By Andy Foltz
NKyTribune Correspondent
The snow didn’t stop the show.
Everyone from tie-dyed-in-the-wool hippies to bearded and be-flannelled hipsters turned out en masse to celebrate The Good People Festival Presents “Show Your Love,” a benefit for WNKU at the Southgate House Revival this weekend. Having snow predicted for Friday night and arriving Saturday did not deter the music lovers, with over 400 people turning out each night.
“What a great weekend,” Rachel DesRochers, one of the event organizers, said. “The weather did not hold anyone back.”
The venue supported 28 different acts, most of which were regional if not local. Frontier Folk Nebraska, Arlo McKinley and The Lonesome Sound, The Newbees, and Buffalo Wabs and The Price Hill Hustle were among acts that have Northern Kentucky members or roots. Every act thanked the public radio station for supporting independent music and musicians.
For WNKU, the event served as a 30th birthday bash as well.
“WNKU is the best radio station in the country,” Alex Lusht, bassist for The Newbees, told the crowd.
The Good People Festival, started last year by DesRochers, proprietor of Grateful Grahams in Covington, and Ian Mathieu of The Price Hill Hustle, to focus on local artisans, musicians, and show gratitude to the local community. The first event was in October at Baker Hunt in Covington.
“This was all around the music, and because it was for WNKU it should have been,” DesRochers added. “All the money raised this weekend will benefit WNKU. They do such a good job, and it’s great on our end to be able to say thanks for supporting us. You heard it on stage from multiple bands. It’s a really awesome thing to see how they are invested in our community.”
Much like the station’s programming, the acts covered a broad musical spectrum from blues to bluegrass to some good old-fashioned rock and roll. Noah Hunt, lead singer for Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Cincinnati-native, closed out the concerts Saturday night with a rocking set backed by the virtuoso guitar of Scotty Bratcher. They followed a foot-stomping bluegrass session by Buffalo Wabs and The Price Hill Hustle.
“I always know I’m home when I turn on the radio and find WNKU,” Hunt said to the crowd during his set.
National acts Jason Wilber, Will Kimbrough, and Charlie Mars featured on Friday night. Wilber has backed award-winning musician John Prine following a chance meeting at an open mic night years ago, which he described for the crowd humorously Friday night. Kimbrough followed him with a one-man jam band session that nearly tore the roof off the Sanctuary.
“I have to give all props to Ian for this event, he’s the music man so he knows everyone. I took care of the PR aspect, and he took care of the rest, along with the folks at WNKU,” DesRochers said.