WXRT Keeps Its Heart in the Right Place

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 3, 2007 9:44PM

We admit we rarely really listen to WXRT anymore — in fact it fell of out regular rotation sometime in the '90s as their demographic skewed older and mellower — but we do still remember it as the "big" station that really tried to be a part of the community. And while WXRT's playlist may no longer excite us, we do still appreciate a number of the artists they continue to trumpet, their devotion to supporting the live music scene, and their philanthropic endeavors.

Each year the station combines all of the above and compiles some standout live tracks performed by artists that have swung through town, releasing the results on their ONXRT: Live From The Archives series.

This year's edition came out yesterday and features some pretty great artists including The Pretenders, Death Cab for Cutie, Lily Allen, Midnight Oil (quite possibly the WXRT house band at this point?), The Decemberists, and Johnette Napolitano. Sales of the disc raise money for both the Little City Foundation and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's Greater Illinois Chapter.

You can pick up your copy at local Starbucks locations or online.