So, I found this cool indy station today from Santa Monica (didn’t GO to Santa Monica – thank you Internet!). It got me thinking about my favorite station in Tucson, KXCI. Which then reminded me: DC radio sucks. I can’t find ONE eclectic, goofy, eccentric radio station here. WETA is good for NPR, and JFK is good if you like funny fat white guys. But, there’s no COMMUNITY radio station here that I can find.
KXCI was (and I’m sure still is) awesome. Saturday nights was reserved for the Blues until 11, and then it was live Dead bootlegs until 6 am. There’s nothing better to listen to when driving home on Tucson streets on a cool summer night after a great party. Sundays were great, because everyone got a chance. There was the Irish hour, which was them immediately followed by African music. Weekdays were even better, because you never knew what you were going to get. My favorite set included Ring of Fire according to Social Distortion, and then three versions of Amazing Grace, interpreted to a techno beat, straight-up shaker gospel, and then on accordions (the last being my favorite… yeee-haw).
Back to DC’s poor situation… Does one exist? Is there independent radio in the nation’s capitol? Or is one of the biggest markets in the country doomed to live the rest of its days with pre-packaged corporate sludge coming over the airwaves? Well, is it?