So what does one do when cooped up in the studio for days on end? One gets tired of listening to the same old songs programmed into their itunes. Plus sometimes, you really get lonely and you need to hear some human voice periodically. I am very thankful that I only have my computer in my studio. Forces me not to listen to local radio. Makes me search out into the world to find that perfect radio station. And I think I have come close to finding such a station. A station that has convinced me that Baltimore surely SUCKS when it comes to our cultural side. If we have one, its hiding in some old warehouse space in which one must be In the know, in order to know what’s going on. We use to collect flyers back in the 80’s. That was how we knew which punk rock band was playing, and in what bad part of town we would have to venture out to see. Or you simply hung out on the corner of Franklin and Eutaw to see who was playing at the Marble, the galaxy ballroom, or Jules’s loft. Ahh, those were the days. Anyway, you never heard about them on any radio station. Maybe WCVT, Towson’s radio station back then that truly rocked! Today’s station, wtmd, seems to play the same people, the same songs all the time....keeping it conservative with the alternative music of today. John Hopkins’s station in the early 80's, played great music late at night, around 10, but you had to be in Charles Village to hear it. They would also play local bands as well as artistic eclectic punk rock music. WHFS was out of Bethesda then. They were probably the best. I believe they were commercial free. They use to read off lots of useful lists. Like who was playing where…got lots of the load down on the DC scene from these guys. My favorite was the list of who was going west and needed a ride, or was willing to give a ride. They also read off employment opportunities.
Anyway, why all this talk about when Baltimore had decent radio stations? I found this station off of itunes. 90.3, out of Seattle. It is commercial free. A public radio station out of the University of Washington. I have become a big fan of Seattle. We get to travel there every summer to visit my in-laws. We never really get to spend enough time there. But I digress. Really you have to listen to this station. Tonight if I was in Seattle, I would have many choices as to what to do and who to go see. Check out this list of events:
BALTIC ROOM
Dead, Goly Grim, Penetration Camp, Slicing Grandpa (9pm)
CENTRAL SALOON
Seahorse, Princess Johnny & the Sex-Changes, The Sacred Dice
CENTURY BALLROOM
The Solomon Douglas Swingtet, the Ham Carson Quartet (9:30 pm, all ages)
CHOP SUEY
Demo-Listen Derby: Two Loons for Tea, Monkey Grunt, Sweetjuice
CROCODILE CAFE
Floater (9pm)
this is small sampling of the list.
I love the names of the bands. And get this, if you’re under 21, most clubs are smart and have all ages shows. I also found out that I could go listen to Eric Fishel speak, one of my favorite Artist. Last week I could of seen Etta James for free at the Zoo!
So check out this station. They are currently playing old vinyl records of a local hard-core band from 1981. You can find them on the web at www.kexp.org. Just remember they are 3 hours behind!
But I guess if I shouldn’t be distracted and only work on my paintings. I guess it’s a good thing I live in Baltimore.
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