Live on the Lawn

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A new summer concert series kicking off this week was created with the goal of providing a new avenue to bring the music of Kentucky-based artists to the local community – in its raw, unpolished form. Called Commons Crossing, the series was created by Red Barn Radio executive producer Ed Commons in partnership with local NPR-affiliate radio station WUKY, 91.3. Each week’s concert will also be broadcast live on that station’s airwaves, providing an alternative to what radio listeners typically hear on-air: tracks that are relentlessly edited, compressed and cleaned.

Beginning Saturday, July 7, the concerts will be free for the public to attend and will take place at WUKY’s new studio every Saturday through Sept. 8. Located at 2460 Spurr Road in the former location of St. Clair Recording Studio, the state-of-the-art studio and the expanse of land surrounding it provided Commons with inspiration for the series (click here to read our recent article about the new studio). After being invited to visit, he recognized an ample opportunity for the station to reposition themselves into the Lexington community.


“I said that I think this would be an interesting, wonderful opportunity to do something right here since they have all this new space,” said Commons. “I talked to Tom Godell [general manager of WUKY] and pitched him the idea of not only doing a concert on the lawn, but picking that up as a live radio program from 7 to 8 p.m. on Saturday nights.”

With his experience running Red Barn Radio, another live performance radio show that spotlights the musical heritage of Kentucky artists, Commons is well versed with the potential of a concert series to highlight local artists and provide an outlet for them to expand their audience. He sees this particular series as a good opportunity to focus on Kentucky music and musicians that are not yet visible on a national scale.

“The music scene here is really coming alive," said Commons. “Since this is a local NPR station and we have booked entirely local acts that are very well known here, it's a great opportunity for acts that have never had the broadcast range that WUKY can give them.”

Commons Crossing is appropriately named after Commons himself, though the title also nods to the rail line close to WUKY’s studio – which organizers hope will contribute to the unpolished sound and authentic atmosphere of the series and its broadcast, rather than detract from it.

“It’s real,” Commons recalled the series’ associate producer, Warren Cobb, observing about the potential of having the sound of a train appear in the broadcast. “That’s one thing that the music industry is not offering – everything is so polished. I think people respond to that kind of slightly rougher presentation.”


Matt Wickstrom, local music blogger and host of the weekly Wick’s Picks radio show on Lexington Community Radio, will serve as live host for the weekly show. Listeners can tune into WUKY 91.3 at 7 p.m. on Saturdays to hear Commons Crossing – or, they can head down to WUKY’s studio to catch the live performance in person (for free). Either way, viewers and listeners will be guaranteed real music from an event dedicated to featuring local artists.

“Things like this show and other venues that really concentrate on regional or local music really have something to contribute to the country and world,” said Commons. “There’s an awful lot of extraordinary music that has not been heard.”

All performances will take place rain or shine, with WUKY's indoor studio serving as a back-up venue in case of poor weather. A full schedule can be found below:

July 7: Joslyn & the Sweet Compression

July 14: Jory Bowling w Joel Serdenis

July 21: Restless Leg String Band

July 28: Driftwood Gypsy

Aug. 4: Wynn Taylon & Stop 22

Aug. 11: Women of the Bluegrass

Aug. 18: Magnolia Boulevard

Aug. 25: Kevin Dalton & the Tuesday Blooms

Sept. 1: Sean Whiting

Sept. 8: Trippin' Roots

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