U-Radio Manila

"Bossing lipat natin sa 107.9 ha?"

Before the cab driver could say yes, my finger already points to the dashboard receiver. Newer cabs require only a press of a button while older ones take ages before the car stereo detects the exact radio frequency of my station.

"Nakikinig ka rin pala niyan. Pampagising ko yan eh!"

To hear such comment from a young driver never triggers a reaction. Instead, I would smile and say, "Pampaready lang boss, gimik pa kasi." But to hear it from a guy who could already be my grandfather not only sends my head craning to scan the face of the chap, but often, such pleasant surprise initiates a friendly talk between me and the driver.

http://www.uradio.bigbig.com/

It's a chilly Friday night. Whether my destination is towards Timog or Malate, I switch the radio to 107.9 the moment I get in a cab. U-Radio plays club music day-in and day-out, seven days a week. The tracks switch from Trance to Progressive House, to Drum and Bass in a seamless transition that requires no jockeys. Seldom do they include mainstream club music in their playlist, but when they do, expect some killer remixes never before played in the dance floors of Manila.

Since Electronica is my music of choice, the FM station often rallies my glum mood while shuttling between gigs. Long hours at work followed by strenuous work-outs at the gym seduce the exhausted to bed. Add to the equation the limitations imposed by old age and I'm left with cherished memories of past clubbing escapades starting all the way from Phenomenon in Timog to O-Bar beside Metrowalk.

I learned the existence of FM station four years ago. Back then, all they had was a stinger saying "You're tuned to Underground Radio." I tried sharing my discovery with some clubbers. But with a very weak signal and on-off transmission, blogging about it would be an exercise in futility.

Operating with low power,  107.9 hardly picks any signals inside a building. The station doesn't carry any ads but its potentials as a gym and marathon events promoter remain untapped up to now. I do not know how many listeners are tuned in to the station, but with the steady stream of international clubbing events held in the country, windfall reaches even the distant transmitters of U-Radio.

My wish is that the club station would actively seek advertisements to fund its growing operation. Maybe it would also improve its signal transmission. Including Chill Out, Ambient and World Music like Cafe del Mar and Putomayo would add variety to its Electronic genre. Clubbers need to slow down after a night of party. Finally, featuring local dance clubs and chill-out bars wouldn't hurt for the station. Not only does it inform the listeners of the latest trend in Electronica, club culture in the country would get a boost from the promotion.

As for me who is about to give up my club gigs indefinitely, 107.9 remains my station of choice especially in the morning. After all, nothing wakes a lucid mind better than Drum and Bass

when it starts pounding my ears on my way to work.