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Sense Of Place

Exploring the unexpectedly inspiring places of Berlin with Emperor X

Emperor X takes World Cafe on a tour of a few unexpectedly inspiring places in Berlin. Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Sense Of Place

Exploring the unexpectedly inspiring places of Berlin with Emperor X

XPN

Why is Berlin such a hotbed of creativity? American expat and musician Emperor X answers the question in this installment of our Sense of Place: Berlin series.

Emperor X on World Cafe

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Post-punk garage rock band Shybits packs Berlin's 8MM Bar

Shybits performing live at 8MM Bar in Berlin. Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Sense Of Place

Post-punk garage rock band Shybits packs Berlin's 8MM Bar

XPN

World Cafe kicks off its Sense of Place: Berlin series with a session with local trio Shybits, featuring a live performance and interview from local rock club 8MM Bar.

Shybits on World Cafe Sense of Place Berlin

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Behind The Smell, Not Your Average Music Venue In Los Angeles

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Sense Of Place

Behind The Smell, Not Your Average Music Venue In Los Angeles

The Smell has been a home to lots of LA bands and musicians, including artists like No Age, Ty Segall, Mika Miko, Best Coast, Warpaint and Feels.

The Smell On World Cafe

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Explore Decades Of Hits Inside Capitol Studios

Inside Capitol Records Studio A, The Telefunken U47 microphone used by Frank Sinatra and many since. Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Sense Of Place

Explore Decades Of Hits Inside Capitol Studios

From Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra to Bonnie Raitt and Paul McCartney, here's how the studios at Capitol Records in Los Angeles influence artists' sound.

Explore Decades Of Hits Inside Capitol Studios

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KCSN's Byron Gonzalez Defines Latin Alternative

The title track from La Mera Candelaria's album Si Reina, is among Byron Gonzalez's picks for this World Cafe guest DJ session. Matias Ponce/Stephani "La Mera" Candelaria/Courtesy of the artst hide caption

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Matias Ponce/Stephani "La Mera" Candelaria/Courtesy of the artst

Sense Of Place

KCSN's Byron Gonzalez Defines Latin Alternative

The Latin Alt program director Byron Gonzalez shares songs from a few of his favorite artists making music outside the Latin mainstream.

Byron Gonzalez On World Cafe

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Take A Walk Down The Oldest Street In LA With La Santa Cecilia

Marisol Hernandez and Jose "Pepe" Carlos of La Santa Cecilia. Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Performances

Take A Walk Down The Oldest Street In LA With La Santa Cecilia

Not only did the Grammy-winning band get its start here, but its leader, La Marisoul, also operates a shop in the Mexican Marketplace found on Olvera Street.

La Santa Cecilia On World Cafe

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Jamie Drake's Debut Album Was A Decade In The Making

Jamie Drake Peter Hastings/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Peter Hastings/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place

Jamie Drake's Debut Album Was A Decade In The Making

XPN

After settling in LA, Jamie waited 10 years before she started performing publicly. But, as you are about to hear, the wait was worth it.

Jamie Drake On World Cafe

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LA Hood Life Tours: A Ride Through The Birthplace Of West Coast Hip-Hop

A mural of Nipsey Hussle close by the Crenshaw neighborhood in Los Angeles, as see on the LA Hood Live Tour. Raina Douris/WXPN hide caption

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Sense Of Place

LA Hood Life Tours: A Ride Through The Birthplace Of West Coast Hip-Hop

XPN

LA Hood Life Tours take you to where Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Nipsey Hussle and the larger genre of West Coast Hip-Hop got started.

LA Hood Life Tour on World Cafe

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Possum Dixon Bandleader Rob Zabrecky Found The Magic In Performance

Rob Zabrecky Billy Baque/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Billy Baque/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place

Possum Dixon Bandleader Rob Zabrecky Found The Magic In Performance

XPN

Not only was he was the rock and roll leader of Possum Dixon, but he's a world class magician, storyteller and now author with his 2019 memoir, Strange Cures, which explores his life and a very untold side of LA.

Rob Zabrecky On World Cafe

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LA Trio JEMS Creates Harmonies And Songs To Stand The Test Of Time

JEMS performs in front of a live audience at Hollywood's famed club, Hotel Cafe. Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Sense Of Place

LA Trio JEMS Creates Harmonies And Songs To Stand The Test Of Time

XPN

The Los Angeles trio performs live from the famed club Hotel Cafe, sharing the importance of the venue, and how they discovered they could sing in such perfect harmony.

JEMS on World Cafe

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A Career-Spanning Conversation With Liz Phair

Liz Phair performs live for World Cafe at Kiss Kiss Bang Bang in Los Angeles, Calif. Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Sense Of Place

A Career-Spanning Conversation With Liz Phair

XPN

We met up with Liz Phair during a Sense Of Place trip to Los Angeles in early March. She performs live and talks about her journey, overcoming expectations, her upcoming album, Soberish.

Liz Phair on World Cafe

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Ethan Gruska's Musical Family Tree Goes Way Back

Ethan Gruska performs live at Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles for World Cafe. Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Sense Of Place

Ethan Gruska's Musical Family Tree Goes Way Back

XPN

Ethan Gruska has produced for artists including Fiona Apple, Phoebe Bridgers and Manchester Orchestra, but he's also a successful solo artist. He'll play a few songs from his excellent sophomore album, En Garde, for this Sense of Place session.

Ethan Gruska On World Cafe

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Radio DJ Zane Lowe Shares His Take On The Future Of Music

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Apple Music/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place

Radio DJ Zane Lowe Shares His Take On The Future Of Music

XPN

While capturing a Sense Of Place in Los Angeles, Zane Lowe shares the city's current status and where artists and fans might go from here in this strange moment in history.

Zane Lowe On World Cafe

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Inside Rockbridge Guitars, Where The Music Really Starts

A look inside Rockbridge Guitars in Charlottesville, Va. John Myers/WXPN hide caption

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John Myers/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Inside Rockbridge Guitars, Where The Music Really Starts

XPN

Co-founders Brian Calhoun and Randall Ray make guitars for artists like Dave Matthews, Richie Sambora and Jason Mraz. In this segment, Brian takes us on a tour of the shop and explains how every instrument is a unique piece of art.

Rockbridge Guitars On World Cafe

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Dive Into The Wild, Twisted And Surprisingly Cultured World Of GWAR

A look inside GWAR's Headquarters, AKA "The Slave Pit" in Richmond, Va. Raina Douris/WXPN hide caption

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Sense Of Place

Dive Into The Wild, Twisted And Surprisingly Cultured World Of GWAR

XPN

Join us for a tour of GWAR's "Slave Pit" from our recent Sense Of Place Trip to Richmond, Va.

GWAR on World Cafe

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A Look Inside Spacebomb Studios, The Creative Hub In Richmond, Va.

World Cafe gets a tour of Spacebomb Studios in Richmond, Va. Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Sense Of Place

A Look Inside Spacebomb Studios, The Creative Hub In Richmond, Va.

XPN

Founder and musician Matthew E. White hosts a tour around the studio and explains how not being located in a big music city makes Spacebomb so special.

Spacebomb Studios On World Cafe

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Meet The Man Behind One Of Virginia's Oldest Record Stores

In today's episode, we stop by Barky's Music store in Richmond, Va. John Myers/WXPN hide caption

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John Myers/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Meet The Man Behind One Of Virginia's Oldest Record Stores

XPN

Take a little field trip to Barky's Record Store, owned by a cool character who's 87 years young.

Barky's Record Store On World Cafe

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Saw Black Is Part Of A Vibrant Music Community in Richmond, Va.

Saw Black performs live for World Cafe, inside In Your Ear Studios in Richmond, Va. Ashley Travis/WXPN hide caption

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Ashley Travis/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Saw Black Is Part Of A Vibrant Music Community in Richmond, Va.

XPN

Richmond may not be thought of as a marquee music city name, but the artists there are building something really special.

Saw Black On World Cafe

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Sleepwalkers Shares What Makes Richmond's Music Scene So Special

Sleepwalkers performs inside Spacebomb Studios in this session. Ashley Travis/WXPN hide caption

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Ashley Travis/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Sleepwalkers Shares What Makes Richmond's Music Scene So Special

XPN

The fast-rising Richmond band performs songs from its sophomore album, Ages, live inside Spacebomb Studios.

Sleepwalkers On World Cafe

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There's Something Undeniably Catchy About The Music Of Gold Connections

Gold Connections performing live for World Cafe inside In Your Ear Studios in Richmond, Va. Ashley Travis/WXPN hide caption

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Ashley Travis/WXPN

Sense Of Place

There's Something Undeniably Catchy About The Music Of Gold Connections

XPN

Enjoy a live session, recorded at In Your Ear Studios during World Cafe's Sense Of Place trip to Richmond, Va.

Gold Connections On World Cafe

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A Virginia Music History Lesson With WNRN's Desiré Moses

Desiré Moses says you can't talk about the music of Charlottesville, Va., without mentioning that Dave Matthews Band got its start here all those years ago. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images hide caption

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Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Sense Of Place

A Virginia Music History Lesson With WNRN's Desiré Moses

XPN

From Sparklehorse and Pavement to Silver Jews and, yes, Dave Matthews: our Charlottesville affiliate station managing producer plays guest DJ to help us explore the music of central Virginia.

Desiré Moses, Guest DJ on World Cafe

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