New sounds, new voices coming to 'KAXE After Dark'

Have you ever wanted to turn that volume knob way past 10? Headbang to the heaviest riffs around? Dance all night to a house music groove? Throw your hands in the air to your favorite MCs?

If the answer to any of these is yes — or if you're curious about the endless varieties and permutations that music can take shape — we have the the show for you.

We are excited to unveil a new program called KAXE After Dark, bringing new styles of music and new voices to our airwaves. On any given Saturday from 9 p.m.-midnight, you will hear explorations of punk, hip-hop, metal, electronic or dance (just to name a few).

Hosted by local volunteers who are experts in these areas, After Dark will represent the wide variety of musical tastes and active music scenes that exist in Northern Minnesota.

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Gina the Knife

Unsure if this is up your alley? That's OK! Music is subjective and unique to all of us, but I urge to you to keep an open mind and give it a listen.

You can always tune out (or maybe just turn the volume down) if the riffs are too brutal, the speed's too fast, the rhymes too fire or the beats too bangin'.

Music

New year, new programming, same KAXE

Heidi Holtan

In 2025, KAXE will have even more live, locally hosted programs including "Headwaters," our staff-hosted morning music program with great music curated by people, not algorithms.

Listen • 11:13

Hosts of After Dark are a mix of current On the River hosts and new voices to KAXE: Gina the Knife, Mark Klabunde, Cassidy and McKeon Hugh Roberts, Ashley Mattson, Matt Johnson, Harmony DeGuiseppi, Tasha Klockow, Garret Verke and Aaron Johnson (aka Ben Franklinstein) with many more to come.

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Mark Klabunde

Shoutout to all of the volunteers who make this station possible and expect to hear from even more voices as the show grows. If this sounds like something you'd like to do, contact KAXE Volunteer Coordinator Dan Gannon. We'd love to have you on board.

Here is the upcoming schedule of After Dark hosts, and the areas they will be focusing on:

• March 8: Cassidy and McKeon Hugh Roberts (late '90s/early '00s punk)
• March 22: Garret Verke (punk)
• March 29: Mark Klabunde (disco/dance)
• April 5: Diane Ott (disco/funk)
• April 12: Cassidy Roberts (punk)
• April 26: Ashley Mattson (hip-hop)
• May 10: Matt Johnson and Harmony DeGuiseppi (psych rock)
• May 17: DJ Ben Franklinstein (EDM)

KAXE

KAXE is independent, local public media rooted in Northern Minnesota

Sarah Bignall

As your independent, people-powered, local media, KAXE is launching "Unplugged," a series to share our story — why we exist, how we are funded, who makes decisions and why public radio in Northern Minnesota is essential.

Listen • 15:42