Environment-friendly event to kick off new online radio station

News

by Caroline Gabsewics

Staff Writer

After a successful year hosting the online pod cast “The Lyricist Hour,” the disc jockeys have decided to expand into an online radio station. To kick off the new online radio pod cast station, they will host “Summer Time in the City 2007” at Burrito Gallery,

“Summer Time in the City 2007,” which coincides with the launch of the radio station called “Urban Synthesis Radio,” is from noon-10 p.m. Sunday. The event will also extend into the parking lot at the corner of Main and Adams streets.

“We wanted to put together a big event to get people acquainted with us,” said Mas Appeal, one of the DJs with Urban Synthesis Radio.

Over the past year “The Lyricist Hour” was used to expose independent and unsigned artists in the area. Currently, there are about 1,000 listeners per show, said Mas Appeal.

Organizers wanted to add more shows, but realized that it’s difficult to start a radio station in Jacksonville. Instead, Mas Appeal said the group will focus on the online radio outlet they had been using for “The Lyricist Hour” and expand it.

In addition to “The Lyricist Hour” there will be four more shows:

• “9-0-4Kus Radio” — hosted by Chanel, the show is dedicated to artists in Jacksonville and surrounding areas. (The show used to be on FM-105.7.)

• “Spoken Radio” — hosted by world renown poet Cuban, this show is designed to create more exposure for poets.

• “Burnworthy” — hosted by DJ Skeme, the show will offer a collection of music from all genres.

• “Verbalize The Messenger” — hosted by The Messenger, the show will feature interviews with artists throughout the country.

The shows can be heard live on www.urbansynthesisradio.com, www.usrradio.com or the pod casts can be downloaded from iTunes.

The Web site will launch during the “Summer Time in the City” event.

The on-line radio station was designed to give local artists an avenue to reach listeners that may not otherwise know such artists and genres exist.

“We felt Jacksonville doesn’t have an outlet for independent artists to be heard,” said Mas Appeal. “The local radio stations aren’t playing local artist’s music.

“We want to have a venue available for the artists to submit their music to be heard.”

“Summer Time in the City” is free and open to the public. The event will occupy all of the parking lot next to the Burrito Gallery and the inside of the restaurant will be used for a V.I.P. area. The restaurant will not be open for business during the event. Hot dogs, hamburgers, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase underneath the cool-off tent.

The event has also turned into an environmentally friendly event as well. It is a glass-free event and all plastic and aluminum used during the day will be recycled. There will be short lectures beginning at noon about recycling from Freeport Recycling. The Jacksonville Carbon Neutral Initiative will hand out seedlings to guests and JEA’s Conservation Campus plans to give away free fluorescent light bulbs as part of the Energy Star pledge campaign.

“It has become an environmental and hip-hop event,” said Mas Appeal. “There will be a lot of groups giving away free merchandise.”

For a complete run down of performers, guests and vendors at “Summer Time in the City” visit www.myspace.com/summertimeinthecity2007.

Mas Appeal, a member of the underground hip-hop/jazz infused band “Simple Complexity” as well as Triclops, their manager and Tony Allegretti, owner of the Burrito Gallery, have been talking about putting an event like “Summer Time in the City” together for about a year. Mas Appeal said they are hoping to make it an annual event.

“We wanted to try and get the community involved and help bring hip-hop back into Jacksonville,” he said.

Who: More than 10 national and local performing artists

What: Summer Time in the City 2007

Where: The Burrito Gallery, 21 E. Adams St.

When: Sunday from noon-10 p.m.

Cost: Free

Local and national acts performing at “Summer Time in the City”

• Fusik (Fort Lauderdale)

• The Elevated Hip Hop Experience (Jacksonville)

• The N Word (Jacksonville)

• Voice of the People (Gainesville)

• Simple Complexity (Jacksonville)