Preview of what KDVS is offering this quarter
In the basement of Lower Freeborn, KDVS is dominating the airwaves 24 hours a day, just as it;s done since the 1960s. The new school year brings both new programming and returning favorites. Students and community members tuning into 90.3 FM can expect a wide variety of shows.
“I think the beauty of KDVS is that you can hear anything and everything at a different time,” said Ammaar Vayani, a second-year year chemical engineering major and the KDVS staff development coordinator. “So if you’re listening to reggae for an hour, the next hour it could be something completely different. It could not even be music it could be a talk show, it could be news, it could be sports.”
Noel Fernandez, a second-year economics major, hosts “The Circumstance” on Tuesdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m. His colleagues have applauded how he takes spoken word records and layers them over other tracks.
“It’s a mishmash,” Fernandez said. “[My show is] mostly like electronic music, but a lot of hip-hop too. I felt like that track was barren, it was like a James Blake track. I felt like I could add something to it. So I tried, I guess, to put my mix onto it.”
Most of the staff can agree that one of their favorite shows is “A Face for Radio,” hosted
by community member and renowned local DJ Indiana Chones. The eclectic show airs Monday nights from 8 to 10 p.m. and features a variety of early 80’s R&B mixed with 60’s and 70’s world rock.
“[Indiana Chones] is really into finding music of the specific genre he likes from different parts of the world,” Vayani said. “So sometimes he’ll play an Ethiopian record or Ethiopian garage rock or Turkish funk. He’s super into record digging. He’s a really cool community member that we have and he’s super passionate about records.”
Other returning favorites are “The Office Hour” and “Dr. Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour.”
“The Office Hour” is hosted by professor of religious studies Naomi Janowitz. She interviews other faculty members on campus to inform the public about what is happening at UC Davis. It airs 5 to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays. “Dr. Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour” airs 5 to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays.
With about one-third of the programming being new shows, listeners have a lot to look forward to. New shows that have staff members especially excited include Esquire Ali’s “Gunesh Enterprise” and “The Saturday Morning Folk Show.”
“Gunesh Enterprise” features Esquire Ali speaking to listeners over popular soundtrack music as if on the intercom of a spaceship. It airs on Thursdays from 2 to 4 a.m. “The Saturday Morning Folk Show” is exactly like it sounds — three hours dedicated to folk music.
“This is the first time in a while I’ve seen a folk-only show by students,” said Becca Ridge, a fifth-year gender, sexuality, and women studies and communication double major and KDVS fundraising director. “I’ve just never heard of like, twenty-somethings who are really into that, so that was kind of cool to see.”
KDVS will also be hosting an art gallery and music show in Sacramento on Nov. 3. At the 1810 Gallery, KDVS will kick off its weeklong fall fundraiser with 12 KDVS DJs performing and local artists selling their art. Information can be found on the KDVS Facebook page and website.
KDVS represents Davis’ diversity in thought and embodies the idea of freeform radio. The station is open to anyone in the Davis community who is interested in either volunteering or just perusing the record collection and taking a step back in time by looking at all the memorabilia decorating the walls.
“There’s nothing else like it,” said Gabe Ferralez, a fourth-year math major, who goes by DJ Booger. “Coming down here, it’s kind of like away from everything else on campus, away from anything that isn’t just music and arts and culture. […] getting into a conversation with someone, you’re more likely to come across some niche something you’ve never heard of before.”
Written by: Liz Jacobson – arts@theaggie.org
