KXT hosted another vibrant KXT Public Music Meeting last night at The Echo Lounge in Dallas, inviting the community to help shape the station’s sound. Attendees listened to a curated selection of new music, rated them 1-10, and shared their thoughts on what they’d like to hear more of on 91.7 KXT.
Benji McPhail, KXT’s Program Director, emceed the night in the decked-out upstairs lounge area at The Echo Lounge, complete with mood lighting and bunches of Echo Lounge swag on the tables–including a chapstick that is divine.
KXT DJs Jackson Wisdorf, Lesley James, La Bell and Jeff Penfield walked around the room with microphones to hear opinions from KXT listeners. There was some praise and some criticism, with a few listeners getting rather creative in their opinions. (“Sounds like someone who just discovered their older brother’s Smashing Pumpkins records.”)
The station is always looking for the edge of where we can push our listeners, and the encouragement from the crowd suggests that they want more out-of-the-box artists. These meetings help KXT get a better understanding of what it’s like to be a KXT listener.
DJs at KXT loved the track “The Stand” by Australian-born Dallas-based musician Shelley Q, but weren’t sure if listeners were willing to give a slower-speed tune a chance. High ratings and strong comments by the crowd proved otherwise, as listeners connected to the female-empowerment nature of the song.
The new Royel Otis tune “moody” made an impact, as the room agreed that this might be the song that could give KXT listeners something to vibe with.
Not all tracks got a warm reception, with a surprising response to Marcus King’s new “Honky Tonk Hell,” as even listeners that liked the artist didn’t relate to the country tune, pushing the meter a little far for the average listener.
Most songs got mixes of reviews–including “Metal” by The Beths, “Sober” by Elbow, and “Dreams” by Jade Bird. Many ratings across the board don’t necessarily help KXT narrow down the cream of the crop, but hearing opinions in a live audience is fun nonetheless.
The top hit of the night was a standout–but for now, it’s a secret. Listen to 91.7 KXT Radio to find out what song it is, and check out the Spotify playlist at the bottom of this article for tracks featured at the KXT Public Music Meeting.
The meetings are on break for the Summer, but check back with KXT in the Fall for the next one.
