KCDA-FM gives local musicians the mike

If you’ve tuned into KCDA-FM 103.1, you’ve heard Sam Hill telling you the name of each artist and song after it plays.

And that’s about as close as the jockless adult contemporary station ever came to having a DJ personality before adding its Local Lounge show this winter.

With the weekly Local Lounge, the DJs are the guests – the Spokane and regional musicians who appear on the show.

Instead of having some DJ on air asking them all the typical interview questions, the bands have almost total control over the show.

During the 35 minutes, the artists play a combination of live and fully produced music while giving 45- to 90-second chats about whatever is on their mind. There is no script.

“They tell our listeners what they want them to know,” said Hill, program director for KCDA.

Hill chooses the bands intuitively, but pretty much anything goes as far as style and genre, she said.

“I’m looking for something that hits the right way and relates to a diverse audience,” Hill said.

Bands that have appeared on the show so far include Civilized Animal (reggae, hip-hop), Jude Bowerman (funk), Nate Schierman (rock) and Jupiter Effect (hip-hop, funk, rock).

The bands don’t have to fit the station’s format, but they need to fit with the station’s listeners, Hill said.

They give an idea of the sound that is familiar to KCDA listeners: Core bands on the station are U2, The Killers, Sarah McLachlan and Dido. KCDA signed on in 2003 with 24 hours of Dave Matthews.

In terms of shaping the station’s personality, Hill said KCDA relies largely on its listeners.

“We talk to people on the street and ask them what bands they like to hear on the radio and what their dream concert would be,” Hill said. “Connecting with the community is a different ballgame without live jocks. We’re on the street letting the listeners do the talking for us.”

That same attitude applies to the Local Lounge.

“It’s not about what we want to know, it’s what the bands want us to know about them,” she said. “This is for bands that didn’t have a chance to be exposed but deserve it.”

To be considered as a guest for KCDA’s Local Lounge, send a full press kit – bio, at least an EP-length CD-quality recording, a photo for KCDA’s Web site, and contact info – to Sam Hill at Clear Channel Radio, 808 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane, WA, 99202.

The pre-recorded local lounge airs Sunday at 10 p.m.

This week’s guest is local pop-punk-ska band 10 Minutes Down.

4,000 Holes, 15 years and running

One of the longest running mom-and-pop record shops in town, 4,000 Holes is celebrating 15 years in business with a move to larger space.

4,000 Holes transplanted last weekend to 1610 N. Monroe St., a block north of its former location.

The shop has about 1,000 square feet of additional space and adequate parking, compared to the street parking it had before.

Owner Bob Gallagher said he moved the whole store in 2 1/2 hours with the help of 25 customers.

“Spokane has supported me very well over the years,” Gallagher said.

4,000 Holes is selling discounted tickets for the Wylie Gustafson and Sour Dough Slim concert on Feb. 14 at The Met. Tickets regularly are $18 for adults and $13 for students and seniors; 4,000 Holes is selling tickets for $5.