Ballou HS Rocks the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Photo of the Day: November 27, 2009
Morning Roundup: Black Friday Edition
Car Pushed Into Anacostia River By Train
The Saturday Morning Post
We've complained about D.C.'s bad radio before, so when we heard about 94.7 "the Globe" we were skeptical. But after a few recommendations from people whose musical taste we respect, we checked it out -- and it's not half bad. The playlist is mainly mid 80s to mid 90s "alternative," but also includes some classic rock and newer stuff. We heard a mix from the Beatles and the Doors to Talking Heads to U2 (album cuts even) and newer stuff like Foo Fighters. Other DCisters have reported hearing surprising stuff like Split Enz and rarely heard Nirvana songs.
The green-ness of the station comes mainly from environmental news pieces that the DJs read about things like solar power, renewable energy, and the use of cow dung for flooring. Their Web site also notes the station's transmitter is run on renewable energy and they have a lot of links for various ways to do good stuff for the planet.
The station plays a little too much Dave Matthews and Collective Soul for my taste, but so far we haven't heard anything completely objectionable. DCist Ian said he thought there was "a little too much wandering into tepid AC [adult contemporary] territory," however. So while we haven't been blown away, it's certainly better than nothing, and you have to like the green focus even if it is a gimmick.
So readers, have you heard 94.7? How do you like it?
Tower photo by Bill Adler
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
Boring - would rather have the Arrow back. I've moved over to George.
what is this "george" you speak of?
the globe is still finding its voice, but i'm hopeful. it's been a while since i even bothered turning off my ipod to listen to anything other than npr. for a while it seemed like the all-bowie-all-the-time channel, which doesn't bother me in the slightest. agreed about the collective soul, though.
an anecdote: i requested more music by chicks a while back, and they played alanis morrisette . . . not exactly what i was looking for, but at least they were listening . . .
It's just another station that I flip through when looking for a good song. DC101, WKYS, BIG100.3, and El Zol 99.1 all get fair share 'cause there's not one station that is consistantly good. I lean toward BIG just because there are fewer songs I know by solid, classic artists.
Heard Gnarles Barkley this morning. Not bad.
you'd think someone with some cash would start up a local station with actual dj's that chose the music on their own instead of using a payloa created playlist or market research driven music...maybe some of our local artists would get some decent exposure. Sucks.
The station sounds like somebody hooked up their ipod to the radio transmitter, put on their 'Mellow party' playlist, and left the building.
a few points:
1) Don't tell me that I have to like "the green focus" I don't have to like anything. (I prove this by hating everything)
2) Any amount of Dave Matthews should be considered completely objectionable. seriously, any amount.
3) Didn't you already post this story a couple of weeks ago?
I consider Creed etc to be completely objectionable and I don't like DMB, but I can stand them for three minutes or so. Different strokes. And we wrote about the station changing formats, the link is in the first sentence.
Its slightly better than most other DC stations, but slightly better than crap is still pretty close to crap.
Ah yes, the link. my bad. Agreed on Creed, but i maintain my position on Dave Matthews.
as long as they continue to host sindicated Little Steven's Underground Garage i'm Happy. That is the best 2 hours on radio all week.
erahk
It's not as good as radio should be, but it's better then what we've been getting from the usual Clear Channel crapstorm.
It's almost there, but not quite, instead of the same 20 songs over and over it's the same 35 songs.
Little Steven's Underground Garage is quite good. I'm always happy to hear The 13th Floor Elevators when it's not in a Dell commercial.
I think it's an improvement over the Arrow, but not a station that I'm going to go out of my way to hear. Just another choice to flip through while in the car, after WAMU begins to induce drowsiness or goes into one of their Godforsaken pledge drives.
I used to "like" the arrow, but now I really love the Globe. Much better IMHO.
Yes, 94.7 has changed their format but, they continue to play the same songs over and over. Shelby, Weisal and Stevens sucks as do all the other ultra PC DJ's. They are so timid when they speak. I guess it is a 'family format.' I hear there is a great college station that rocks in Annapolis. The signal isn't strong enough to reach DC. Damn!
How can you play TOO MUCH Collective Soul? They are the best band that came out of the '90's and I am so glad they are still making music. They are probably the one most underated band in history. Too much Collective Soul.....I just don't get it.
No radio station will be PERFECT for everyone, that's why ipods are so popular, but to say to much Collective Soul can only be said by those who have not truly listened to the words. Amazing lyrics that can change your life!!
here's the deal with 94.7--it's the least offensive stuff from 101 (old nirvana/cure/modest mouse) mixed with the least offensive stuff from the old 94.7 (the cars/police/talking heads) plus ten thousand doses of tom petty.
besides a few counting crows songs, the music is entirely inoffensive and boring.
I would suggest you check out 94.9 in San Diego for an example of what someone should do around here. DJs that pick whatever they want to play, a "no talking over music" rule, an all-music morning show, monthly album recommendations, and a big focus on local artists. Playlists range from Green Day, STP, the Specials, the Clash, Social D, Radiohead, the Arcade Fire, and whatever else they feel like playing (they went on a whole Johnny Cash/Hank Williams III kick a while ago).
I also cycle thru 94.7 with the others in order to find something worth hearing. (89.3 is a refreshing alternative, I must say)
The thing I'll always like about radio more than an iPod is that I hear things I wouldn't've known I wanted to hear. You have to want to download something to your iTunes. Radio does surprise me from time-to-time and that's what I like about the new format: I hear songs I wouldn't have listened to anywhere else. And sometimes you didn't know you really needed a Bowie Moment, but there it is, and you do.
So, folks want offensive stuff played, probably loud or what's the point if others can't be offended or hear how cool you are for listening to it. Whatever. The Globe is better than anything else and although it's hard to hear some songs for the zillionth time, it's better than sports radio or DC 101. Personally, I can't take Green Day.
They're a lot better now than when they started. They've got a much broader range than most other stations in town. Where else are you going to hear Zeppelin and The Shins in the same hour? But with that broader range you're going to occasionally hear stuff you don't like. It's not your iPod. They're trying to please the masses while trying to do something a little different. It's not perfect, but it's not bad either.
But enough with the Tom Petty already.
If you want to listen to real music...Stream in WTMD from Baltimore. You'll learn more about the Baltimore Washington Music Scene and what's going on in real music than you will from any other station. Or get an HD radio and listen to them WAMU Channel Two.
Everything you'll hear on other stations next year is on WTMD today.
Satellite Radio, my friends. Invest in it. Okay, I listen, or listened, to WRNR when I could, like if the wind, atmoshpere and clouds were all aligned properly. Otherwise, if I'm on the FM dial I do what is mentioned on this board repeatedly - I surf (or is it Cerphe?).
Arrow. Now here's a thought. I don't really have a problem with classic rock radio anymore than any other Clear Channel, Hearst Broadcasting or other corporate controlled radio playlist entity anymore. I've gotten over it so long as its part of my surfing.
Which brings me back to... Satellite radio, folks. Less surfing. More time to focus on the road. Less time cussing out the local stations and almost running over bike messengers while changing channels.
All in all, it's not bad. I really liked the first couple of DJ-less weeks, but now that they have Weasel in the mornings, with his incessant, grating monologues, I've gone back to CDs.
I love the new 94.7. Can't get enough of it. Better songs, better format, great listening.
I love the new 94.7. Can't get enough of it. Better songs, better format, great listening.
It's nice to finally have a DC radio station that I can listen to for more than 10 minutes or more. I've hardly been using my iPod in the car since I found The Globe! And yeah, I'm not a fan of the DMB, but it's nice to hear stuff like Death Cab and Snow Patrol and Talking Heads and XTC :) I hope they keep going in the more alternative direction and do well!
Ugh, 94.7---where have you gone? I remember when it was WARW and played great classic rock. Then one afternoon I'm listening and on comes the likes of Train and No Doubt. I immediately wonder WTF??? Now the DC area fails to offer its listeners a good classic rock station. Sure, there is 100.3 but they verge into the oldies a bit too much. Come on, bring back something with that classic edge. This crap crossover between 'alternative' is ludacris. How can you play Nirvana and Gwen Stephani on the same radio station? All I can say is typical crap DC radio stations. Can't end without giving a shot to DC101. They play about as much rock as 99.5. Giving away tickets to Pink and Justin Timberlake. I can only shake my head in disgust. Now head down to Miami or travel to Minneapolis and they offer great rock and classic rock stations!!
I'm actually only here cause I heard it the other day for the first time, and I loved it. My uncle likes classic 70's stuff mostly, and I tend to like some newer stuff so it's cool to finally get along with a station!
I don't mind the music so much, I actually kind of enjoy it. Granted it's still corporate radio and it can only get so good, I don't think the wide span it's trying to achieve dilutes the sound but instead adds to the mix. HOWEVER, I can barely pay attention to the songs because I'm so distracted by all of the subversive racist comments. "We live here too" and "This is REAL music" which I find as direct comments to the growing white population in the city (which I am a part of) in reference to the large number of hip-hop and latin stations. Granted the hip-hop stations play a corporate selection as well, leaving out the best of the best in hip-hop, making a large generalized statement about all hip-hop is ridiculous. It doesn't sound like many of the commenters here would agree with me, but I think what they would be better off doing is actually incorporating some of the better hip-hop into their musical repertoire and really representing the metaphorical musical "globe" rather than these subversive, racist comments.
Not half good either. They took a great station and committed suicide on the airwaves. There isn't enough classic rock left in their format to sustain the baby boomers, and this "emmo" rock simply sucks. 106.9 out of Frederick has some real potential for classic rockers if only they can boost their output to cover the metro area. So long Arrow, it was great while it lasted.