Radiant Live Showcase inAdelaide

Wed 16th Nov, 2011 in Features

Radiant Live is an experimental music showcase being held at the Crown and Anchor this weekend, featuring the nationally recognised talent of Collarbones, alongside Melbourne’s Wintercoats and local acts Glisk and Hal Bird. Presented by Radiant, a program on Sydney independent radio station FBi, the aim is to expose live audiences to genres on the fringe of musical tastes. Aside from the benefits to experimental acts, which are provided an opportunity for airplay, host Adam Lewis believes the show is an extension of the communities cultivated online, which is where many of these acts first gain exposure. He was more than happy to answer a few of FasterLouder’s questions about their Adelaide debut:

Can you explain to the lovely people of Adelaide a bit about FBi and Radiant Live? Obviously, not all of us know much about how community broadcasting operates interstate…

Sure thing! FBi Radio are a not-for-profit, independent radio station in Sydney that was founded in 2003. We play 50% Australian music and half of that from Sydney, because we love it! I started there about six years ago, and haven’t looked back – a lot of people have passed through there, and I’ve worked and got to know some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met there.

Radiant started as a radio show about a year and a half ago, because I wanted to play more of the music that excites me – the stuff coming out of the warehouses/art spaces, people really pushing whatever genre they’re playing. So I play a lot of DIY and experimental music from across whatever genre strikes me. And I try to have bands in to chat and play live weekly. It’s important since a lot of these acts don’t even have recordings yet (that said, the show has had some more straightforward and well-known acts as well. Established musicians have a lot to offer too).

Since then I’ve expanded it to online stuff (I post a lot of new music and news through the Twitter/Facebook accounts) and the Radiant Live shows, which are somewhat curated bills of the stuff that I’m doing on-air.

A big focus for me is building a show that’s going to be exciting and accessible worldwide. There’s certain radio shows that I love from around Australia and around the world, and I really appreciate that the internet makes them accessible from here in Sydney. So I try to focus a lot on music downloads, blogging, and other non-radio content. And episodes of the show can be streamed on demand worldwide.

In your opinion, are ‘fringe’ genres just a new ‘fad’ for alternative music lovers, or is there a certain way to approach these styles of music that can open them up to skeptics?

That’s a tough question, because there’s new genres being heralded everywhere, all the time. Some of them come and go, others stick around. Music is a very fluid thing and is constantly evolving. I wouldn’t say that new genres are a fad, but some break through to bigger audiences than others. But I think generally they start with those who actively seek out new, exciting sounds.

How have online communities benefited the distribution of, and sense of place for music like Collarbones? Are they an integral part of fringe musical movements as such, or can physical shows like this showcase really drive the musical cause?

Well, for a band like Collarbones the internet is in their DNA – both members live in different states, and the internet isn’t just a promotion tool for them – it has huge ramifications for the entire way that they operate.
For emerging music in general, I think online communities are really important. There’s always been ways to share emerging music (how else would movements have started until recently?), but online communities make it easier to share/discover/support emerging music.
That said, traditional outlets are also really important. Online there are aspiring artists everywhere, but radio and good live shows are by their very nature a little more curated. I’m sure getting exposure there is helpful.

Is there any particular reason behind your selection of the band’s involved in the Adelaide showcase? (Other that their location in some respects!) Why are these guys amongst the groups to look out for amongst their respective scenes?

Well, I try to give my shows a sense of continuity – the sense that while there’s variety, the show has an overall vibe. With that in mind, I thought that Glisk were a perfect match when I saw them in Sydney a while ago, and I’m really excited to have them on board. Hal Bird came to my attention while working on the show and I thought his music was really intriguing, so I got him to open. I’m looking forward to checking him out myself.

Does the notion of having a show like Radiant, which draws together selections from the fringe of music, kind of go against the notion of exploration which comes with fringe acts and genres? By which I mean, doesn’t have one place to look kind of take the fun out of discovering things yourself? Or are you simply a stepping stone to further exploration, as such?

I don’t think so. There’s no reason for great music to be kept obscure – Radiant is all about championing music that’s exciting and fresh. If one of the bands that we champion get huge, that’s great. Good music is for everyone. And as far as exploration goes, discovery doesn’t happen in a void – we all find music because a friend recommends it, or somebody puts a band on a bill, or someone blogs about them or plays them on the radio. With Radiant, I just want to create the kind of radio shows/gigs that I’d lose my shit over if someone else did them.

Radiant Live Showcase
w/ Collarbones, Wintercoats, Glisk and Hal Bird
Crown & Anchor
Saturday 19 November