GOING UP: an elevator music show
Sneak peek at a one-hour easy listening show for Vinylthon
For the GOING UP theme, I’ll play some of Matt Berry’s version of the theme for Are You Being Served? A British comedy I watched a lot as a PBS kid.
HOLY COW please watch this wonderful video about polka and Milwaukee
Friend of the Shotski Lodge, UW professor emeritus Jim Leary, sent me this video just as soon as it came out. I was THRILLED to watch this lovely celebration of polka music and the fun of the City of Milwaukee. Peggy’s story made me cry and it was so fun to see the November Criminals play in an art-soaked alley. DROP EVERYTHING AND WATCH IT! YOU’LL LOVE IT!
GoUSA TV writes: Known as the quintessential party music, Polka is alive and evolving in the great city of Milwaukee.
At the city's beloved Germanfest, Polka Hall of Famer Peggy Mueller showcases her traditional roots while The November Criminals share their fusion of polka and hip-hop, making it clear there is something for everyone. From button boxes to beers and brats, British DJs Chunz and Makh learn this city is full of personality and a deep love for its musical heritage.
Vinylthon returns to WVMO: Check out GOING UP on Sunday night!
WVMO’s 48-hour marathon of all-vinyl programming returns on Saturday, April 12 and Sunday, April 13. Tune in for a full weekend of crackles, pops, quirky tunes, and vintage delights.
I especially want you to tune in on Sunday, April 13 at 6 p.m. Central Time for my special, GOING UP, an hour of easy listening grooves. If you like Muzak, Ameriachi, and orchestral pop, you’ll love this show. Even if you hate this kind of music, you’ll dig the oddball covers I’ve found of tunes you’ll recognize. Polka time with DJ Shotski will be on at 7 p.m. Sunday night as usual. The repeat won’t be on Saturday night, but please tune in to Savage Scott’s Savage Radio Vinylthon edition.
Learn more about the shows and hosts that will be playing music all weekend.
SATURDAY APRIL 12
12 AM MIDNIGHT VINYL
2 AM FULLSPEEDATLOWPOWER
4 AM THE SEAGULL
6 AM CLASSIC COUNTRY CORNER
8 AM THIS WEEK IN MUSIC HISTORY
10 AM BACK IN THE DAY
12 PM THE GOOD KIND
2 PM VINYL/NOT VINYL
4 PM COOL REGGAE BEATS
6 PM SAVAGE RADIO
8 PM TEENAGE DREAM
10 PM NIC AT NIGHT
SUNDAY APRIL 13
12 AM MIDNIGHT VINYL
2 AM THE CHEETAH
4 AM DONUTS OF CHAMPIONS
6 AM THE GOOD KIND
8 AM BOOGIE DOWN
10 AM JAZZ BRUNCH
12 PM VINYL A GO GO
2 PM GS2BB
4 PM OLD TIME ECHOES
6 PM GOING UP / POLKA TIME
8 PM NIC AT NIGHT
10 PM MYSTERY VINYL
Polka Time: Where and when to listen
LIVE - April 13 with some Milwaukee songs for 414 day
Sunday, 7 p.m. - WVMO-FM 98.7 Monona
Streaming - Rebroadcast of last week’s episode with a segment dedicated to BEER
Saturday, 8 a.m. - WHYS-FM 96.3 Eau Claire - support WHYS
Saturday, 3 p.m. - WRJQ Goodtime Radio - support WRJQ
Saturday, 6 p.m. - WPCA-FM 93.1 Amery - support WPCA
Saturday, 7 p.m. - WVMO-FM 98.7 Monona - support WVMO
Sunday, 7 a.m. - WOJB-FM 88.9 Hayward - support WOJB
Sunday, 8 a.m. - WILW-FM 96.3 Waupaca
Sunday, 9 a.m. - WOCT-FM 101.9 Oshkosh
Sunday, 4 p.m. - WLSP-FM 103.5 Sun Prairie - support SPMC
Thanks to these community and volunteer-powered stations for keeping vintage polka on the air waves.
Events
Sunday, April 27 - Sunday Afternoon Polka Dance with The DB Polka Express and DJ Shotski
Grab a friend and learn how to do Wisconsin's state dance at The Bur Oak, 2262 Winnebago St
Madison, WI. Starting at 1 p.m., DJ Shotski will spin vintage polka records before a dance lesson for all abilities at 2 p.m. Practice your moves to The DB Polka Express' Oktoberfest-inspired traditional and modern songs at 2:30 p.m.
All ages and all abilities are welcome. Youth under 18 are free, and young people under 21 are welcome with a supervising adult.
Buy tickets in advance. Spread the word on Facebook. Get the first chance to see NEW Shotski merch at this event!
Saturday, June 8 - Trek 100
Since 1990, Trek bicycle company has been hosting a charity ride, raising over $22 million for the MACC Fund. Bike riders take on beautiful, rural Wisconsin trails and rest at party stops along the way. One rest stop will be a polka party with DJ Shotski!
Sign up for the event or send this link to your friends who love a long country bike ride: https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/trek100/
Saturday, September 13 - Gemütlichkeit Days
Jefferson County, Wisconsin has thrown a party to celebrate its German heritage since 1971. This year will be no exception as the community gathers for polka music, dancing, games and the welcoming spirit of Gemütlichkeit.
Join DJ Shotski in the GDays biergarten for vintage polka from Wisconsin and the upper Midwest from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Dancers welcome.
The event is held at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds at 503 N. Jackson Ave., Jefferson, WI. In the event of rain, the event will move inside a fairgrounds building. Thanks to generous local sponsors, GDays is free.
Readers like you keep the Shotski Lodge open
The Shotski Lodge is a reader-supported publication. Support from subscribers like you gives me the confidence to pursue my mission to get more people to listen to vintage polka and vinyl records, including through this free e-newsletter.
Become a Shotski Lodge member - Substack offers paid subscriptions for people who want to be patrons of the Lodge’s mission.
DJ Shotski’s Venmo - skip the subscription and give via Venmo where transaction fees are lower.
Hire me for a gig! - your community needs a polka party. Email me at djshotski@gmail.com if you have a venue or an event that needs a vinyl DJ.
Donate records - the answer to free records is always “yes,” though I’m backed up on processing donated records at the moment. I hope to be caught up by spring 2025. Email me at djshotski@gmail.com with a description of what you have to share.
Want to connect? Drop me an email.
I’d love to hear from you at djshotski@gmail.com
In the Shotski Lodge, only paid subscribers can leave comments on posts. That’s by design. I want to connect with listeners in a better, more direct way than in a comments section. We’ve been leaving comments on social media apps for twenty years and it’s a real mixed bag whether it’s brought us more connection or left us feeling more disconnected from each other.
So drop me a line. Tell me what polka music means to you. Or ask me for some community radio show recommendations. Let’s connect outside of social media.