The lack of attention on this blog to Lana Del Rey‘s music is not an oversight as much as it is an overwhelming inability to put into words what stirs so strongly everything that I love, have loved, and will always love about art.[1] But with yesterday’s release of her latest video, “Born to Die,”one of the smartest and most emotive works I have witnessed this year, her value as an art-ist, that rare operator able to move between mediums and messages to edge closer and closer to the god-honest truth – and to the edge itself – becomes crystal clear.

Read More »

After the Homecoming tailgate on Saturday, a very special event took place in Bulldog Alley– AlumLive, the first reunion of WGTB DJs from throughout the station’s history. DJs from the 1960s to the present took the stage to share powerful stories of their time at WGTB and what it meant to them. Along the back wall, an exhibit displayed our huge collection of archives, including original FCC licenses, internal memos regarding the station shut-down, and playlists from different decades. I think I speak for everyone that attended when I say it was a very meaningful and moving atmosphere, bringing our WGTB community closer even across generations, celebrating our common experience. In case you missed it, here is a video recap of the stories they shared and a slideshow of pictures to catch you up.

Read More »

Holy moly, the Danes are charming. Even more so when we put them in the beautiful setting of the National Cathedral, our neighbor up Wisconsin Ave., where the acoustics are splendid and the neogothic architecture is lovely. And even more so when they are all smiles and cooperative, pleasant energy, even in a torrential rainstorm. And even MORE so when they play such upbeat, shambling tunes, with just enough garage-rock and psychedelic influences to back Christian Hjelm’s raw, harping vocals. Read More »

Dear WGTB fans, friends, staff, neighbors, innocent bystanders:

This summer I’ve been cleaning out the station’s upstairs office in the Leavey center, and in between throwing out old pieces of chicken nuggets and obscure 90′s pop singles, I have stumbled across a small gold mine of WGTB archives, which I intend to bring to life (bring to the Internet) in the hopes of exploring WGTB’s luminous past. This station has had an exciting, cutting-edge, and oft-contested existence, and there are some great stories within these papers. To catch up on the basic back-story, read our history. In the meantime, you can see the first installment of From The Vaults below. If you are a former WGTBer or neighbor with anecdotes to share, or are interested in contributing or have any information that might be of interest, please email me at gm@georgetownradio.com — I’d love to hear from you.

Caroline Klibanoff
General Manager

Now, let’s begin at the beginning, with the story of WGTB’s launch by Fr. Francis J. Heyden in 1946.

Read More »

Raise a toast to saint Joe Strummer
I think he might have been our only decent teacher
getting older only makes it harder to remember
we are our only saviors
The Hold Steady, “Constructive Summer”

Another summer day, another birthday of note. So far we’ve seen the voice of a generation, the bluesman that started it all, and even the roots of lyrical poetry. But today we celebrate the would-be 59th birthday of one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most influential badasses, an A-list rebel, and a link to almost every other modern rocker: Joe Strummer, frontman for The Clash. Read More »

More like exercist stairs, am I right?

We proposed another Music From Big Chair session to the Portland-based punky-folk rockers The Ascetic Junkies, but the band had another locale in mind: Georgetown’s famed exorcist stairs, so-called because of the scene in the 1973 horror flick The Exorcist. If you’re from the area, you’ve definitely seen it, 70′s film effects and all; Georgetown hosts a showing every Halloween in Gaston Hall. But in recent years the stairs have been better known for the quad-burning workout they offer (we caught some of these dedicated athletes in the video – thanks folks!) Read More »

You may remember our dear friend and DC local musician Long Walks on the Beach, who has played our stage and who has played on our station many many times and who has no doubt played on repeat in your head, in your heart, in the deep recesses of your mind as you’re falling asleep, all thumping bass drums and jingle-jangling guitars, filling the empty dark room, building slowly from a beat, with smooth, even-keeled vocals: slow jam on a Saturday night.

Read More »