Rare FM - Station News

Spring Term and More Rare Sessions

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:17 +0000

Hello everyone,

Welcome back to UCL for the spring term! We hope you've had a chance to do your first show of the new term and let everyone know what you've been doing and listening to over the holidays.

We've got a lot planned for Rare over 2010 so stay tuned. First thing on the agenda is obviously to get the server fixed, which should hopefully be done in the next week or so.

Now for some entertainment. Last term Rare FM started, in collaboration with UCLU Film Society, a new feature called Rare Sessions. You may have seen the wonderful Dan Mangan and Hey Rosetta! ones from last term, if not then definitely check them out. Two new ones have now been put up of UCL bands The Bizets and The Joker and the Thief.

Click here to see more Rare Sessions and to subscribe to updates. New sessions have been recorded and will be online soon including UCL musician Dave Dixon.

That's all for now. Enjoy the videos and perhaps promote and play them on your show!

Gideon Conn Gets Rare

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:11:15 +0000

Rare FM were lucky enough to get a visit from Mancunian folk-hop singer-songwriter Gideon Conn, who dropped by to talk with Sam and Chuk from The Radio Show and play a seven song session. Check out the full session and interview here.

Thank You For Making PYC a Success

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:30:20 +0000

Dear everybody,

Thank you very much for coming down to the first Pensioners' Yacht Club of the academic year. It was a massive success, (despite the massive stress of the Neat pulling out two hours before they were meant to be on stage.)

If you haven't seen them yet, you can check out the photos of the night here. Tag yo'self.

Pensioners' Yacht Club - Friday 4th Dec.

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:09:32 +0000

Rare FM is more than proud to present Pensioners' Yacht Club...

A lovely jubbly brand spanking new club night at The Relentless Garage, next to Highbury and Islington tube station on Friday Dec. 4th. A two room oracular spectacular featuring both Live Bands and DJs.

Headlining the Main Room we've got The Neat all the way down from the badlands. These Hullmonian balladsmiths have been tearing the circuit a new one with their gnarly post-punk; or, as Steve Lamacq said...
"The latter day fall jostling with the XX teens ... Sounds like it's been exhumed from 1979. Neat Neat Neat"

Like a better dressed Robin to the The Neat’s Batman, we are pleased to announce that Live Music Society's The Bizets will be providing support. We don’t have a snappy Steve Lamacq quote for them but the ever-reliable Guitar Techniques Magazine called them "CONFIDENT, UPBEAT AND EXCITING". So there. Besides, ‘Bizet’ is Peruvian for 'safer than a really safe safe-house', so get down early to check them out.

Headlining the main room on the decks with some Indie-Electro Big Bits will be Pete Wheeler (Oaxford Social Club), who’s strut his stuff alongside the likes of Friendly Fires and Micachu in locations from Glastonbury to, err, the Lock Tavern. In support is Tom Travis of Punks Wear Prada fame and Pensioners’ Yacht Club residents hailing from Bournemouth. Because that's where the sea is.

If all that doesn't sound quite to the cut of your jib do not fear, for in Room Two the Bridge the Gap boys take over. Spinning hip hop, soul, breaks and with a cheeky bit of dub on the side these boys will kill it. To close the room we've got a massive dubstep set from the Closer Sound boys who destroyed the Big Chill House last week.

Throw in some duty-free priced door charge (£5) and alcohol (Lager/Cider Pints, Vodka/Gin & Mixer all £2.40) to the mix and you've got the makings of a mediumly-good to pant-wettingly-exciting night out for all the family. Bring your grandparents and/or any actual pensioners and you'll get in for free.

Doors are at 22:30. We’re closing at 03:00 the next morning. Tickets available on the door or via the UCLU online shop now.

Join the Facebook Event Here

the Neat Myspace
the Bizets Myspace
Pete Wheeler Myspace
Bridge the Gap Facebook

Into The Woods - 3rd, 4th and 5th December

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:11:40 +0000

Rare FM is proud to recommend UCLU Musical Theatre's first Bloomsbury show of 2009 - 2010. Tickets are selling fast so get yours bought via the Bloomsbury website as soon as possible.

"Into the Woods is a World Renowned Musical (to date has won several Tony Awards including Best Score) created by Stephen Sondheim and based on the book of the same title by James Lapine.

Inspired by Bruno Bettelheim's 1976 book, The Uses of Enchantment, the musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales and follows them further to explore the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. The main characters are taken from the stories of Little Red Ridinghood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, and Cinderella, tied together by a more original story involving a Baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family.

William A. Henry III wrote that the play's "basic insight... is at heart, most fairy tales are about the loving yet embattled relationship between parents and children. Almost everything that goes wrong—which is to say, almost everything that can—arises from a failure of parental or filial duty, despite the best intentions."

Production Team:
Producer: Alicia Bennett
Director: Dom O'Hanlon
Musical Director: Daniel Jones
Assistant MD : Lizzy Rosser
Choreographer: Phoebe Gardner

Our Server Is Crocked.

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:09:26 +0000

I'm afraid that Rare FM will be off air for a short period of time as some sausage has managed to break our server. I'm not sure how they've managed it, but hey to the ho.

Keep posted for more announcements.

Rare Sessions

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:02:36 +0000

After much work and planning, not to mention hours spent uploading videos, Rare FM are proud to present the first ever Rare Session, featuring Canadian Dan Mangan. He performed a three song acoustic set for us on the steps in the UCL quad. Watch the full session here and subscribe to Rare Sessions on Youtube to stay updated on all we're up to.

Pensioners' Yacht Club - 4th December

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:54:58 +0000

What's New on Rare

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:49:23 +0000

Though the station hasn't officially launched for the year yet there's still a hell of a lot going down. When you've got a moment free, check out the latest podcasts by the Blonde Bimbo and the Closer Sound boys. Remember that you can subscribe to any of our podcasts using iTunes - simply search for 'Rare FM' in the iTunes Store.

On top of that, we've got a whole host of reviews of the latest singles, albums and gigs flying up from our roving reporters. Check out the reviews section of the website to read all of them.

Lastly but certainly not leastly, our DJs have been busy cranking out interviews of a ... shall we say 'diverse' range of musicians. Check out our written interview with Woodpigeon along with the audio recordings of us chatting to Final Fantasy and, of course, that guy off them butter adverts.

Till the 16th mother lovers.

~Rare Man

Rare Goes Rotten

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:09:43 +0000

As John Lydon (a.k.a Johnny Rotten ex-of the Sex Pistols) resurrects his career through butter adverts and the reformation of his band Public Image Ltd., it seems that only Rare FM can save him. Our very own Blonde Bimbo, Brooke Burfitt-Dons, has brought all her punk energy into one place and interviewed the legend that is Lydon. You can listen to this fantastic piece of Rare history here (also featuring a live flamenco performance).

In other news, the Rare reviews team is swooping into action. Expect regular updates over at the reviews page, covering the latest albums, EPs, singles and gigs, as well as interviews and live sessions.

Rare FM Broadcasting Times

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:04:29 +0000

Dear everybody,

Just to let you know that Rare FM won't be properly launched this year, and broadcasting as you know and love it, until the 16th of November. 'Til that happy date however, you can still tune in 24 hours a day to hear balls-droppingly-good music courtesy of the Rare FM playout system. That and the veterans' shows - like this, this, and these - that hit up your speakers every now and then.

Thriller/Killer.

~Rare Man

Joining Rare FM

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:42:18 +0000

Dear everybody,

Following the meeting last night, please find the Rare FM Freshers' Welcome Pack here. In it are two important documents. Firstly, you will find the Show Application Form which you need to fill out if you want to broadcast a show on Rare FM. Secondly, you will find the Rare FM Contract which everybody joining the society needs to sign. Both of these documents need to be returned to the Rare FM pigeon hole at the CSC Reception by Wednesday the 21st of October.

For any scheduling or programming queries please email Jonas at headofprogramming.rarefm@hotmail.com

For any queries about music/gig reviewing, please email Jonathan and Robbie at hom.rarefm@ucl.ac.uk

For any general queries about getting involved with the station, please email me at manager.rarefm@ucl.ac.uk

Cheers,

Ben

An Open Invitation to Freshers, (and Everybody Else)

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:43:27 +0000

Dear everybody,

To anybody who wishes to find out about joining Rare FM for this academic year, please come to our Freshers’ Welcome Meeting at 19:00 on Tuesday 13^th October in the Anatomy Gavin de Beer Lecture Theatre where we will be running through exactly what being part of Rare FM involves. If you think you would like to do one of the following, please do come:

· Presenting a Show, (either by yourself or with a friend for one hour a week/fortnight, online and in the Union Bars)

· Music Journalism, (online reviewing of gigs that we can get you into for free and promotional CDs sent by record companies)

· Being a Compere, (for shows put on by the Union and other societies in the Bloomsbury Theatre)

· Production, (making jingles/spots for general use by station members)

· Radio Tech, (being trained in the mechanical aspects of radio broadcasting, both online, in the Union and across London in an FM broadcast)

Immediately after the meeting there will be the annual Rare FM Pubcrawl from the top of Tottenham Court Rd., (starting in the Union Bars), to the depths of Soho, which will give you an opportunity to meet and chat to veteran members of the station and get less formal accounts of what being part of Rare is like. At least until everyone gets proper messy, that is.

Cheers,

Ben Lawrence

Station Manager

Exclusive Interview with Strike - Blonde Bimbo Show

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:43:55 +0000

Fan of Britain's Got Talent? Of course you are! In which case you should check out The Blonde Bimbo Show's exclusive interview with finalists Strike, who discuss what they've been up to recently, as well as how they met each other... and their love of martial arts.

Rare Exclusive: Fatal Hitchkoch on 'It's a London Thing' with DJ Ims

Sun, 31 May 2009 19:40:22 +0000

That's right, mother lovers; DJ Ims spins an exclusive feature length showcase of hip hop sensation, Fatal Hitchkoch, this Tuesday from 11am. Only on Rare FM.