■ 21 April 2009 | 7:05 PM
The Locals Lounge 2007 - 2009 R.I.P.
What’s up dudes,
Well my friends I think it’s a sad day for local music. I just lost my radio show. The Locals Lounge is closing its doors. Changes are going down at Max FM and I have no idea what is going to happen. I don’t know, all I know is that for now, the locals lounge is done.
For the past two years, I have had the privilege of playing, interviewing and hosting what was in my opinion, was the best local program ever to grace the Hampton Roads airwaves. The show was nominated twice for the Portfolio Local Music Award, which it was awarded this year, and was so well received that it was lengthen from one hour to two within six months of being on the air.
We featured some of the best local talent. We also had every type of local act. From the horns and ska style of Jackmove to the incredible guitar phenom Grant Austin Taylor to the Alt Country kick ass style of The Pawn Shop Lifters. The show featured the metal sounds of Coldcast and the alternative rocking of The Influence. The straight up rock and roll of bands like Dreadline, Counterfeit Molly, Revery, Sekshun 8 and Freedom Hawk and the jam band flow of Duburbia. The show was able to showcast some of today’s best bands but it didn’t shy away from the rich and colorful past that was the Hampton Roads local music scene by featuring bands like The Left Wing Fascist, Tango Storm, The Basic Riffs and The X-Raves.
I don’t know what the future holds. I’m not sure what Max Fm is going to do. I do want to thank them for giving me the opportunity to spin all the great local bands that the 7 cities has. I thank John Shomby for allowing me the freedom to pick my own playlist and to have the bands up in the studio and allow them to play for the people who were tuned in. I thank all the bands for the awesome music they provided and for all the venues who continue to have them on. The locals lounge might re-open it’s doors one day. I don’t know. I do know that a void needs to be filled now and I hope that someone sees this and tries to fill it.
Whatever you guys do, please do not give up on local music. I will continue to blog for pilot online and hopefully, you guys will get to hear me on the air again soon. In the meantime, take care, God bless and to my children don’t forget, daddy loves you. LATER DDDDDUUUUUDDDEEEEEESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Silver Fox
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rob - wow. I remember
rob - wow. I remember hearing the ZROC sign off. I thought that station was neat, but was young at the time. Don't remember it before that. I'd listen to the rap stuff on ESCU's station as well. In the modern day and age, radio has to provide something above and beyond, given that there are $20 music players that hold a few days worth of content.
Friends and myself had a radio station for a while. It was called 403 Forbidden Radio (97.7FM, 18.5watt ERP). It was quite a bit of fun. We played electronic, techno, drum and bass, metal, rap, alternative, and my collection of local stuff. A TRUE variety! When the FCC agent came it was playing Beethoven! No lie! I could see it on the cop's face, "LOSERS!" (FCC agent comes with a police officer). I still have a minidisc of recordings of callers, but the known recordings of the station were stolen out of a friends car when he moved to Silicon Valley.
Uh, no offense, but it's not
Uh, no offense, but it's not a big deal that the radio station went away. One word. Internet. Spin it off into a podcast, put it online. Alfredo - hit up Sean B, we can give you free space to host it and technical expertise if you need it (both on the audio side and internet nerd side). I'm glad to hear someone was supporting local artists. I used to love mp3.com when you could find artists by area. I had minidiscs full of local stuff. LunaC to LoPro Productions and beyond. I guess WNOR's ratings will go up a bit now.
Kung what?
Just to be clear, this isn't some sort of belated April Fools joke, is it? Because if not, this sucks. I hope the station sinks and is bought out by someone else who reinstalls the old format and hires back all of the old people.
Advertising Companies have killed radio
It was all over when Advertising Giants started buying up radio stations.
At that point radio became strictly a revenue collector for advertisers.
Now radio has nothing to do with Art,Soul, and a human Touch.
This great local show has now fallen prey to the workings of Clear Channel, Saga, and a few more.
A perfect example on how greed and money will ruin a good thing.
As the record companies are crumbling in this new age of technology hopefully FREE Radio will find a home.
Alf is the man!!!
I had the privilege of working with Alf early in his broadcasting career. He is dedicated and a good guy. Any station manager that does not reach out to him is nuts. Best of luck to you ALF and all the former staff members of MAX FM. You really made this town rock. MB aka SONORES
HR Radio. A tradition of screwing up.
I remember when Sarah Trexler was on 92.1 and it was WOFM "South of the Border radio" and they played everything that the mainstreams refused to play, like Meat Puppets and Skinny Puppy, Suzanne Vega, punk, and the real alternative. Before it became that Z-Rock nonsense. Max Media wants to play with a station's format? Change 94.1 and leave Max FM as is. Or bring back something that the locals can actually get into that has more locally driven programming instead of "what the Navy guys like". There's more music here than the bands playing at Live Nation or Rising Tide/Seven Cities venus people!
This stinks!
I hate to see the end of a local music show. I don't know what it is about this area. There could be so much more support for local original acts. I guess radio itself is not in very good shape these days.
Torres, I loved you on "that other show" a while back, and I loved you on this show. Hope you pop back up again very soon doing something for the local scene... DUDE!!!
Bad move...
it's a great show and the station is doing a disservice to both the local listening audience, and the local music scene, by doing this.
I enjoy the show and use it to find local bands that I haven't gotten a chance to listen to. Especially if I was looking to find something to do on a weekend.
This Blows Big-Time
Just heard from Pete D....this is a sad day!
Things seemed to be rolling along pretty good...hate to see the show go.
You've given the local original music scene a ton of great press!
Thanks again for having us on the show and all the support.
Keep us posted and hope you can make it out to our CD release show Saturday.
Later,
Trey
"Never So"