A snowy night at a faraway studio …
You have to want to get to the studio of WVOA-FM out on the eastern outskirts of Syracuse.
James Austin had asked me to be a guest on the new music and entertainment hour he hosts with Scott Johnson that’s broadcast online and over the air, so I drove the snowy Wednesday night down 298, turned right on Fremont Road and hung a severe right on Myers.
A lone bulb showed me my way up the small wooden steps of the trailer, the Box, with the big antenna somewhere out behind it.
All the good stuff was inside.
“Live from the Box” airs from 7 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday on 87.7, Love Radio as the station calls itself, and also at that hyperlink above. Scott calls himself Big Slim while James goes by T, and Arion Mims shoots the proceedings for videos to post on Austin’s FeFe Entertainment site and Sepp Herbert produces.
Big Slim pushes the musical buttons.
I sat in a nearby chair and listened as Big Slim punched in the Syracuse artist’s songs and and the pair chatted on air until it was time for my interview segment. While the songs played, we all talked about music and movies and life. It was fun.
As a song by Just Joe played, Austin explained how the Central New York music playlist was picked by an out-of-area musicologist who goes by the name of The Music Whiz, who charts this area’s action on social media sites.
Austin and I talked about our past ties, when he brought around an exciting singer he was representing, Khym from Barbados, and I interviewed her and wrote about her for the big daily.
Arion Mims, left, shoots video, and T talks about everything.
When it came time to turn my microphone on, too, Big Slim asked me how I became a music critic, and T asked me about what I loved about what I do.
My two segments sandwiched around a song flew past.
I enjoyed talking about Syracuse duo Castle Creek, with Kim Monroe and Chris Eves and how they went from their release party at Upstairs at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que to playing on the main stage for the NAMM convention in Anaheim, and Julia Goodwin, the teen singer from Baldwinsville’s Baker High who won the Michael Feinstein Competition and advanced to the semifinals of “America’s Got Talent.”
They asked me about my film blog work for the Syracuse New Times and community blog column for waer.org and writing for Central New York the Good Life magazine — my feature about Goodwin is the cover story for the upcoming March issue — and T added how important and cool it was that Julia is an honor roll student.
Live from the Box, you see, is all about being well-rounded. They want to cover all flavors of music, all sorts of entertainment, and many important aspects of life. They want to help musicians and music fans feel their way around to a better way in Central New York.
James Austin, left, Scott Johnson, right, and me, Live from the Box. (Photo by Arion Mims)
Live from the Box broadcasts its fourth show tomorrow, Wednesday Feb. 25, from 7 to 8 p.m. The guest will be Syracuse Area Music Awards chair Liz Nowak.
Have you heard a local radio show about your music and entertainment scene? Drive into the parking lot here … turn around or bravely knock on the door? What should my radio name be?
Mark Bialczak 
You can tell how well you fit into the musical world. I wish we had this “Live from the Box” hour time. It is surely a wonderful one and you can see the enthusiasm of the men involved, too. You make friends wherever you go, which helps us to see so many different aspects of the Syracuse music scene, Mark!
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Thanks, Robin. If you could just have a way to get the Internet at home, you would be able to get the hour because they stream it on their website. Some day, my friend, some day.
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Surely you have your radio name chosen already!! 🙂
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Names have been bandied about, but it’s just a fantasy, Aud. I think Marissa started it. I don’t really need a radio name, but it’s been fun to play. 🙂
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Oh my gosh! It’s Chum! Love this opportunity to hear you tell us a story. Hi, Chum! Very cool and I enjoyed the easy flow of your conversation. You have a great laugh. Lovin’ The Box! xx
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Thanks, Red. I’m glad you liked the show. The hosts made it easy for me to relax and laugh!
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I enjoyed the show. 🙂
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I really am a Mr. B, Mrs. B! 🙂 Wait until June in Cape Cod when you really see and hear me. Oh, no, you had a preview. No fair. I did have a blast being there was two very cool hosts. No problemo, mi amiga.
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Mr. B! It’s really you. In the flesh! It is so cool to watch you in action and to hear you speak. Looks like you had a blast being there. Congratulations, mi amigo! 🙂
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you’re famous 🙂 Very cool things a-happening in Mark’s World!
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I’m just me, Liz. Same as I ever was. 🙂 And that makes me happy. Thanks, my friend.
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Mark!! I liked seeing you in video – very cool 🙂 Congratulations on the interview and you are certainly a pro in the area of writing. I am so proud to call you my friend!
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Thank you so much, Christy. That means a lot coming from a poet and writer such as yourself. You are No. 1 in my eyes, my friend. 😮
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Aw, you such a special spirit, Mark. You’re charming, kind, and a great writer. Thanks for the nice words for me here too.
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not the way out, the word out LOL!
On another note I feel like I’ve gotten to know you a bit here on your blog but hearing your voice adds dimension to that. 🙂
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Yes, I think these videos have broken down more of the barriers, so to speak, Diana. By the way, Rachel in London mentioned listening to the videos, as you have, while U.S. folks have mentioned watching the videos. I’m wondering, is the YouTube connection audio-only for you in Canada?
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No it’s visual as well, but I was focused on your voice, paying special attention to it. I already know what you look like!
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OK, that makes sense to me, Diana. 🙂 New side of me, the voice.
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Mark, the hosts sound very American to me, but I can barely detect your accent. Listening to the vid as I type and just heard you say the way ‘out’ and there it is – I heard the American!! You interview really well Mark, what a neat experience that must have been. ❤
Diana xo
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Thank you, Diana. I can’t help myself. I am very American, so there’s no way out of it! 🙂
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How cool that you are now on the other end of the microphone. DJ name? Well that one will take a while. DJ Marky Mark just seems a bit too unoriginal.
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Somebody else has been Marky Mark, for sure, Marissa. Mark B, owner of Ellie B? Markamous, master of Dogamous Pyle? Ha! I almost like that one. 🙂
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Master Markamous and the Stylin’ Dogamous Pylin’?
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!
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I’m tryin’ here!!
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And you are doing quite well, I may add. 🙂
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Thanks!
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HEY! It’s neat to see and hear you! People love you EVERY where. 🙂
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I broke down the barrier, dear buddy Colleen. 🙂 Thank you for your kind words.
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Well done MBM. It’s fascinating to ‘see’ each other in a new light.
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Yay, Mark!
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Thanks, Ann. When are you coming home?
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I am not calling Boston home in the moment, Mark. That’s how much of a fair weather friend I am. I am returning to Boston on Friday.
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Enjoy every second in your new locale, Ann.
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Well done Mark! Neat post and great vids.
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Thanks, Paul. The hosts made me very comfortable in the studio. 🙂
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Mark – so great to hear you! You did a great interview. 🙂
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Thank you, Rachel. I appreciate that. Now you know what I sound like. 🙂
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Oh wow… this is just so fun Mr. Veteran Writer! (I particularly love that they had to explain what a 45 was.) And of course, it made me feel *really* old as I remembered the phonograph needle in our playroom that went from needing a dime to needing a quarter to stay on our hard-used records.
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‘T’ and ‘Big Slim’ will do well on this show because they know how to make their guests relax and tell stories like the one about putting dimes and working their way up to quarters on the phonograph tone arm, Barb! Wow, that’s from the wayback machine for us, isn’t it? Thanks for taking the time to watch the YouTube clips. Have a great day on the other side of the pond. 🙂
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