes)
- 7-9pm The Humming Wires; John & co-host Daniel Bass
- 9-11pm Takin' it Easy; Caylyn & co-host Five
4/14 - Tuesday
- 12-2pm Jumping in the Sugar Bowl; Keir & co-host Clara
- 2-4pm The Good, The Bad & Ugly; Morpheus & co-host Eric Clay
- 4-5pm SPECIAL Amie's Winehouse; Amie & co-host Peter B. - Amie’s Winehouse will be bringing you an all fun all covers show for the fun-drive. Bangers, bopper, genre vending version of classics by awesome artists. Some factoids, a few trivia questions a sip and song pairing, as always, and tunes that you’ll want to sing along to. Peter B of Burning Airlines will be co piloting. Tune in to smile and support your favorite community radio station!
- 5-7 pm SPECIAL Two-Hour Zone of Avoidance; Mr. Void & co-host Dija- Mr. Void's journey is unending, fraught with challenge, and punctuated by solitude. Every once in a blue eon, Mr. Void is subject to some great peril. What adventures await us beyond the Zone?
- 7-9pm SPECIAL Feel Flows; DJ Cheese Louise & co-host lowercase marc - THE SPECIALTY SHOW
- 9-11pm SPECIAL 'The Grateful Dead Show'; DJ Cheese Louise & co-host DJ Plutonium - Go ahead and strap on the tie-dye, loosen up those dancing shoes—and settle in, Ithaca… this is your Tuesday night ticket to the golden age of the Grateful Dead. Join DJ Cheese Louise on Tuesday 4/14 from 9–11 PM for a special two-hour Grateful Dead show as part of WRFI’s Spring Membership Drive. (And hey—whatever else you might be “tuning in” with tonight… we’ll leave that between you and the cosmos.)
In the first hour, we ease into a 1972-style first set—tight songs, rich Americana, and that warm, exploratory groove that defined the Dead’s early ’70s sound. Then in hour two, we shift gears into a 1977-inspired second set, with extended jams and a full psychedelic journey from liftoff to landing. It’s a carefully curated ride through one of the band’s most beloved eras, built the way they used to do it—dynamic, unpredictable, and always in the moment. As part of WRFI’s membership drive, it’s also a celebration of the community that keeps this music alive on the airwaves.
Join us as we dial in that perfect balance of roots, rhythm, and deep-space improvisation with the Grateful Dead—right here on WRFI.
4/15 - Wednesday
- 12-2pm Alcance Latino; Carlos Gutierrez
- 2-4pm The Big Scoob Show; Big Scoob & co-host Felix
- 4-5pm Youth Radio Project; Varied Youths & co-host Aaron
- 5-6pm SPECIAL SHOW by DJ Emiri; DJ Emiri & co-host DJ Emiri's Dad
- 6-7pm Mind Meadow; Clara & co-host Keir
- 7-9pm SPECIAL Catholic Block; lowercase marc & co-host Rob H. explore Silver's Mixes: A tribute to my daughter and the spirit of Youth Radio Project, spinning off from several CD "mixtapes" she received as birthday presents in her early years.
- 9-11pm Vicious Pink Show; Gayle & co-host Kid Catharsis
4/16 - Thursday
- 12-2pm The Scenic Route; Felix & co-host Big Scoob
- 2-3pm SPECIAL Classical Greatness; Sam & co-host Rich R. exploring 'Classical Movie Themes'
- 3-4pm SPECIAL Attic Inhabitant; Ben - Melbourne, Australia: the greatest music city in the world? Let's find out!
- 4-6pm SPECIAL; Dom & co-hosts Billy & Jordan G.
- 6-7pm George's Sparkletone Hour; George & co-host John Z.
- 7-9pm Thrift Shop Radio; Kevin Deery & co-host John Z.
- 9-11pm SPECIAL Downtown with; The Batgirl & co-host Cristina - What If We All Stopped Paying Taxes?
4/17 - Friday
- 9-10am The Human Rights & Social Justice Program; Ute Ritz-Deutch
- 12-2pm SPECIAL Crazy Words, Crazy Tune - EVERYTHING 1926, CENTENNIAL GALORE; Roger Smith & co-host Theresa Alt - Everything 1926 -- centennials galore. Will try to give a picture of the year in music and the arts, including literature (it's in the public domain now), and some discussion of the year's notable events.
- 2-4pm SPECIAL Daytime Bendy Bus; Sarah Hennies - In this special daytime edition of the Bendy Bus DJ Sarah will be giving away a pair of tickets to one lucky listener who can donate $100 or more to WRFI's spring pledge drive to see legendary indie-folk band Ida on June 17th in a special intimate acoustic show at Neighbors Gallery. More info here: https://undertowshows.com/products/ithaca-ny-june-17
- 4-6pm SPECIAL Weekday Hovercraft; Rain
- 6-7pm SPECIAL Discography Dive; Nina & co-host Sasha will conduct a duo discography dive into Brian Eno and David Byrne, featuring solo music, collaboration albums and shared work on the Talking Heads!
- 7-9pm Spinster's Rock; Cristina & co-host Christina C.
- 9-12am Conference of the Birds; Stephen Cope & co-host DJ Law
