Bernard Hicks, a longtime afterschool mentor in this area (for local Boys & Girls Clubs), coach of youth athletics, and part of the KCSB-FM community for almost 50 years, passed away on May 16th at the age of 73. Bernard is best known on KCSB for his weekend radio show, […]
Playlist link KCSB-FM returns with a playlist celebrating the contributions of Asian-Americans to the musical landscape. This playlist is not meant to be comprehensive, but serves as a snapshot into the vast world of Asian-American art. Read through to discover political charged folk tunes, cosmic electro-soul pieces, classic turntablist […]
Open Ears, Sounds of the Ojai Music Festival is coming to KCSB! The 79th annual Ojai Music Festival returns to Libbey Bowl and other Ojai venues on June 5th through the 8th, filling the town with new music from contemporary composers. This year, you can preview the festival by tuning […]
KCSB’s Digital Media Coordinator, Avery, visited San Luis Obispo to check out the annual Shabang Festival! As 2026 tickets begin to go on pre-sale, we hope our review of this year’s festival gives you something to look forward to next spring. words and photos by Avery Morgan Those who love […]
This recap first appeared in the May 19 edition of the KCSB News Weekly Newsletter. The AS Senate is a group of elected student representatives which serves as the policy-making body of Associated Students. Every Wednesday at 6:30 PM, the AS Senate convenes to pass bills and resolutions, hear reports […]
UCSB STUDENTS! KCSB-FM is up for reaffirmation and seeking a fee increase this year. We are a college and community radio station located on UCSB’s campus, directly under Storke Tower. KCSB trains students and community volunteers in broadcasting every quarter. As a student-led campus radio, we are proud to […]
words by Liam Hogan Last summer, I became completely obsessed with two major works of art: SMiLE by The Beach Boys and the book-length poem “In Sara, Mencken, Christ and Beethoven There Were Men and Women” by John Barton Wolgamot. The latter is discussed pretty significantly less than the former, […]
Our Assistant Music Director Kai is here to shine a spotlight on the rhythm and soul of breakdancing music. From the gritty funk of the ’70s to modern-day mixtapes made for cyphers, discover how the beats that fuel breakers have evolved alongside hip-hop. These tracks are guaranteed to get your […]
Playlist link KCSB-FM’s Music Department is back again with a playlist celebrating some of the wonderful contributions gifted by women to the musical world. This playlist is by no means comprehensive, but is meant to highlight personal favorites and artists to keep an eye on. Read on and give […]
Due to scheduled upgrades to the power grid serving the UCSB campus, KCSB-FM in Santa Barbara will be temporarily off the air overnight starting Thursday, March 27 at 9 PM. We anticipate resuming our broadcast by Friday, March 28 at 12 PM. Please note that our online streaming will also […]
words by Lily Raesler & photos by Michelle Evans (@_saltygoat) On Saturday night, I embark to Ventura, 20 minutes in one direction from the very homeland of Nardcore and another 20 from the birthplace of RKL, for a night of thrashy guitar-forward metal-inspired(?) punk rock with a side of skate […]
words & photos by Derek D-Tragic Duncan (Word on the Streets Radio) The Ventura Music Hall was on fire, hosting a packed house for an unforgettable lineup featuring Mr. Dibbs, Sage Francis, and Atmosphere. From the opening DJ set to the final encore, the super diverse crowd was treated […]
This February, KCSB-FM’s Executive Committee has come together to craft a playlist commemorating Black History Month. It cannot be adequately expressed how much black musicians have contributed to the musical world. This playlist is by no means comprehensive, but is meant to highlight some personal favorites. Read on for a […]
The following is a tribute to Rhoda Orzsag Vestuto, aka “Lady Calico” (longtime host of KCSB’s “The Faerie Ring”), who passed away last fall at the age of 95. Rhoda was born in 1929. Her parents were immigrants from Hungary. Her mother was a seamstress in New York City’s garment […]
Every year, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) brings filmmakers from all over the world to our town. For 10 days in February, Hollywood professionals make their way to venues around State Street, making their way from Q&As, independent films, and creative panels, along with red carpet award tributes […]
In preparation for Valentine’s Day, KCSB’s Executive Committee has put together a playlist of songs all about love. Read till the very end to check out some picks from our winter Assistant Music Directors, Rio and Kai! playlist link PARKER’S RECS “I Love You Like The Way That I Used […]
How To Donate: Donating to KCSB is super easy! To get exclusive KCSB merch, like our shirt, sweatshirt, and shorts, click here. All KCSB-branded merch items will include a bumper sticker! What is Fund Drive? During the 10 days of KCSB’s Fund Drive, our DJ’s will be spinning […]
Karl Blau is a musician, songwriter, and producer whose career spans over three decades, rooted in the music scene of Anacortes, Washington. His work has ranged from solo 4-track recordings to collaborations with artists like Laura Veirs & Phil Elverum and bands such as D+ and Old Time Relijun. After […]
On Saturday, February 1st, KCSB’s Witch Doctor, host of “American Roots Radio” (Saturdays, 9-11am PST) will be sharing with listeners a tribute to the late-great Garth Hudson (August 2, 1937 – January 21, 2025) of the Canadian-American rock group, The Band. The Witch Doctor says: “Garth Hudson was the oldest […]
Margaritas Podridas is a three-piece grunge and shoegaze band from Sonora, Mexico. Carolina (bass and vocals), Erubiel (drums), and Rafael (guitar) opened up for Etran De L’Aïr at the Lodge Room on October 12th with an electrifying performance–their screams and instruments practically bouncing off the intimate venue’s walls. KCSB-FM’s Monica […]
𝓱ₐ𝐩𝐩y (belated) 𝚋ᵢᵣ𝚝𝓱𝚍ₐy iaminconstanflux! words by applemartini / images by trankis This year, iaminconstantflux! celebrated its fifth year since its first air date on KCSB-FM, September 13, 2019. iaminconstantflux! was born out of a desire to break the confinements I had limited myself with on my first radio show. Its […]
words by Evan Chanksy & photos by Avery Morgan Christian Lee Hutson might well be your favorite singer-songwriter’s favorite singer-songwriter. He’s written and produced songs for the likes of Phoebe Bridgers, Boygenius, Katy Kirby, Charlie Hickey, Samia, and Maya Hawke. Don’t believe me? Check out this written by […]
Police arrive after protestors occupied Girvetz Hall for two days. | Brandon Yi/KCSB News Written by Joyce Chi and Rosie Bultman || Listen to the story on SoundCloud — The University of California Police Department (UCPD) is seeking a search warrant to access two pro-Palestine Instagram accounts. The American […]
Album Review – Big Red Gibson By Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus words by Corinna Kelley Taking inspiration from bands such as The Byrds and Bob Dylan, Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus take us on a folk-rock journey to self acceptance and what it means to choose passion over […]