Meet the Band Contest Judges
Introducing the DJs from KCSB, KTYD, KJEE, and KCRW
We all know how easily corruptible online voting systems are, so for this first ever Santa Barbara Bands contest, we’re not just relying on the public’s voting to tell us who won. Instead, The Indy has enrolled the help of some music experts to help us decide which band is best. They’ll be giving us their opinions when the voting ends on October 17, and then it will be up to The Indy‘s editors to make the final call.
Just so you know who might be checking out your band, here’s a quick bio of the volunteer judges:
The KTYD Early Show
Led by the indefatigable Matt McAllister (Did you know he has his own website? Check it here!), The KTYD Early Show on 99.9 FM has been a chart topper for years, full of hilarious stories, wacky contests, and a true hometown pride. Hell, sometimes they even play music! McAllister will be enlisting the help of cohorts Hayseed and Julie Ramos in his search, and together, like song-imbibing superheroes, they’ll tell us who they think should be number one.
Thousands tune in every morning for the wild antics, breaking news, and fresh new music on KJEE’s Morning Show, hosted by Spencer, Adam, and Jenny. Since it’s founding more than a decade ago, 92.9 FM has ruled as Santa Barbara’s modern rock mecca, playing the latest in alternative and rock music while finding a few homegrown talents on their own. They’ll probably be focusing on the heavier stuff, but who knows? Maybe they’ll find a smooth jazz outfit they love.
Anne Litt is host of the A-Track on KCRW (106.9 FM and KCRW.com), live on Saturdays and Sundays from 3 to 5 p.m.. Born and raised in Virginia, Anne has been on air at KCRW for more than 10 years, offering a compelling blend of progressive pop and new rhythms. She has taken her keen ear to TV, commercials, and film as a music supervisor, including work on the Oscar and Grammy-nominated film, Little Miss Sunshine. Anne also helped launch the music-only web stream on KCRW.com as a coordinating producer. Currently, her favorite bands in Southern California are Sea Wolf and Let’s Go Sailing.
KCSB DJs
Santa Barbara’s most reliable place for eclectic music, hometown news, and controversial commentary is KCSB 91.9 FM, the station pumped out beneath UCSB’s Storke Tower. Their wide-ranging musical offerings make KCSB deejays experts in all genres, so that’s why we’ve asked for their opinions. Though we’re taking advice from all KCSB deejays who’d like to give it, we’ve for sure got:
• Lady J, who hosts reggae shows on Saturdays, 5:30-8 p.m., called “Heartbeat Reggae” and on Sundays, 1-3 p.m., called “Fire Pon Rome.”
• Leo Schumaker, who hosts “Bluesland” every Wednesday, from 6 to 8 a.m. and throws occasional Battles of the Blues Bands, the next of which is at SOhO on October 27.
• Josh “Hoshwa” Redman, KCSB’s general manager who hosts a show called “5…4…3…2…fun!! on Thursdays at 10 p.m. that focuses on lo-fi and DIY pop/funk/folk/electronic and runs a concert listing service called 805 Shows.
• Rob Garcia, KCSB’s sports director, co-hosted a show called “Flows and Free Throws” during the summer that blended hip-hop and DJ mixes with sports talk. It now occassionally surfaces prior to live broadcasts of Gaucho sporting events on KCSB.
So help them out and vote yourself by going to Independent.com/bands.
