Kitchen Party Ceilidh

07/09/2025

07/06/2025

On tonight's big show, we'll celebrate America’s independence with music from Christy Moore, Caitlin & Ciaran, Donnie Munro, Tim O’Brien and much more.

Listen live at 10 PM EDT on WICR FM 88.7 or stream live worldwide at www.wicronline.org

In the meantime, the podcast of KPC 558, our Canada Day episode, is up on SoundCloud at https://soundcloud.com/user-127774073/kpc_2025_06_29_podcast and soon to follow on iTunes, Google, TuneIn, Audacy, Amazon Prime Music, iHeartRadio and at www.kpc-radio.com

See you on the radio!

Our 558th episode, which aired on June 29, 2025, and celebrated Canada Day. The Fables – Down East Day, A Time Buddy MacMaster – Kenloch Jig Medley, Judique on the Floor Inn Echo – Summers with Nan,

07/05/2025

One last announcement today (I promise).

I've been asked about our upcoming schedule, including our 12th anniversary show, so here's what's on the go.

Tomorrow night, July 6, we'll grab one last piece of the Fourth of July weekend and feature songs and tunes about America. We've never done this before, and it should be a good one. No politics, just some great music, most of it from non-American artists.

On July 13, we'll celebrate the Indianapolis Ceili Band's upcoming trip to complete at the All-Ireland Fleadh next month. We'll have music from the Ceili Band's two albums to date, and we'll chat with original and present member Alberta Lathan. I'll also have information about how you can help the group in its fundraising efforts to pay for the trip.

On July 20, for our TWELFTH anniversary show, we'll have music from J.P. Cormier's latest landmark album, 50 Years of Guitar. I'll chat with J.P., which is always a lively experience, and I'll give away a copy of the CD.

And then, after the anniversary show, I'm taking a break. There are other projects needing my attention, so I'll be off for a month and a half or so. We'll be back with our next new show on September 7. I'll be posting more about this as I'll be giving our listeners the chance to pick what I'll send out during the hiatus, so stay tuned for that.

Thanks for your attention, both now and over the last twelve years, and I'll be back with further bulletins as events warrant.

Send a message to learn more

07/05/2025

I want to let you know about an upcoming July 28 house concert featuring Eimear Arkins and David McKindley-Ward. This will probably sell out and reservations are required, so please act now if you want to go.

Here's the info from host Lew Truex:

Concert Date: Monday, July 28 at 7 pm

Doors Open at 6 pm to socialize, snack, and enjoy a beverage

Location: Truex Manor (Truex home in Nora/South Carmel Area)
Suggested donation: $20, with all proceeds going to the artists!
You Are Welcome to bring appetizers or snack items to share, and a favorite drink. Provided will be water, wine glasses, napkins, plates, and eating utensils.

Feel Free to forward this invitation to any of your friends who love to see live music! Emoji

Please RSVP ([email protected]) to reserve a seat(s) for this anticipated sell out performance!
A confirmation email with directions to Truex Manor and details about parking will be sent a day or 2 before the concert.

Eimear Arkins comes from a small village on the west coast of Ireland called Ruan, in County Clare. She is an award-winning musician, singer, and dancer with eleven solo World Irish Music Championship titles to her credit. Eimear has toured throughout the US, Ireland and beyond with various acclaimed bands. A mention of only one of them should get your attention. Cherish the Ladies! In June 2018, she released her debut album, What’s Next? and was awarded “Best Newcomer” from Live Ireland in 2019. In January 2020, Eimear was awarded an Artist Fellowship from the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis, where she now lives. Eimear’s second album, Here & There, was released January 2024, and features collaborations with David McKindley-Ward, Eileen Gannon, Alan Murray and Kevin Buckley.

David McKindley-Ward is an award-winning musician and singer. He grew up in the DC area, steeped in folk, American and old-time music. His traditional singing style and versatile accompaniment skills meant a transition to Irish music was a great fit. David has collaborated with Irish singers and instrumentalists alike and has recorded a number of albums with longtime friend and songwriter Letitia VanSant. Over the last few years, he has made a name for himself as a touring artist across the US, Ireland and the UK and a regular performer and tutor at numerous popular festivals. \

Eimear and David met at Catskills Irish Arts Week in 2018. Their friendship and musical partnership developed out of many cross-country road trips, playing tunes with friends, and singing together. They have been performing as a duo for the last number of years across the US at festivals, the infamous John D. McGurk’s and as part of the Irish Rambling House touring troupe. \

Musicians: Anticipate a session after the concert! Emoji You know what that means!

07/05/2025

Hey folks...I hope you won't mind if I do a bit of cross-promotion.

Some of you may know that, in addition to the KPC, I also host Rockin' Dave's Roots Roundup, which airs every Sunday at midnight, also on WICR, and features the best in rockabilly, jump blues and western swing. Although I don't talk about either show when doing the other, I'm very proud of both, and both mean a lot to me.

I'm mentioning the Roots Roundup now because we're embarking on what will be an interesting run of shows this month. The first atomic bomb tests in July 1945 ushered the US, and the world, into the Atomic Age, which had a tremendous effect on our culture and our roots music. Both blues and country artists, to be joined by the rockers a few years later, worked things like the bomb, the Cold War, fallout shelters, satellites and the like into their songs, whether the messages were religious, jingoistic or just plain humorous (and there was a lot of humor). To look back on that music now provides a fascinating look into a turbulent slice of American history, plus a lot of the songs and tunes are just flat-out great.

In July 2020, to mark the 75th anniversary of the first atomic bomb tests, I offered two shows featuring music from that time, with some great public service announcements of the time to provide a little context. Those shows were an awful lot of fun to present, and tonight and next week, we're going to replay those episodes. Then on July 20 and 27, to mark the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the Atomic Age, we'll have two new episodes with even more great rockabilly, jump blues and western swing songs, and some civil service messages from some of the biggest stars of the day.

To listen to the shows, tune in to WICR FM 88.7 at midnight tonight, or stream live worldwide at www.wicronline.org

If you like what you hear and want to learn more, you can visit the show's website at www.davesradioempire.org

Thanks for your attention, and I'll now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

Home page of Dave's Radio Empire

06/29/2025

Tonight and next week, we'll do something we've done from time to time followed by something we've never done.

This Tuesday, July 1, is Canada Day, and as we've done several times, we'll celebrate our neighbor to the north by starting in Newfoundland with the Fables and head west, province by province, till we wind up in British Columbia with the Paperboys. Along the way, we'll hear from great folks like The McDades, West of Mabou and Poor Angus.

Then, on next week's show, as it will be the Fourth of July holiday weekend, we'll have songs and tunes of America, from Christy Moore, Ashley MacIsaac, The Mahones and many others. This will be a new one for us, and I'll be interested to hear what you's think.

Tune in tonight at 10 PM EDT on WICR FM 88.7, or stream live worldwide at www.wicronline.org

In the meantime, the podcast of KPC 557 is up on SoundCloud at https://soundcloud.com/user-127774073/kpc_2025_06_22_podcast and soon to follow on iTunes, Google, TuneIn, Audacy, Audible, Amazon Prime Music, iHeartRadio and at www.kpc-radio.com

See you on the radio tonight!

our 557th episode, which aired on June 22, 2025. TRIP – The 50 Reels, In Terra’s Keep Lief Sorbye & Friends – The Midnight Sun, Lief’s Birthday Bash Traditional Fare – With Ourselves/The Scholar/Fran

06/23/2025

Woohoo!

06/22/2025

On tonight's 557th KPC, we'll have new music from TRIP and Cedar Dobson, along with tracks from Gerry O’Connor, Traditional Fare, Breen Rynne Murray, Troy MacGillivray and much more.

Listen live at 10 PM EDT on WICR FM 88.7 or stream live worldwide at www.wicronline.org

In the meantime, the podcast of KPC 556 is up on SoundCloud at https://soundcloud.com/user-127774073/kpc_2025_06_15_podcast and soon to follow on iTunes, Google, TuneIn, Audacy, Audible, Amazon Prime Music, iHeartRadio and at www.kpc-radio.com

See you on the radio tonight!

Our 556th episode, which aired on June 15, 2025. Tom Delany – Jim O'Connor's/My Former Wife/Kilglass Lake, The Lark’s Call Merry Hell – Pick Yourself Up and Dance, The Rising of the Bold CLOSET CLAS

06/22/2025

I've got something to share which may interest you.

As you may know, our friends in the Indianapolis Ceili Band have qualified to go complete in the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Wexford, Ireland. This is a great honor for the band, which earned its way by qualifying at the Midwest Fleadh in April.

The Ceili Band is now planning to go compete against the best ceili bands in the world in August, and as you might imagine, getting ten musicians to Ireland, and housing and feeding them while there, is not cheap. So the group has launched a GoFundMe campaign, link below, and that's where we all come in.

I'm here to let you know that the largest donor to the Ceili Band GoFundMe will win the opportunity to program an entire episode of the Kitchen Party Ceilidh, and if desired, to co-host. I've never turned the programming of a whole show over to anyone, so this promises to be an interesting event.

Thanks in advance for your support of our friends in the Indy Ceili Band, and let the giving commence!

The Indianapolis Ceili Band has been serving the Indianapolis community… Indy Ceili Band needs your support for Back the Indy Ceili Band's Journey to Ireland!