Our prayers have been answered, Dallas. Back in January, we took it upon ourselves to light a fire under the folks at Sportsradio 1310 The Ticket to do what the station should've done a long time ago: start up an all-local music show. The response from readers and Ticket P1's alike was overwhelmingly enthusiastic, and now The Ticket has good -- make that great -- news that we can tell you about exclusively: a brand-new, weekly radio show called "The Local Ticket," which will be hosted by none other than Mark Schectman. It sounds even better than we'd hoped for.
See also: The Ticket Needs a Local Music Show The Ticket is Finally Hosting a Concert at Ticketstock, and It Won't Be the Last
"This idea is classic Ticket," says station manager Jeff Catlin in a press release going out this afternoon. "It started as a grassroots effort by our listeners and music fans in the Metroplex. Once I heard from them, it was a no-brainer. We've always been known as the station that talks sports 'and all that implies'. Music and local music is a passion of mine, and of many of the other on air staff here. The Local Ticket is a great addition to the widely acknowledged best line up of local shows and personalities on DFW radio."
The Local Ticket debuts on Sunday, March 22 and will run in a two-hour time slot each week from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The show will feature up-and-coming acts from Dallas, Fort Worth and Denton, along with independent acts from other locales. Interviews, in-studio performances and appearances from local music personalities will also be featured prominently in the show, which is the best news we've heard all year.
It looks like it's going to be very, very awesome, thanks largely to the fact that The Ticket has brought on Schectman to steer the ship. He's long held the torch as the city's best local music advocate as the head of The Edge's Local Edge show, which was sadly eliminated last fall. Schectman left The Edge just last month, making the timing of this news just about perfect.
"I pitched the idea for the show to them and it just so happened to be something they were already considering so the timing just worked out perfectly," says Schectman. "Since I'm no longer bound by the rules of music radio, expect more interviews and live performances eventually. And there will be some Adventure Club elements to it as well."
Schectman wouldn't confirm any interviews or appearances for the show's debut episode, but did point out that the launch coincides with South By Southwest. "There's the possibility for interesting things," he teases.
Schectman is an incredible addition to the KTCK line-up of personalities, especially if you (like us) deeply miss the perspective and excellent music that he served up each week during The Local Edge. The station is also clearly incredibly supportive of the idea, which is a necessity if it is ever to be more than an afterthought to their slate of comprehensive sports coverage. Fortunately, it looks as if they're on the right track.
We hate to say we told you so, but a local music show on The Ticket -- especially one helmed by Mark Schectman -- is exactly what the local music scene needs from the radio stations that have ignored it for far too long. In fact, Catlin credits the Observer with "getting the ball rolling," and we're of course exceedingly pleased with the news. But it never would've happened if local music fans hadn't responded to our call for action. So there you go, Dallas. You've earned it.
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