ONTD Original: Public radio live music performances
Ah yes, that mandatory stop on the album promo tour: the public radio station. Whether you’re a big act or an indie up-and-comer, this is a time-honored tradition for all musicians. Before the algorithms and Discover Weekly playlists, public radio was your best chance to find some off-Billboard (and sometimes off-off-Billboard) new music or hear your favorite mainstream artists let loose and play around with their arrangements. Enjoy this curated (and heavily biased) selection.
Young Fathers - “Toy” (KEXP, 2019)
An absolute BANGER of a performance! The entire 4-song set is incredible and deserving a watch, but it’s the closer “Toy” that cinches it. Manic. Electrifying. Face-melting. This is the very performance that made OP a fan of the band.
Grimes - “Genesis” (KEXP, 2012)
The Visions Grimes we fell in love with, the Grimes that is no more - crouched on the floor, headphones on, lost in the knobs, dials and keys, handling two mics at once - performing her breakout song. It was nice while it lasted.
T-Pain - Tiny Desk Concert (NPR, 2014)
“T-Pain can sing?!” seemed to be the surprised consensus amongst the public (including OP, shamefully). Known for this autotune-heavy club jams, T-Pain reminded the dummy demographic that yes, he can in fact sing quite well. This became an instant favorite for many, one of the most beloved Tiny Desks.
Chelsea Wolfe - Live at KEXP (2014)
Gather, my darklings! Those amongst us whomst like to live deliciously are already familiar with folk metal doom queen Chelsea Wolfe, but perhaps all of you dabbling on the edges of sad-girl indie rock would like to delve in a little more. If you like slow and heavy 5-minute buildups, this is the music for you. So step into the viscous, moody riffs, the melancholy reverb vocals and let us sway together to these dark lullabies. We promise we won’t bite.
Ethel Cain - Live at KEXP (2022)
In parts of her album, Preacher’s Daughter, Ethel Cain actually reminds me of Chelsea Wolfe (especially her earlier work). This performance is captivating and opens with the epic “A House in Nebraska”. Her vocals are haunting and pristine, perfectly reproducing the album recordings. If you’re like OP and missed the chance to catch her on tour, this should be enough sustenance to get you to the next show.
FKA twigs- Tiny Desk (Home) Concert (NPR, 2022)
Sigh.. what to even say. Twigs’ music is sublime and audacious in its vulnerability, and this is the performance to match. A church altar with a thousand burning and melted candles is the perfect venue for this ethereal performance. Twigs’ expressive and piercing vocals are backed only by strings and piano, allowing them to shine and do what they do best - move you to your core.
Megan Thee Stallion - Tiny Desk Concert (NPR, 2019)
The stamina! The breath control! The charisma! The blistering hotness! Hot Girl Meg de-li-VERED during her turn behind the tiny desk, blessing us plebes with seven songs, compared the typical 3 to 4. Watch with heart in your eyes.
Lizzo - Tiny Desk Concert (NPR, 2019)
Sing, rap, play flute, crack jokes, work a crowd, make a baby cry, look good in orange - Lizzo can do it all. This is the Tiny Desk great unifier - I like it, you like it, your friends like it, your Zumba instructor loves it, your mom likes it, even your annoying aunt you only see once a year when she brings up Fox News conversation topics to Thanksgiving dinner begrudgingly likes it.
Charles Bradley - “Changes” (Toronto Star’s Newsroom Concert Series, 2016)
Technically not radio, but a local newspaper so it sorta still counts. Charles Bradley’s first album came out in 2011, only six years before his passing in 2017. During this tragically brief period in the spotlight, he got to share his outrageously gifted, soulful voice with us and deliver this devastating cover of “Changes” by Black Sabbath. This is one of those rare times when the cover elevates and transcends the original. The same way “Hurt” is Johnny Cash’s, “Changes” is Charles Bradley’s forevermore.
BONUS: The Distillers - “Drain the Blood” (Yahoo!Launch, 2003)
This one dates back to the ye olden times of the pre-Youtube flash player potato-quality internet. The Distillers stopped by Yahoo!Launch (later Yahoo!Music) to promote their album Coral Fang and its lead single “Drain the Blood”. Without their drummer, there’s no one to cue them back from the bridge, so they improvise. It’s a cute, funny moment of a performance replayed many times over dial-up connection by legions of Distillers fans.
video one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten
ONTD, what are your favorite live studio performances, radio or otherwise? Favorite music performance series or channels?
Young Fathers - “Toy” (KEXP, 2019)
An absolute BANGER of a performance! The entire 4-song set is incredible and deserving a watch, but it’s the closer “Toy” that cinches it. Manic. Electrifying. Face-melting. This is the very performance that made OP a fan of the band.
Click to viewGrimes - “Genesis” (KEXP, 2012)
The Visions Grimes we fell in love with, the Grimes that is no more - crouched on the floor, headphones on, lost in the knobs, dials and keys, handling two mics at once - performing her breakout song. It was nice while it lasted.
T-Pain - Tiny Desk Concert (NPR, 2014)
“T-Pain can sing?!” seemed to be the surprised consensus amongst the public (including OP, shamefully). Known for this autotune-heavy club jams, T-Pain reminded the dummy demographic that yes, he can in fact sing quite well. This became an instant favorite for many, one of the most beloved Tiny Desks.
Chelsea Wolfe - Live at KEXP (2014)
Gather, my darklings! Those amongst us whomst like to live deliciously are already familiar with folk metal doom queen Chelsea Wolfe, but perhaps all of you dabbling on the edges of sad-girl indie rock would like to delve in a little more. If you like slow and heavy 5-minute buildups, this is the music for you. So step into the viscous, moody riffs, the melancholy reverb vocals and let us sway together to these dark lullabies. We promise we won’t bite.
Ethel Cain - Live at KEXP (2022)
In parts of her album, Preacher’s Daughter, Ethel Cain actually reminds me of Chelsea Wolfe (especially her earlier work). This performance is captivating and opens with the epic “A House in Nebraska”. Her vocals are haunting and pristine, perfectly reproducing the album recordings. If you’re like OP and missed the chance to catch her on tour, this should be enough sustenance to get you to the next show.
FKA twigs- Tiny Desk (Home) Concert (NPR, 2022)
Sigh.. what to even say. Twigs’ music is sublime and audacious in its vulnerability, and this is the performance to match. A church altar with a thousand burning and melted candles is the perfect venue for this ethereal performance. Twigs’ expressive and piercing vocals are backed only by strings and piano, allowing them to shine and do what they do best - move you to your core.
Megan Thee Stallion - Tiny Desk Concert (NPR, 2019)
The stamina! The breath control! The charisma! The blistering hotness! Hot Girl Meg de-li-VERED during her turn behind the tiny desk, blessing us plebes with seven songs, compared the typical 3 to 4. Watch with heart in your eyes.
Lizzo - Tiny Desk Concert (NPR, 2019)
Sing, rap, play flute, crack jokes, work a crowd, make a baby cry, look good in orange - Lizzo can do it all. This is the Tiny Desk great unifier - I like it, you like it, your friends like it, your Zumba instructor loves it, your mom likes it, even your annoying aunt you only see once a year when she brings up Fox News conversation topics to Thanksgiving dinner begrudgingly likes it.
Charles Bradley - “Changes” (Toronto Star’s Newsroom Concert Series, 2016)
Technically not radio, but a local newspaper so it sorta still counts. Charles Bradley’s first album came out in 2011, only six years before his passing in 2017. During this tragically brief period in the spotlight, he got to share his outrageously gifted, soulful voice with us and deliver this devastating cover of “Changes” by Black Sabbath. This is one of those rare times when the cover elevates and transcends the original. The same way “Hurt” is Johnny Cash’s, “Changes” is Charles Bradley’s forevermore.
BONUS: The Distillers - “Drain the Blood” (Yahoo!Launch, 2003)
This one dates back to the ye olden times of the pre-Youtube flash player potato-quality internet. The Distillers stopped by Yahoo!Launch (later Yahoo!Music) to promote their album Coral Fang and its lead single “Drain the Blood”. Without their drummer, there’s no one to cue them back from the bridge, so they improvise. It’s a cute, funny moment of a performance replayed many times over dial-up connection by legions of Distillers fans.
video one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten
ONTD, what are your favorite live studio performances, radio or otherwise? Favorite music performance series or channels?