Mondays On Blast - A look Back & The Future

Bob Giusti - [email protected]

I’m an old school guy and was around before cable TV (let alone the internet). There were three 
major networks back then and one of their favorite formats was the variety show. The variety format meant just that; a little something for everyone. One of the more popular programs, The Ed Sullivan Show, on any given Sunday featured magicians, jugglers, comics, a song from the original cast of a Broadway show, and of course something for the teenagers (Elvis, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones). It was all live and the audience was an integral part of the show.For the past two years the variety format lives on with 990WBOB’s Mondays On Blast show.

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Broadcast live from its current location on Richmond Street in Providence (The Spot on Top), the show became a major ratings stealer with BOB listeners making it a consistent weekly choice. And why not?

MOB has presented a full range of local and regional talent in music and comedy from the get go. A sampling of acts over the two years includes: The Stilts, Satellites Fall, Torn Shorts, Tester, North East Traffic, Vudu Sister,  Jon Perrotta, Ahmed Bharooocha, Dan Martin, Doug Key, John Porch.

This list should include comics and feature some of the more successful performers.

MOB also made it an easy night out by providing free admission and plenty of free parking. It was
a great way to get a taste of the local scene without the hassles of downtown on a weekend.

The show was hosted most weeks by (Joe) Ferro and Doug Key (for comedy) with appearances 
from The Pal and other WBOB personalities getting the audience psyched into the spirit of being 
broadcast live. The energy that fills the room has a contagious effect on the performers who
usually rise to the occasion by blazing through an abbreviated set featuring their best material. 
At home, listeners get a feel for a ringside seat in a nightclub from the comforts of home. Bands 
and comics get a decent live recording of their gig...it's a win/win situation for everybody. This is the way terrestrial radio used to sound before television, so I find it comforting to see the variety format still an audience pleaser in this latest technological broadcast medium. Who knows when the next scene favorite will break out from the pack?

 Monday nights on Blast has come to a halt as far as a weekly series. 990WBOB has decided to up the ante and offer a monthly showcase, with changes always in the works to keep 
the show relevant and fresh (not always an easy task). The one thing that will remain the same is WBOB’s commitment to providing great coverage for local artists and the fun of the live entertainment experience.