by Ru Alonso
Since childhood, my dad has instilled in me a hatred for stations like iHeartRadio, with their robotic DJs who play the same top 100 music every single day without a modicum of personality. When we do listen, my family chooses to support independent/college radio like KEXP. Within my hometown of San Francisco, a beacon of musically interesting light shines through the fog of stupidness that plagues the radio: BFF.fm. BFF, or Best Frequencies Forever, is a radio station founded by Amanda Guest, who has created a loving community of listeners and DJs with whom to share local music.
One BFF.fm show that has been a continued joy in my life every Monday from 8 to 10 pm is the Monday Lineup, hosted by Erica. My Dad and I have been listening for years and have never tuned into a bad show. The show’s two-hour run time is enough for Erica to build out an entire sonic world. Each show usually has a theme but the host is relaxed enough that it feels like a helpful structure and is never forced. Erica’s usual lineup consists of dance music, but she’s known to dabble in a bit of everything.
When I’m away from home, Erica always paints me a comforting image of SF, telling listeners about the weather when she arrives and musing about local concerts during set breaks. Her relaxed attitude made me feel as though we were already friends before we met. When we finally did at the fundraiser for the station, she was even more lovely in person. For my Dad’s 70th birthday, we schemed up a plan to shout him out and play some of his favorite songs on air and Erica was more than happy to do me a solid. Not only am I exposed to multitudes of new music through her, but most (if not all) of it actually piques my interest. She’s introduced me to Jessie Ware and Magdalena Bay, who are now among my favorite artists. I got so obsessed with disco queen Jessie Ware that I got a tattoo for my favorite song: “Remember Where You Are.” Week by week, Erica has built a repertoire of local and global favorites. She has never steered me wrong. I hope you tune in online or with their app!