Parlour Bells performed perhaps one of the most important shows of their career so far on June 30, 2012 at Paradise Rock Club. When news of the sale of WFNX broke, the individuals who put the station on the map and cultivated its cutting edge reputation, FNX veterans like Bruce McDonald, Mike Gioscia, Anngelle Wood, Angie C., Greg Wymer, Duane Bruce, Jason Steeves and others, came together to organize a tribute show to celebrate its nearly 30 year legacy in Boston. 
The event was also designed as a benefit for The Progeria Research Foundation. Progeria is a rare, fatal genetic condition characterized by an appearance of accelerated aging in children.
And while the weeks leading up to the We Want The Airwaves event, coupled with a rapidly shifting radio landscape in Boston, stirred up a fair deal of political controversy, it was in the end the bash everyone had wanted. Actually, it exceeded expectations. By the time doors opened–a little later than expected–there was a long line of sweaty, eager WFNX fans waiting to enter the air conditioned Paradise and get the party started.
At 8:30PM Parlour Bells opened the show to an already packed venue. Seeing entirely new fans clapping enthusiastically along from the balconies to “Heavy Dream” proved that Boston still had a healthy appetite for new music made in her hometown. The band summoned members of “The Parlour Bells Metropolitan Chorale” to the stage for their ode to Boston radio, inspired largely by the sale of WFNX, “Airwaves” and invited the crowd to sing along as well.
The moment underscored the fact that, while one company may retain the WFNX brand identity and another company may acquire some of the station’s premier on air talent, the airwaves always belong to the listeners. And for that night, there were no competitors. Only friends and colleagues with a common passion for using those airwaves for the betterment of the community.
Ultimately, that betterment had a human face. The huge crowd of smiling faces would bring even more smiles, as the event helped The Progeria Research Foundation surpass their annual fundraising goal of $200,000.
Continue to follow the WFNX story by checking in for updates on Jason Steeves’ upcoming We Want The Airwaves documentary.
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