It's WTUL's (not quite) 51st Annual Marathon, a fundraiser festival and celebration of New Orleans oldest and best progressive station. The (not quite) is because our 50th fundraiser was canceled for COVID reasons, squandering countless hours of effort and, of course, removing our chance to fundraise. So this year we will try to do what we wanted to do last year: celebrate the last half-century (and more) while providing our listeners with unique opportunities to engage with and support WTUL.
MARATHON'S BACKSTORY
The story starts with the man we consider the first-ever Marathon DJ- Jeff Michel, who DJ'd as "The Mighty Spirit." During the 1964-65 school year, he broadcasted for 6.5 hours under a shower with a condom-protected microphone. We have proof!
BUT, that wasn't actually the founding of Marathon.
The real precursor to Marathon is the Money Mad Marathon in spring of 1965 that lasted for 135 hours (equaling 5 days). It started when the finance committee of the Undergraduate Student Government announced a reduction of more than 50% of the station's tiny budget, thus beginning the protests. The station sent a telegram (!) to the committee that read, "Never before have so many asked for so little to do so much!" The Hullabaloo ran a front page editorial (the first ever at that point and maybe the only one in its history) arguing for WTUL receiving full funding, and listeners wrote to the finance committee saying the same. DJ Ralph Whalen ("The Wolfman") took to the air the Saturday before the Student Council meeting at which the issue of the budget would be decided, where he stayed for 19.5 hours. Other DJs followed (Jeff Michel, Ron Scott, Jeff Johnson, Mike Weener) and continued the Marathon right into the Student Council meeting. During all this, picketers paraded outside the meeting as well. In the end, WTUL won and received its full budget.
Regular Marathons started in 1970.
EVENTS
- April 8: Dine and Donate at Dat Dog: 5030 Freret St. 5-8pm
- April 9 7pm: Jank Setup Virtual Show stream via Youtube or Facebook
- April 10 7pm: Quarx and Loudness War Virtual Show stream via Youtube or Facebook
- April 13 6:30-9:30pm: The Secrets of WTUL: A DJ Panel stream via Youtube or Facebook
- April 14 7pm: People Museum Virtual Show stream via Youtube or Facebook
- April 16-19 from noon to noon: 24 Hr DJ Weekend
MERCH PREMIUMS & DONATE
Link to WaveStarter: https://wavestarter.tulane.edu/campaigns/wtuls-50th-annual-rock-on-survival-marathon-fundraiser#/
Premiums:
- $25: Marathon 2021 sticker & digital download code for the Best of the Basement: Not Quite Volume 18 of the Songs From the Basement compilation of delicious tunes
- $50: Blue WTUL-emblazoned carabiner, plus sticker & digital download code for the Best of the Basement: Not Quite Volume 18 of the Songs From the Basement compilation
- $75: Marathon 2021 100% cotton tee with the groovy tunes logo on it, plus sticker & digital download code for the Best of the Basement: Not Quite Volume 18 of the Songs From the Basement compilation
- $100: big tote with original Marathon artwork, plus sticker & digital download code for the Best of the Basement: Not Quite Volume 18 of the Songs From the Basement compilation
- $150: WTUL mug, plus sticker & digital download code for the Best of the Basement: Not Quite Volume 18 of the Songs From the Basement compilation
- $250: Limited edition vinyl version of the "Best of the Basement: Not Quite Volume 18 of the Songs From the Basement" compilation, plus sticker & digital download code
24 HOUR WEEKEND: APRIL 16-19, NOON TO NOON
- Fri, April 16: DJ Tropics
- Sat, April 17: DJ Roadrunner & DJ Tweedie-like-the-bird
- Sun, April 18: DJ E & DJ Skim
Sponsor's Corner
WTUL thanks our sponsors:
Euclid Records: http://euclidrecordsneworleans.com
Midway Pizza Nola: https://www.midwaypizzanola.com
Long Live Rock Movie: www.longliverockmovie.com