Posts Tagged: USM

WMPG turns 50!

WMPG Free Since ’73! On August 31, 1973 WMPG was born! Well kinda, there’s more to the story than that but that’s when we officially began broadcasting as a FCC licensed radio station.

Thanks to the hard working CMP crews WMPG power is back on at the transmitter site! Missed a couple of your favorite shows yesterday, just check out our archives where they are available on-demand. Hope you are all warm and safe.

Radio Host, Jack Hutton’s Restaurant of the Week:  Review of Benkay Sushi Bar and Japanese Restaurant

Author: Jack Hutton (USM Student and host of No Longer Dangerous) and Kayla Bogert (USM Student)

There is just something about traditions that make a dining experience that much better. Benkay  Sushi Bar and Japanese Restaurant is masterfully decorated with traditional Japanese art and architecture. Combined with a sense of ambience and comfort that will transport you to a different time. Much like the Samurai proudly displayed out near the hostess podium, the Sushi chefs on staff are chiseled warriors. Disciplined in the art of their craft, one that takes decades to master. Wielding blades sharp enough to slice bone but gentle enough to perfect each and every cut of raw fish. That is why I couldn’t recommend more that you should sit right at the Sushi Bar and watch them work. It is nothing short of magnificent culinary artwork. Benkay does not skip a beat, the serving staff are timely and aware, with smiles that make you feel at home and ready to share this experience.

This past Saturday was the 15th annual Record Store Day (RSD), an event celebrated all over the world.

Most Mainers know that Record Store Day began with a conversation and email exchange with Chris Brown from Bull Moose and music industry folks and a desire to celebrate independent record stores like people did within the comic industry. “It is a day for the people who make up the world of the record store—the staff, the customers, and the artists—to come together and celebrate the unique culture of a record store and the special role these independently owned stores play in their communities. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day.”

Thank you, thank you to all our listeners, supporters and volunteers for putting us over our goal for this Fall’s fundraising week. We feel the love. 🙂

Thanks to Rosemont Market & Bakery, Standard Bakery, Rosemont Food, Holy Donuts for the snacks and Coffee By Design for the coffee!

Join DJ Shaxx for an exclusive interview and performance with alternative rock legend, ROBYN HITCHCOCK, this Weds. 3-4pm. Listen live locally at 90.9fm or on-line at WMPG.org.
Robyn Hitchcock is one of England’s most enduring contemporary singer/songwriters and live performers. A surrealist poet, talented guitarist, cult artist and musician’s musician, Hitchcock is among alternative rock’s father figures and is the closest thing the genre has to a Bob Dylan (not coincidentally his biggest musical inspiration).

WMPG invites businesses and non-profits to become underwriters on our airwaves – both on 90.9FM and on our streaming services.  By connecting  to WMPG listeners, you will tap into a passionate and community minded population eager to support you.

This past Thursday the Recovery Oriented Campus Center and WMPG radio featured music, stories of recovery, and conversations about getting support. We were taking call-ins throughout the broadcast. Many called in to share a few words or to request a song that has inspired you in tough times. Missed the show – Click here to listen to archive.

We hate to do this again but due to the increase in Covid-19 cases we are postponing our annual Record/CD sale until the spring. We are still accepting donations for the sale but unfortunately we just have to be careful with this and as anyone who has been knows, it gets very crowded at the sales tables. We are sorry to have to do it but better safe than sorry! We hope to see you in the spring and thanks for your understanding.

Want to learn more about your favorite WMPG DJs? Here is a video look into what makes our DJs so special. First up let’s meet Ad vs EF with DJs Matt Perry and Sean Gear. They talk about their show and then you are taken into the On-Air room and watch them produce the show.
Volunteer DJ Jai has created video profiles of the WMPG DJs.

Fat Tuesday at WMPG is a highlight of the year, as hundreds gather on USM’s Portland campus to taste Cajun inspired cuisine and groove to New Orleans inspired music!

On February 28, WMPG held it’s 22nd Fat Tuesday Cajun Cookin’ Challenge at Woodbury Campus Center. Over 500 attendees tasted the Cajun creations of nine local food establishments, and then voted for their favorites.

A huge thanks to everyone who donated or attended this past Friday and Saturday to WMPG’s “Production Room Studio Re-Do” pledge drive and CD/Record & BBQ. With all the donations now added up we raised over $6200. Thanks especially to all the WMPG volunteers who made it all possible. The DJ’s themselves have already donated more than $10,000 to this project and with grant money received from the Maine Association of Broadcasters and now money raised this past week we are over the $28,000 mark and making our way to the $64,000 needed to complete our “Production Room Studio Re-Do”.

On April 28th The Maine Association of Psychiatric Physicians presented WMPG’s  Dr. Anne Hallward with the Dr. Ulrich B. Jacobsohn Lifetime Achievement Award for  “extraordinary and tireless efforts” on behalf of those with psychiatric disorders. This was in recognition for her WMPG program Safe Space Radio. If this wasn’t enough on May 17 the American Psychiatric Association awarded her the American Women in Psychiatry’s Jeanne Spurlock Social Justice Award for Safe Space Radio’s work to give voice to marginalized and stigmatized populations.  This was  given to her in Atlanta at the national meeting of the American Psychiatric Association.

We are happy to report that Jessica Lockhart has been named WMPG Program Director. Her official start date began on May 16th.

For those of you not familiar with Jessica, she has a long history with WMPG and USM. She currently is a USM Media Studies Instructor for Audio Production. For WMPG she has taught classes in Hindenburg and Audacity, assisted us with managing our Begathons and previously served as WMPG Program Director. She also helps with training the incoming Blunt Youth Radio participants each year.

Local designers of wearable art for women, men and children will show their most creative fashions on the WMPG runway on Sunday April 10th, 7pm doors, 8 pm show at Port City Music Hall. Artistic Director Cindy Flanders reports that this year’s show includes works from new and returning designers. Styles run the spectrum from formal to street. Statement Jewelry pieces, repurposed, up-cycled and embellished clothing as well as vintage inspired garments. WMPG’s Fashion Show strives to include a wide-ranging and energetic collection of the talent & creativity that is thriving in Maine.

WMPG DJ Jackie Nice was recently interviewed and had a video profile done on her by Randy Visser and Standing Oak Media. It is a wonderful feature that shows Jackie at home talking about her life and how she ended up at WMPG bringing us her weekly Eastern Sands program heard every Sunday from 3:30-5pm. Thanks Randy and great job!