It’s almost Thanksgiving, and we’re especially grateful to release a brand new episode of Independent Venue Speak! Hosted by R&B luminary Rudy Love Jr., this episode covers the development of the Wichita music scene, the aspiration to grow beyond the “tertiary market” category, and the formation of Wichita’s iconic venue: WAVE.
Rudy Love Jr. is a music artist from Wichita, KS, who combines the styles of R&B, soul, funk, rock and pop. He has a focus on live music and has shared the stage with artists like Moonchild, SIR, D Smoke, Snoop Dogg, Kansas, Anderson .Paak and George Clinton to name a few. He is also the son of iconic musician Rudy Love, Sr. and is featured, alongside his family, in “This Is Love” the acclaimed documentary about the adventures of his musical family.
Rudy Jr. is joined by venue owners and community organizers Adam and Jessie Hartke, whose work to champion the music scene locally has been utterly transformative for Wichita. Adam Hartke is also co-chair of the NIVA Advocacy Committee, and represented NIVA in a Congressional hearing last December in support of the landmark Save Our Stages legislation.
‘Independent Venue Speak’ is produced by Marauder in partnership with See Tickets. Please subscribe and rate ‘Independent Venue Speak’ on your podcast platform of choice to help us tell many more amazing independent venue stories.