The Current(TM) to Host Live Broadcasts and Guest Band Appearances at the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas

The Current(TM) to Host Live Broadcasts and Guest Band Appearances at the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas

The Current's Mary Lucia to present live festival updates and guest appearances by Magnet, The 88, Portastatic, Drive By Truckers and more, March 16 and 17

ST. PAUL, Minn., March 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The Current announced today it will broadcast live March 16 and 17 from the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in Austin, Texas.

The Current's award-winning DJ Mary Lucia will present festival updates and guest band appearances beginning at 10 a.m. CST both days of the SXSW broadcast.

Lucia will also host her regular drive-time shifts both days, 3-7 p.m. CST. Additional band guests will join Lucia between sets of her DJ picks, all presented for a live audience and radio and Web listeners.

The Current is the nation's premiere radio station and Web stream for new music. It features an eclectic playlist, live DJs 24/7, real-time song information, archived playlists, podcasts and free music downloads. It is heard in the Twin Cities on KCMP 89.3 FM and worldwide at http://www.thecurrent.org/ .

SXSW performances by Drive By Truckers, Portastatic, The 88, Gomez and Anthony Hamilton will be Web streamed live and then archived online. The Current will also present a daily blog by music journalist Keith Harris.

Schedule of SXSW broadcast guest appearances, live from the 18th floor of the Capitol Place Hotel, Austin, Texas

All times are CST and subject to change:

Thursday, March 16 Friday, March 17
-- live updates 10 a.m.-3 p.m. -- live updates 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
10:30 a.m. Anthony Hamilton 11:30 a.m. Drive by Truckers
11:30 a.m. Magnet 12:30 p.m. Sound Team
12:30 p.m. Tim Fite 1:30 p.m. Portastatic
1 p.m. Blackalicious
-- Mary Lucia's show, 3-7 p.m. -- Mary Lucia's show, 3-7 p.m.
3 p.m. The 88 3 p.m. IV Thieves
4:30 p.m. Nicolai Dunger 5 p.m. Gomez
5 p.m. Editors
7 p.m. Diamond Nights

About The Current

The Current is a return to free-form radio, where the DJs pick the music they play, bringing listeners the best authentic new music alongside music that explores roots and influences.

The Current's playlist is eclectic -- from Arctic Monkeys to Beth Orton, M.I.A. to The Hold Steady, Atmosphere to Cat Power and more. The Current also features an online archive of more than 180 in-studio performances from the likes of Rilo Kiley, The Shins, Vinicius Cantuaria, P.O.S., The Magic Numbers and Mike Doughty.

The Current began in 2005 as a non-commercial, member-supported Minnesota Public Radio station in St. Paul, Minnesota. During its first year of broadcasting, the station has grown to include members from around the world. The Current draws 45,000 unique Web visitors each month(1) and 168,000 radio listeners each week in the Twin Cities(2).

Tune in to The Current:

Online

Listeners all over the world can access The Current's online features at http://www.thecurrent.org/ :

-- Live Web stream of The Current's daily broadcast
-- Live in-studio performances, averaging 5,200 page impressions each
month(3)
-- Real-time playlist
-- Free music download available each week
-- Podcasts produced by The Current: "Musicheads(TM)," a weekly discussion
with The Current DJs about timely music topics; and skits from "The
Morning Show," The Current's weekday variety show that's musically
eclectic and strangely comic

On air

The Current can be heard on KCMP 89.3 FM in the Twin Cities and KMSE 88.7 FM in Rochester, Minnesota.

Awards
2005 Finalist: Best Station of the Year, 89.3 The Current - CMJ College
Radio Awards
2005 Best Radio Station, Reader's Choice, 89.3 The Current - City Pages
(Twin Cities alternative weekly)
2005 Best Radio FM Personality, Editorial Choice, Mary Lucia - City Pages
2005 Best Minnesota-Produced Radio Show, "The Local Show with Chris
Roberts" - Minnesota Music Awards
2005 FAB radio station - Lavender (Twin Cities GLBT monthly magazine)
2006 Feminist Find: Favorite Radio Station, 89.3 The Current - Minnesota
Women's Press

(1) Copyright Nielsen//NetRatings, Feb 04-Jan 05
(2) Copyright Arbitron, Inc., Metro data, Persons 12+, MSu 6a-12m, four
quarter average ending Fall 2005
(3) Copyright Nielsen//NetRatings, Feb 04-Jan05

Source: Minnesota Public Radio

CONTACT: Christina Schmitt of Minnesota Public Radio, +1-651-290-1449,
cschmitt@mpr.org

Web site: http://www.thecurrent.org/
http://www.mpr.org/

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