Groovin’ High with Kyle Roe

KCSB has been known for eclectic sounds, whether the politics of Sean Hannity or the extensive blues collection of Greg Drust. Most recently, the Mint & Mothballs show during the afternoon hour between two and three has been curated by UCSB senior Kyle Roe — also known to moonlight as an Indy intern — who loves to program mind-blowing lineups, such as the 20-minute minimalist Steve Reich piece he followed up with Samadhi’s Kenyan death metal. “I first really got into music playing in school jazz bands,” he said, “and kind of learned what songs were really fun to play from a musician’s perspective.” That point of view infused his piece on Syrian pop star Omar Souleyman, who drove straight to a Storke Plaza show after getting trapped in an Arizona airport’s customs. “It was great. People were up and dancing everywhere. He was such a presence.” We predict Kyle will be, too, wherever graduation takes him.