Colorado’s Late Night Radio will be bringing his soulful, hip hop-infused electronic grooves to RVA on Tuesday, April 8. He’ll be performing at the RVA Theatre (formerly known as The Hat Factory), introducing the city to the tripped-out electro-soul sounds he explored on last fall’s full-length debut, Far Into The Night.
Colorado’s Late Night Radio will be bringing his soulful, hip hop-infused electronic grooves to RVA on Tuesday, April 8. He’ll be performing at the RVA Theatre (formerly known as The Hat Factory), introducing the city to the tripped-out electro-soul sounds he explored on last fall’s full-length debut, Far Into The Night. Featuring support from Party Liberation Front co-founder/party-rocker extraordinaire Mr. Jennings and up-and-coming RVA beatmaster Groove Status, this evening of live electronic music, part of Electric Launch’s Departure series, will brighten up your week. We’ve got two pairs of tickets to give away to this wild party, but before we get into that, let’s get to know Mr. Late Night Radio himself, Alex Medellin.
When did you originally start producing music as Late Night Radio?
It’s been about 4 years now since I came up with the concept, but musically things started to really come together for me about 2 years ago.
What has influenced your tastes in the creations of your productions?
I’m really just trying to make timeless music. I pretty much only focus on making music that means something to me, and by doing that, no matter what genre of music I’m making, I can stand behind [it] 100% without having to rely on whats “hot” at the moment.
Tell me about your Vinyl Restoration mixes. What particular sounds and cuts do you look to showcase in those?
Haha, those are my babies. Simplistic hip hop beats are some of my favorite tunes to make, so those are really just super fun for me. Everything these days is so progressive and forward-thinking that it’s fun to just stick to basics and keep it old school. Soundwise, I think the best part about those is I go all over the place, from straight jazz, to soul, to swing, and all over.
Your music has a very soulful funk sound. Do you often try and create music with live feel, almost like a band?
I definitely aim for a more organic sound rather than HD. Electronic music is crisp and strong, but at times it can lack the emotion of old school analog recordings, so I try to find a happy balance between the two.
What’s your process in taking your productions from completion to a live show, and whats your setup for live re-creation?
I bounce out all the parts of my songs so I can manipulate each part and remix on the fly, as well as putting certain parts of the song I can improvise into my drum pads. Also, depending on where I am, I’ve had homies like Kevin Donahue [of Sunsquabi], Muzzy, and Marvel Years sit in with me on guitar. My current setup is my Ableton, mpd 26, and launchpad. It’s simple but super convenient for traveling.
What live music are you really digging lately?
There [are] a lot of people out there killing it right now. I’m most inspired by all the homies–Michal Menert, Krooked Drivers, Artifakts, Mux Mool, Sunsquabi, and if we’re talking about DJs, gotta show love for Mikey Thunder.
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Electric Launch: Departure 2, featuring Late Night Radio, takes place at RVA Theatre (formerly the Hat Factory), located at 140 Virginia St. in Shockoe Bottom, on Tuesday, April 8. Doors open at 9 PM. Admission is $10 in advance, and tickets can be ordered HERE. Or, you could win a pair of tickets from your pals at RVA Magazine. We have two pairs to give away to two lucky readers, and all you have to do is plug your info into the Punchtab widget below. Keep an eye out for bonus chances to win, and enter soon, because the giveaway ends Friday at 5 PM!
