Airwaves

by Brian Goslow

Traditionally, March means surprise snowstorms, annoying colds, baseball, and letters from noncommercial radio stations looking for us to renew our memberships. Public broadcaster WICN's Annual Spring Fund Drive will take place from March 19 through 29. The station (90.5 FM), which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, has come a long way from having its broadcast day split between Worcester Tech (now WPI) and the College of the Holy Cross. Although the hoped-for Worcester Inter-Collegiate Network never materialized (plans called for broadcast links across the city's campuses), and the station no longer carries its award-winning freeform rock programming, it has survived by making tough programming decisions based on which listeners help pay the bills. WICN continues to broadcast its noontime Brown Bag Concert Series live from Mechanics Hall -- pianist Dick Odgren is in the spotlight on March 18, the Sol y Canto Trio on March 25, Yankee Rhythm Kings Jazz Band on April 1, and Jon Dante and Timothy Smith on April 8 -- and its jazz programming has played a key role in the genre's continued rebirth throughout New England.

WICN has set a goal of $70,000, part of which will fund equipment and signal improvements. Pledge early by calling 752-0700. (WCUW's Spring Fund Raiser is slated to begin shortly. We'll pass on the details when we get them.)

WITH HOLY CROSS RETURNING from its spring break on Monday, WCHC (88.1 FM) is heading into the final portion of its broadcast season. Here are the highlights of its current weekday schedule:

On Mondays, Danielle Alberti introduces us to Los Secaves, Rosanna, Def Con Dos, and Extremoduro on her Spanish Music show, which showcases rock, rap, and pop music, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Brendan Clarke and Nick Braccis host The Comedy Hour, from 7 to 8 p.m., while Andy Cambria plays "Songs the weird kids used to listen to in high school" during Over the Edge: Songs Your Woman Curls Her Hair To, which airs 10 p.m. to midnight.

Longtime punk-flag waver Ed Teagan continues to play the Germs, Sex Pistols, and Damned alongside the Exploited, Angry Samoans, TSOL, and Slapshot (What? No Business?) on More Punk Than Me, aired Tuesdays from 3 to 5 p.m., while Kevin Miller mixes the new with the old on Therapy Punk on Thursdays from midnight to 2 a.m.

Speaking of punks, Bob Dylan's life and songs are celebrated by Tim Joseph and Jay McGillen Wednesdays from 7 to 8 p.m.; Vin Moretti follows with an hour of the blues, after which Mark Dellelo and Ed Hayes play avant-garde jazz, classical, and everything in between during World Music, which airs from 9 to 10 p.m. Each show spotlights a specific world-music center, along with news from the arts community. Gary Brooks's Local Show is next, taking listeners up to midnight.

When Joe Gagne began hosting Thursday Night Ska! (8 to 10 p.m.), the Bosstones were still looking for their first gold record. Mötley Crüe, Poison, Whitesnake, and Ratt -- all of whom were supposedly making a comeback this year -- are celebrated nevertheless during Chris LaCamera and Matt Kane's Hour of Decadence on Fridays from 2 to 3 p.m. It's followed by SkaFunkRastaPunk (from 3 to 5 p.m.), the Blues Brothers (Pat and Tom Maher), and Dead Air, when Brian Buckley and Rich Weslowski play two hours of the Grateful Dead, and most certainly wet their pants over the news the remaining members are hitting the road this summer as the Other Ones.