WXXP Tribute

WHAT: Tribute to WXXP-FM
WHERE: The Rex, South Side, Pittsburgh
WHEN: Friday, October 12 and Saturday, October 13, 2007
Here they are: the eternally glamorous, must-be-the-rock'n'roll-that-keeps-'em-young, WXXP DJs!
Fans of ’80s alternative music will have another chance to pay tribute to one of the finest radio stations to ever grace the airwaves of Pittsburgh, the late, lamented WXXP — a/k/a 100.7 “Double X.”
Ostensibly an encore of the wildly successful WXXP reunion shows of 2005, it’s really an entirely new production, again held over two nights, October 12 and 13, 2007, at the Rex Theatre on Pittsburgh’s South Side. The bulk of the production was designed especially for this year’s event, with a few highlights from the 2005 show making an encore. Proceeds will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
“Quite simply, this show will make the 2005 edition look like child’s play,” says organizer Rod Schwartz. “We have some amazing things planned. In fact, I feel confident making a pretty bold statement: If you like ’80s music — whether you’re old enough to remember it when it was current, or are younger and just discovering those bands now — this show is going to be one of the funnest nights of your life. And if you’re one of the people who missed the event in 2005 and have been kicking themselves ever since, this is your second chance. Don’t blow it this time!”
WXXP-FM was a pioneer, credited with breaking bands like They Might Be Giants on the national level, thanks to a strong signal that could be picked up throughout the Tri-State area. The station’s lifespan was short, just two years, 1986 to 1988. But those two years had a lasting impact.
“Their slogan ‘Dare to be different’ wasn’t just a catch-phrase,” says Schwartz. “It was a literal description of what they were doing. It was defiant. It reflected the fact that they were really sticking their necks out, taking a risk. They really were daring to be different. And in the end, they got burned. It was too much of a gamble to sustain. The listenership was there, but the advertisers and station owners got cold feet. I mean, everyone I knew listened to WXXP. Everyone. But the Arbitron ratings somehow didn’t reflect the numbers. Maybe too many listeners were teenagers and college students who didn’t qualify for the ratings surveys. Who knows? But Double X had a huge following, and the official numbers somehow didn’t reflect that. So the owners lost faith and pulled the plug at the height of the station’s popularity. It was a real tragedy.”
Though the WXXP DJs are now scattered across the U.S., many have once again committed to coming to Pittsburgh to attend the tribute.
The shows will be a musical journey back to the late ’80s, celebrating the songs that the station made popular. A live band, consisting of members of some of Pittsburgh’s best-known groups past and present, will play more than 75 songs each night — about 25 more than the 2005 shows. In addition, local favorites Seven Color Sky will be performing a special ’80s-themed set each night as well.
The set list is being kept under wraps, Schwartz says, so that there are as many surprises as possible on the two nights of the shows. When pressed, though, he suggests that people shouldn’t be too surprised to hear their favorites by bands like New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Cure, and many others. “If you were alive between 1986 and 1988, you can count on hearing some of your favorite songs being played – and played by musicians who love that stuff as much as you do!”
All proceeds of the show will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation , with all donations going directly to the local chapter. Volunteers will be on hand to distribute information and provide assistance for anyone who wishes to make a contribution. The Make-A-Wish Foundation was founded in 1980 in Phoenix, Arizona. A small group of people there helped a very ill little boy achieve his wish — to be a state trooper for a day. From that one wish made 26 years ago, more than 141,000 wishes have been granted throughout 69 chapters in the United States and in more than 30 countries around the world. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Pennsylvania and Southern West Virginia was founded in May 1983 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Bryan was a seven-year-old cancer patient who wanted to visit his favorite uncle in Texas for one of their famous piggy-back rides. Today the chapter has granted more than 9,500 wishes and is the first chapter in the world to fulfill more than 700 wishes in one year.
The Rex Theatre is located at 1602 East Carson St., Pittsburgh, PA. Tickets are $11.99 and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com . For details, call 412-323-1919. Admission is 21-and-over only. The Rex Theatre box office can be reached at 412-381-6811.