Today we celebrate MARK MANNING DAY!

This is our 9th annual celebration of Mark Manning, our friend from a couple of clicks down the radio dial over at KKFI 90.1 FM. For 19 years now, Mark Manning has hosted the Wednesday MidDay Medley. As the year is winding down, every Wednesday in December from 10AM-noon, he will count down the 120 Best Recordings of 2023. Today on the Eight One Sixty we get a sneak peek of ten songs from his massive list.

Hear music from these acts: Sweeping Promises, Paris Williams, Andrew Connor, Saving Miles Lemon, Keo & Them, Dragon Inn 3, Calvin Arsenia, Bad Alaskan, Heidi Lynne Gluck, and Iris DeMent.

It’s all about new music!

Also, some of the acts we hear music from have upcoming gigs:

• Emma Jo album release show at Knuckleheads tomorrow night, FRI, NOV 10

• Laura Noble at VooDoo Lounge on SAT, NOV 18

• Red Kate album release show at miniBar on WED, NOV 22

• Flanner, Laycock, & Schrock at KC Bier Co on FRI, NOV 24

And we hear recent releases from Maggie Boone, The Critterz, Such Lovely People, The Electric Lungs, The Beholders, The Holdaways, and Dia Jane.

We talk about two big events happening this Saturday, November 11: the inaugural North KC Fall Fest and 20 years of The Record Machine featuring The Noise FM, Monta, Black Light Animals, Soultru, Pala Zolo at recordBar. Also, special guest, Nathan Reusch will be stopping by to talk with us about both events.

Early in the show, we dive into the details of the NKC FALL FEST presented by RiverNorth KC, happening this Saturday from noon to 5PM in North KC on Swift Ave, between 14th and 15th Street’s, here’s your band lineup:

• Kirstie Lynn & Galen Clark 12:30PM

• The Matchsellers 1:30PM

• Low Pressure System 2:30PM

• The Phantastics 3:30PM

And then later in the show we talk about the big show happening this Saturday night at recordBar celebrating 20 years of The Record Machine, and here’s that lineup:

• The Noise FM

• Monta

• Black Light Animals

• Soultru

• Pala Zolo

It’s all about new music as we start off with a few spooky, haunting songs and see where things go from there!

Hear music from these acts with upcoming gigs:

• Kemet Coleman - with The Phantastics at Apocalypse Meow 16 at recordBar on NOV 4 and at The NKC FALL FEST on NOV 11

• Julia Othmer at The Ship on NOV 16

• Emmaline Twist at miniBar on NOV 6

• Danielle Nicole at The Uptown Theater on NOV 24

• RxGhost at Replay Lounge on NOV 24

• The Supermassive Black Holes at Lucia on NOV 10 and at miniBar on NOV 30

• Jessica Paige at The Bottleneck on NOV 24 and at Nighthawk on DEC 22

• The Roseline at The Bottleneck on FEB 2

Also hear new songs from IVORY BLUE, Nikka, Haven Adara, and Cheery.

We will be coming to you live from the BLVD Tours & Rec Center at Boulevard's Beer Hall up on the 4th floor for the opening night of their spooky Halloween Pop-Up! Our special guests will be Freight Train Rabbit Killer, all decked out as they celebrate their 10-year anniversary as a band.

From 6-7PM, catch the live broadcast of the Eight One Sixty where we talk to the band about how they made it to 10 years! We hear music from their catalog and talk about how they're celebrating the 10-year-mark with three shows this week. We also play music from acts they're playing with this week, The Black Mariah Theater and The Peculiar Pretzelmen. And our opening bumper will be from Jason Beers, who has released several Halloween albums, find them on his Bandcamp page.

Then from 7-8PM, catch a FREE concert from Freight Train Rabbit Killer surrounded by special Halloween decor and enjoy a brand new menu of spooky Quirktails, snacks, and Polly Pop Sodas. All ages!

We dive into a stack of new releases from KC area musicians and bands, and most of them have upcoming gigs.

Tune in and hear music from these acts and then go catch them play a live show:

• INDRA, at Replay Lounge on OCT 17

• Mirrored Edges, at VIVO Live Events with freon cool, Bon Monarchs, and Similar Animal on OCT 20

• Kat King, in STL at The Heavy Anchor on OCT 20

• Kadesh Flow, with Brass & Booojie Halloween at Vine Street Brewing Co. on OCT 20

• Chloe Rose, at Buffalo State Pizza in The Crossroads on OCT 20

• Circle Drive, at Tin Roof on OCT 23 and at Ronald McDonald House for a Trunk or Treat event on OCT 29

• Musicbyskippy, at Missie B's in a variety show hosted by Annie Cherry on OCT 26

• Flooding, at Howdy on NOV 4 for their album release show

• Scores, members of Scores are in The Noise FM at recordBar on NOV 11 and members of Scores are in Hembree at The Bottleneck on DEC 3

We also hear one from a group of veteran KC rockers in Company Retreat and one from a singer-songwriter out of Springfield, Matteson Gregory.

October 10 is World Mental Health Day. To bring awareness to the day 90.9 The Bridge has a full day of programming planned called "Sound Minds: Music and Mental Health." Songs will be played and stories will be shared throughout the day connecting music to stories of people dealing with and coping with mental health. 

For the Eight One Sixty radio show, on Tuesday, October 10 at 6PM we're excited to plan a show of music around this idea. On the show we're looking to provide your "Moment of Zen", to borrow a line from The Daily Show. Our programming will be down tempo music from Kansas City musicians, heavily focused on either instrumental or electronic music. We're hoping to take your mind off of things for a few minutes and provide a place for you to catch your breath.
I hope you can tune in on Tuesday, October 10 at 6PM and hear music from these acts: Carlo dell'Aquila, Callah, Hermon Mehari, Alyssa Murray, Redder Moon, Meyadi, MC Rue, Busfoot, Miles Bonny, Jason Beers, Ekho Duo, Semper Viridis, and Carlo Z.

Sound Minds is made possible by Johnson County Mental Health Center and Zero Reasons Why. Help is always available at (913) 268-0156.

We play new music from several acts with upcoming gigs. Tune in and then make plans to see some of these acts play out LIVE:

• Bob Walkenhorst on OCT 4 and OCT 18 at Mike Kelly's Westsider

• Trevor Turla on FRI OCT 6 at The Ship

• Nicole Springer on OCT 14 for an album release show, more info on their FB page

• Jass on OCT 26 at The Ship for Witches vs Werewolves Vs Vampires Hosted by Rachel Christia & Les Izmore: Amira Wangg, True Lions, and Stay 4 Breakfast

• Savanna Chestnut on OCT 27 at Irrigation Ales in Courtland, KS

• Gemini Parks on OCT 28 at Replay Lounge, Gemini Parks // Heat Seeger // Pale Tongue

• Friendly Thieves on NOV 17 at Yeehaw: A Benefit Show for KC Tenants at The Truman with Snail Mail, Waxahatchee, and more

• Ha Ha Tonka on NOV 22 at recordBar for the 13th Annual Tonka's Giving

• Madness and Melody on DEC 08 at Buffalo State Pizza in The Crossroads

Additionally, we hear two new singles from two other acts that are brand new to us, Mary & The Matrix and Scott SK Miller.

We announce the lineup for the 16th annual Apocalypse Meow fundraiser show for Midwest Music Foundation on Saturday, NOV 4 at recordBar. We begin the radio broadcast there, playing music from two acts on the lineup and also talking about the roots of MMF. We share stories about our old friend, the spark that helped create MMF, the great Abigail Henderson. We also share a story from this past weekend at The Plaza Art Fair, even though she’s been gone for 10 years now, she pops up so often and her stories and words still resonate all the time!

After that we dive into the OCT and beyond Concert Calendar and highlight and play music from some shows that we think should be on your radar, shows like:

10/20/23 Nation of Language at recordBar

10/20/23 Nobuntu in the Polsky Theater at Midwest Trust Center at Johnson County Community College

10/21/23 Matisyahu at The Folly Theater presented by Knuckleheads

10/24/23 Freight Train Rabbit Killer on 4th floor of The Rec Deck at Boulevard Beer Hall’s Halloween Pop-Up

10/25/23 Moon 17 at Farewell

10/25/23 Wilco at The Midland Theatre

10/30/23 Kate Cosentino at The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

11/1/23 Kristen May at Colonial Gardens in Blue Springs

11/24/23 Amanda Hughey at Buffalo State Pizza Co. in The Crossroads (and in her other projects: 11/16/23 with Kid Sister at Nighthawk at Hotel Kansas City and on 10/13/23 with Flat Susan at Fuego Cantina & Events

11/30/23 The Japanese House at Liberty Hall

We turn our attention to two HUGE events happening this weekend, both are overflowing with great music from KC area bands and musicians.

First on the show, we hear from these acts playing and talk about Plaza Art Fair. There are three stages showcasing music all weekend, we focus on the KC Music Stage, right in front of Gram and Dunn at Ward Parkway and Pennsylvania. We’ll hear music from Friendly Thieves, Danny McGaw, Meyadi, Amber Flutienastiness, Matt Otto, Back Alley Brass Band, and we’ll kick off the show brand a new single from IVORY BLUE.

Then we talk about and play music from acts taking the stage at the 4th annual Camp Leavenworth on this Friday and Saturday night. We’ll hear music from Casi Joy, Darren Denney, and a brand new, unreleased song from Starhaven Rounders.

Also, it’s Pledge Week on the show and we share some stories about how listeners and supporters of The Bridge are the real fuel that push this station. I’ll get a little deep with it as we kick off the show.