An internet radio station takes the sounds of South Beach global
by Joanie Cox
A DJ positions himself between two turntables, his body jerking back and forth in time to the breakbeats rumbling from the speakers set up in one corner of the room. The msic is so loud that the floor is shaking, but this doesn’t deter a petite you woman with butterfly wings attached to her back from running in to the room and reaching for a Red Bull.
“Can you belive the energy in this place?” Vanessa Picart, 33, asks as she puts her drink on the ground to adjust her wings and bust into an impromptu dance. “I’ve got these on because I’m ready to fly tonight.”
Marina Rao, aka VJ Psyberpixie joined The Womb in October and has become its official resident VJ. “A place where you can view visuals and listen to music all day long that’s commerical free and doesn’t cost you a dime is a very cool thing”. She scratches and mixes like a DJ, but adds video clips to accompany the beats, bringing a video element to the station.
“With the whole MTV generation, lighting just isn’t enough anymore. We need to give them a visual and audio experience,” she explains. “I like to custom-make clips. I’ll go to a club with my video camera and film footage there and then broadcast it during a show on The Womb.”
Dj Danny Bled, 37, join the station four years ago and hosts the drum ‘n’ bass show The 4:20 Sessions. “The Womb is spearheading a movement,” he says. “They’re not the only Internet radio station. There are tons more, but they’re going to be a big force in Internet radio.”
