Search Results for "Radio"

In an age when Phoenix’s airwaves are ruled by corporate giants with multimillion-dollar budgets, it’s the smaller grassroots and community-oriented broadcasters that matter more. Case in point: KDRP, the independent low-power FM station that punches well above its wattage. Since signing on the air in 2022 as Arizona’s only Black-owned station (its parent company is local nonprofit Desert Soul Media), KDRP has been giving East Valley and south Phoenix listeners the most eclectic mix on local radio. Its sonic palette is anything but predictable: blues, soul and heavy doses of jazz, as well as Indigenous music, old-school reggae and other genres you won’t catch anywhere else on the local dial. The station’s weekly shows are just as bold. “HipRawk Nation” spins rap and electronica from across the globe, while “Earth Riot Radio” takes on climate change with punk rock tunes and comedy. KDRP’s programming also gives a signal boost to BIPOC and marginalized voices through programming like “Native Talk Arizona” and Ramses Ja and Q Ward’s award-winning “Civic Cipher.” KRDP’s signal may not be the strongest, but its impact booms across the Valley.

We know this one is going to be controversial. Lots of folks around town can’t stand the seemingly inescapable series of ads from the central Phoenix law firm. And to be honest, we used to be one of them. Then we leaned into the absurdity. The characters in TopDog Law commercials can’t catch a break; they’re racing hellcats with their wife when someone pulls out in front of her, they’re hit by a drunk driver on a rainy Saturday night, they just wanted to go to the grocery store but now they’re paralyzed from the waist down. The hype man, er, commercial announcer, tells the story with increasing vocal intensity, crescendoing into the answer to all these unfortunate situations: “TAHHP DAWWG LAWW.” Part slam poetry, part “Trapped in the Closet,” the TopDog Law commercials are now a highly anticipated part of our daily commute.

With a voice that mimics the sound of broken glass being scraped across concrete, KTAR radio host Mike Broomhead is living proof that lack of talent is no impediment to success, especially in the narrow lane of right-wing talk radio. Granted, Shovelhead, whoops, Broomhead’s great claim to fame is that he used to sub for wingnut conspiracy titan Glenn Beck. Remember him? (Don’t worry, it’s been a while.) Anyway, Broom-pile is a reliable Republican Party lap dog whose lips seem permanently affixed to predictably reactionary politicians and any law enforcement heinies he can find en route to his next ride-along with local cops, who can do no wrong in his book no matter whose rights they trample on. Whenever Republican Sheriff Jerry Sheridan is on Broom-lick’s show, for instance, you’d think Sheridan just saved Mike’s puppy from drowning in a nearby canal. Broom-putz is sure to let the softballs fly whenever a GOPer takes the mic, making one long for the days when talk radio meant challenging preconceived notions and doing something as radical as — OMG — taking calls from listeners. Now, the airwaves are jammed with annoying, one-sided authoritarian drivel like that of Broomhead.

Christina Estes draws on her more than two-decade career as a TV and radio journalist, most recently at KJZZ, to write mystery novels featuring Jolene Garcia, a persistent TV reporter. The second in the series, “The Story That Wouldn’t Die,” came out this past August, and like the first one — “Off the Air,” released in 2024 — our fine city is spotlighted to the point that it’s virtually a character. Estes name-drops locations and businesses ranging from Arcadia to Yama Sushi House, with classics like Haji-Baba, Miracle Mile Deli and Pizzeria Bianco all making cameos. As a reader, it’s a thrill each time she mentions a familiar street, landmark or other location, and for those who don’t recognize every spot, maybe it’ll spur an exploration. The Phoenix fandom would be moot if the stories sucked, but lucky for us, Estes’s creative writing talents are impressive. Her characters are well-drawn, the dialogue is snappy and the plot moves along at a page-turning clip, with the ideal number of twists and turns. We’re already eager for the third one, which she’s working on.

When Santa brings presents to the children of Moon Valley in the dark hours of Christmas Eve, he has to wear sunglasses. That’s how bright and overwhelming the Christmas lights are in the north Phoenix neighborhood. Every December evening when the sun goes down, neighborhood streets fill up with onlookers peering out of cars and even riding in the back of trailers to catch a glimpse of the intricate light arrays. Yards and roofs are filled with Peanuts characters, Disney favorites and general holiday decor. Some houses have light shows that are timed to songs you can dial up on your car radio. Last year, one home featured a game of Pac-Man on the roof, controlled from the sidewalk by a joystick. A handy map and app found on the neighborhood association’s website ensures you can see all the best sights and lights — though it won’t alleviate the feeling of inadequacy you get when you return to your much simpler display back home.

Like chocolate and peanut butter cozying up in a candy bar, the union of musicians JPW (Jason Patrick Woodbury) and Dad Weed (Zachary Toporek), who created this fantastic offering, also results in a sweet treat. Released in April on Fort Lowell Records, the 11-song “Amassed Like a Rat King” sounds and feels like the intersection of several pertinent moments in music: the breezy spirit of ’70s light rock, gritty ’80s radio rock a la Tom Petty, and those jangly moments of R.E.M. before they emerged from the shadows. We felt like pulling out some Posies records after the first listen. Instead, we simply took “Amassed Like a Rat King” for another few spins. It may be loaded with a variety of inspirational influences, but don’t try pinning it to any one style. These expert music-makers crafted a group of tracks brimming with great melodies and catchy riffs and topped them with JPW’s rich, earnest vocals. At times, you catch a laugh or feel a spark that underlines the pair’s chemistry. We hope a sophomore effort is in the works.