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Sense of Place: How Athens' 40 Watt Club helped usher in a new era of rock

The 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia. Miguel Perez/WXPN hide caption

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Sense Of Place

Sense of Place: How Athens' 40 Watt Club helped usher in a new era of rock

XPN

The music venue in Georgia regularly hosted performances by bands like Pylon, R.E.M., of Montreal, and more.

Barrie Buck on World Cafe

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Sense of Place: Athens wouldn't be the same without this college radio station

WUOG music directors Mal Holmes (left) and Elizabeth Kim. Miguel Perez/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Miguel Perez/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place

Sense of Place: Athens wouldn't be the same without this college radio station

XPN

Welcome to WUOG, the University of Georgia's student-run radio station.

WUOG on World Cafe

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Sense of Place: Provo rapper JTM is at a creative crossroads

JTM, formerly known as James the Mormon, is a Provo-based rapper. Sam Wilder/Wikimedia Commons hide caption

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Sam Wilder/Wikimedia Commons

Sense Of Place

Sense of Place: Provo rapper JTM is at a creative crossroads

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James Curran, who goes by the moniker JTM, talks about striking a balance between making secular hip-hop music while also wanting to share his faith.

JTM on World Cafe

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Sense of Place: How The Clingers helped pave the way for women in rock music

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Sense Of Place

Sense of Place: How The Clingers helped pave the way for women in rock music

XPN

The Clinger sisters from Utah, who found success in the the '60s, were one of the first all-girl groups to play their own instruments and be signed to a major label.

The Clingers on World Cafe

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Sense of Place: Discover the 'Dusty Deseret' sound of Provo's music scene

Provo Music Magazine covers the music scene in the Provo, Utah, area. Miguel Perez/WXPN hide caption

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Sense Of Place

Sense of Place: Discover the 'Dusty Deseret' sound of Provo's music scene

XPN

Zach Collier, co-founder of Provo Music Magazine, talks about the unique blend of folk rock heard in Provo.

Zach Collier on World Cafe

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Sense of Place: Provo's 'only proper bar within city limits' is a haven for misfits

Boots to the Moon performs at ABG's in November 2023. Raina Douris/WXPN hide caption

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Sense Of Place

Sense of Place: Provo's 'only proper bar within city limits' is a haven for misfits

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Step inside ABG's, the only music venue in Provo, Utah with a liquor license.

ABG's on World Cafe

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Sense of Place: This all-ages venue is at the heart of the Provo music scene

Velour Live Music Gallery Stephen Kallao/WXPN hide caption

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Stephen Kallao/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Sense of Place: This all-ages venue is at the heart of the Provo music scene

XPN

Velour Live Music Gallery and its owner, Corey Fox, have helped launch the careers of bands like Neon Trees, Imagine Dragons and The Moth & The Flame.

Velour on World Cafe

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Sense of Place: What's a world-class recording studio doing in suburban Utah?

Scott Wiley founded June Audio Recording Studios to help Provo's music scene thrive. Stephen Kallao/WXPN hide caption

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Sense Of Place

Sense of Place: What's a world-class recording studio doing in suburban Utah?

XPN

World Cafe visits June Audio, alongside Provo band The National Parks, to find out what makes this recording studio so key to the local music scene.

June Audio on World Cafe

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Sense of Place: The Aces reflect on their Utah roots on their latest album

The Aces Julian Burgueno/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Julian Burgueno/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place

Sense of Place: The Aces reflect on their Utah roots on their latest album

XPN

Inspired by their early days as a band, The Aces open up about growing up in the mostly Mormon city of Provo on I've Loved You For So Long.

The Aces on World Cafe

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Sense of Place: How a wild boom of creativity took hold of post-Franco Madrid

Madrid at night in 1980. Paolo Monti/Wikimedia Commons hide caption

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Paolo Monti/Wikimedia Commons

Sense Of Place

Sense of Place: How a wild boom of creativity took hold of post-Franco Madrid

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Following Francisco Franco's death in the 1975, a counterculture movement known as La Movida Madrileña took root in the Spanish capital.

Sense of Place: How a wild boom of creativity took hold of post-Franco Madrid

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Sense of Place: Denton, Texas' Brave Combo does things their own way

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Sense Of Place

Sense of Place: Denton, Texas' Brave Combo does things their own way

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The fierce independence behind their polka music has taken Brave Combo from Japan to an episode of The Simpsons to playing at David Byrne's wedding.

Brave Combo on World Cafe

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Sense of Place: How did Denton, Texas, become an unlikely jazz mecca?

University of North Texas, One O'Clock Lab Band Stephen Kallao/WXPN hide caption

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Sense Of Place

Sense of Place: How did Denton, Texas, become an unlikely jazz mecca?

XPN

Join us as we attend a rehearsal and talk with University of North Texas' One O'Clock Lab Band's director, Alan Baylock.

One O'Clock Lab Band on World Cafe

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Sense of Place: Step inside Dan's Silverleaf Bar in Denton, Texas

Dan's Silverleaf founder Dan Mojica Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Kimberly Junod/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Sense of Place: Step inside Dan's Silverleaf Bar in Denton, Texas

XPN

Whether they're just starting out or they're big stars, like Leon Russell, it's a place to see live music almost nightly in Denton, Texas.

Dan's Silverleaf on World Cafe

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'Sound Opinions' radio show hosts on the albums that define Chicago

The Staple Singers perform at Wattstax, a benefit concert that took place at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Aug. 20, 1972. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images hide caption

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Sense Of Place

'Sound Opinions' radio show hosts on the albums that define Chicago

XPN

World Cafe asked veteran music journalists Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot of Sound Opinions to choose the definitive Chicago album.

Sound Opinions on World Cafe

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Step inside the 'birthplace of gospel music'

Music director Stanley Stovall stands inside Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, which is widely considered "the birthplace of gospel music." Miguel Perez/WXPN hide caption

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Sense Of Place

Step inside the 'birthplace of gospel music'

XPN

Chicago's Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church played a pivotal role in the evolution of gospel.

Ebenezer Baptist Church on World Cafe

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Chicago's jazz scene was the perfect place for Makaya McCraven to break the rules

Makaya McCraven Sulyiman/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Sulyiman/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place

Chicago's jazz scene was the perfect place for Makaya McCraven to break the rules

XPN

The "beat scientist" and composer chats about his musical upbringing and his approach to remixing live music.

Makaya McCraven on World Cafe

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Here are 5 Chicago soul records you should know

Ayana Contreras Guillaume Ziccarelli/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Guillaume Ziccarelli/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place

Here are 5 Chicago soul records you should know

XPN

Ayana Contreras, host of WBEZ's Reclaimed Soul, talks about what makes Chicago soul special.

Ayana Contreras on World Cafe

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This Chicago store is a must if you're on the hunt for rare, vintage guitars

Instrumentalist Nathaniel Murphy is often called upon to try out the many guitars inside the Chicago Music Exchange. Miguel Perez/WXPN hide caption

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Miguel Perez/WXPN

Sense Of Place

This Chicago store is a must if you're on the hunt for rare, vintage guitars

XPN

The city's Chicago Music Exchange boasts a massive showroom that looks more like a museum of musical instruments.

Chicago Music Exchange on World Cafe

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Chicago's indie music scene is thriving inside this college student's apartment

A crowd gathers before Chicago indie band Friko performs at Eli Schmitt's apartment as part of his New Now concert series. Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Kimberly Junod/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Chicago's indie music scene is thriving inside this college student's apartment

XPN

DePaul University student Eli Schmitt hosts live performances from local bands as part of his New Now series.

New Now on World Cafe

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Chicago rapper Pinqy Ring knows you can't have a music scene without community

Pinqy Ring Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

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Kimberly Junod/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Chicago rapper Pinqy Ring knows you can't have a music scene without community

XPN

The Puerto Rican rapper and educator travels all over the city and the world using hip hop as a way to connect.

Pinqy Ring on World Cafe

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