89.3 FM - "The Current" now on the air.

Formerly known as WCAL. I turned it on right in the middle of Enjoy the Silence by Depeche Mode. One of my all-time favorite songs - a good omen?

http://www.morecowbell.net/kcmp.html

KCMP Launch

Atmosphere - Shhh
Earlimart - The Hidden Track
Ani Difranco - 32 Flavors
Jim White (feat. Aimee Mann) - Static on the Radio
Wilco - Late Greats
The Replacements - Left of the Dial
Iron & Wine - Such Great Heights (Postal Service cover)
Death Cab For Cutie - The New Year
Luna - Speedbumps
Hank Williams Sr. - Lost Highway
Son Volt - Windfall
Matt Pond PA - KC
Low - Transmission
Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence
Frou Frou - Shh
!!! - Hello? Is This Thing On?
The Jam - Going Underground
Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues
Radiohead - Subterranean Homesick Alien
The Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
The Specials - Concrete Jungle
Spearhead - Stay Human (All the Freaky People)

So far this morning the music has been really good. And I only just read that their selection is "themed" - they had some power problems this morning before going on the air, thus Enjoy the Silence, Static on the Radio, etc. Clever, these kids. :)

gotta love it. Pixies. Dig it.

sheesh, I was afraid they were going to be a warmed over Cities 97. That's very encouraging!

Rev 105 was my favorite radio station of all time. :headbang: I want Shawn Stewart and Kevin Cole back. I wouldn't mind hearing Brian Oake back with Steve Nelson in the morning either. Can the current do that for us? (What I really want is my Rev 105 back, but I know that can't happen. :cry: )

There's where my public radio money is going -- straight to them. Awesome music, knowledgable DJs, and NO COMMERCIALS! No really, no commercials! It's great. I feel like I'm 22 again.

Leonard Cohen - haven't heard him on a radio in well over a decade. That isn't even mentioning the Patsy Cline, Billy Holiday, Replacements, etc. Oh, and here is the Pixies!

off to a great start!



:thumbsup:

I had it online when they made the final WCAL switch to KCMP at 9am. I was VERY impressed at the switch.

I sure hope MPR can make this statewide eventually.

Sounds like they're off to a GREAT start! Now, maybe I can get them to play some stuff by Comsat Angels, with any luck....

Kinda like a more refined, grown-up Rev 105. Better than I expected (I was expecting yet another WXPN clone), and nothing like I expected out of an outfit like MPR. Good job.

Nice sounding Winamp stream, too.

http://server-us.imrworldwide.com/cgi-bin/b?cg=minnesota-clickthru&ci=us-mpr&tu=http://mpr-aac.streamguys.com/listen.pls

what about KQ the same 15 songs for the last 20 years!!!!! and the suck ass morning show. Glad to see something different.

from Thursday's StarTribune:

http://www.startribune.com/stories/1519/5206612.html

"Music missed

Those of us who love classical music contribute to Minnesota Public Radio to keep classical music on the air. Unfortunately, MPR has decided to use our money to purchase 89.3 -- the only other source of classical programming in our area -- and shut off the classical music on that station.

Perhaps it's time for us to shut off contributions to MPR until classical music returns to 89.3.

Noel Gagnon, Richfield."

There was a story on the evening (tv) news about this station and what a ground-breaking idea it was for MPR to include a station with this format. So be sure to include MPR in your charitable giving this year, and be sure to mention The Current.

At least classical music fans have ONE station in the twin cities. Those of us "old-fashioned" alt-rock fans (y'know, before it became a marketing term used to sell 2nd-rate metal bands to hep teenagers) have not had a station of our own for almost TEN YEARS.

Sure, you've got Radio K, but not all of us are into the 'punk rock' thang anymore. Plus it goes off the air at night. Drive 105 is tolerable for short amounts of time, but even they have a tendency to stick to a 'safe' playlist.

The Current, while not revolutionary, fills a huge void in the twin cities. At last there's a station for those of us who like a little of everything, including local music (which has been severely neglected in the last decade).

(I'm not one of those "classical or nothing" types), I wish MPR could have found a way to bring it about without sacrificing WCAL.

Was there something unique about the classical selection on WCAL? I have found KSJN to have a nice selection.

a less "play it safe" selection of classical music, and two national NPR programs that I miss, "Performance Today" (a combination of performing arts news and live concert recordings) and "From the Top" (interviews with musicians under 18 and performances by them).

Switching between the two stations is what I in fact do when I'm driving. :-)

I find myself switching back to Radio K about 1/4 of the time. Radio K is edgier than The Current, so far.

I did like WCAL better than KSJN, but this new format is much needed (especially since Radio K goes off the air at sunset).

Stuff I have never heard on the radio before. Right now I am hearing Mercury Rev's Goddess on the Highway. I do enjoy this station.

in addition to the Classical and News services. There are long stretches of nothing on the radio in Minnesota. If they boost the signal in Rochester (you can get it downtown, but not on the city limits), put it in Duluth, Marshall, Moorhead, Theif River, Winona, St Cloud, Morris, and Mankato, they would hit most of their demographics, larger college town cities.

I get it fine out by RCTC and to about Eyota. It then cuts out until I get to St Charlesand is good until about Uttica. Odd, in that area I can also pick up the actual 89.3 instead of the Rochester re-peater.

I hope they get the signal pumped up a bit.

is wcal a new dem political station or just another music station???

and it is a alternative, eclectic music station all but 4 hours a day (during the MPR Morning Show broadcast 5-9am). It is in the style of KEXP-Seattle and KCRW-Santa Monica/LA.