WNYC's Soundcheck Returns with Live Video Webcast of performance by GRIZZLY BEAR

WNYC’s Soundcheck Returns
Following Summer Hiatus with Live Sneak Preview of
GRIZZLY BEAR’S Upcoming Album
"Shields”

Live Web Stream of Grizzly Bear’s Performance in The Greene Space at WNYC
TODAY at 2PM
at http://wny.cc/QnpZcJ

Soundcheck Radio Show Returns on September 17 in its new timeslot
Weeknights at 9PM on 93.9 FM

(NEW YORK, NY – September 10, 2012)— The summer hiatus is over, and SOUNDCHECK is back.

For three months, host John Schaefer and his team turned the “Soundcheck Workshop” into a beehive of creative activity to expand the digital possibilities of this signature WNYC program. Now SOUNDCHECK is returning with a brand new website, a new timeslot, and new voices and partners.

To kick things off, the acclaimed indie band Grizzly Bear will join John Schaefer to perform songs from the upcoming album “Shields” in a live video webcast from The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space at WNYC on TODAY at 2pm.  The live video webcast will be available at http://soundcheck.wnyc.org or http://wny.cc/QnpZcJ.

A week later on Monday, September 17, SOUNDCHECK returns to the WNYC airwaves as a primetime evening show at 9pm. The first show will include portions of Grizzly Bear’s live video webcast, along with music picks from bestselling novelist JUNOT DIAZ. Other shows during the first week will include visits the newly reformed BEN FOLDS FIVE, novelist MICHAEL CHABON, and PATTI SMITH.  In-studio performances include AMANDA PALMER, JOHN DARNIELL of the Mountain Goats and British soul singer MICHAEL KIWANUKA.

“This summer has been a great chance for us to focus on serving a wider, digital audience,” said JOHN SCHAEFER.  “So we’re redoubling our commitment to videos, podcasts, free downloads, extended music performances, and lots more.  We’ve been lining up collaborators and guests, and we’ve been adding fun or quirky new features to the show (I don’t want to give too much away, but I can confirm that beer may occasionally be involved).  Although we haven’t been on the air, we’ve actually been busier than ever.  So we are really glad to be getting back on the air, because this so-called hiatus was killing us!”

After 10 years on the radio, SOUNDCHECK is re-emerging as a multi-dimensional platform for fans and communities to dig deeper into the music they love. With an exciting mix of listener engagement, trusted curation, and expert insights at the fore, the website will be a destination site offering podcasts and downloads, live performance videos, expert bloggers, daily gig alerts, and all new ways to connect with a community around a shared passion.

Some new SOUNDCHECK website features include:  

• “The Bullpen,” a roster of favorite music experts from New York and around the country, will include Billboard editor Joe Levy, KCRW host Anne Litt, Pitchfork founder Ryan Schreiber, journalist Sowmya Krishnamurthy of MTV’s Hip Hop POV, and NPR’s Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me Contributor Faith Salie.

• A new video series called “Tough Critics,” in which Elisabeth, Onaje, and Will -- three New York City fifth graders from the Soho’s Little Red School House – offer their unvarnished praise and critiques of new music from the likes of Dirty Projectors and Regina Spektor

• New partnerships with premier culture outlets such as KCRW

Soundcheck is WNYC’s multi-platform access point for music fans to discover their ongoing personal soundtrack. This on-air and online destination features insight from musicians, journalists and tastemakers, plus in-studio performances representing what’s new and compelling in New York City. Listeners start the conversation at Soundcheck.org and continue it with host John Schaefer every weeknight at 9 p.m. on 93.9 FM.

New York Public Radio is New York's premier public radio franchise, comprising WNYC, WQXR, and The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, as well as www.wnyc.org, www.wqxr.org and www.thegreenespace.org.  As America's most listened-to AM/FM news and talk public radio stations, reaching 1.1 million listeners every week, WNYC extends New York City's cultural riches to the entire country on-air and online, and presents the best national offerings from networks National Public Radio, Public Radio International, American Public Media, and the British Broadcasting Company. WNYC 93.9 FM broadcasts a wide range of daily news, talk, cultural and music programming, while WNYC AM 820 maintains a stronger focus on breaking news and international news reporting. Classical 105.9 WQXR is New York City's sole 24-hour classical music station, presenting new and landmark classical recordings as well as live concerts from the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic, among other New York City venues, immersing listeners in the city's rich musical life. In addition to its audio content, WNYC and WQXR produce content for live, radio and web audiences from The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, the station's street-level multipurpose, multiplatform broadcast studio and performance space. For more information about New York Public Radio, visit www.nypublicradio.org.

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