The Village at Westfield Topanga To Launch KCSN 88.5 FM Remote Studio

BROADCAST BONANZA
Southern California’s hippest public radio music station partners with San Fernando Valley’s newest outdoor social and street retail destination The Village at Westfield Topanga, culminating in an utterly unique studio and performance event venue.

Public radio, at least in its American incarnation, sits at a curious tipping point in this day and age of mobile devices, instant streaming and digital music downloads. To be perfectly honest, there aren’t many millennials that even know what “public radio” is, to say nothing of the fact that these stations are continuing to broadcast from the Frequency Modulation (FM) band on all our radios and tuners – whether they be in our cars, built into our home theater receivers or embedded in the alarm clocks which adorn our bedroom end tables. Yet to a large portion of this country’s population, public radio endures for a variety of reasons, from the fact that there are no commercial breaks (save for fundraising drives during certain months to keep the stations on the air) to the keen focus many of these stations place on a particular genre of music or news, such as jazz or political talk.

For one such Southern California public radio station, a partnership with the San Fernando Valley’s newest outdoor social and street retail destination is taking the local community by storm, enabling residents to experience on-air broadcasts and live music in an entirely new way. In partnering up with KCSN 88.5 FM, often referred to as Southern California’s hippest public radio music station, The Village at Westfield Topanga is showcasing its very own on-site transparent glass-encased radio and performance event venue. As a service of California State University Northridge, KCSN broadcasts a 24-hour, commercial-free blend of rock, alternative, soul, blues and Americana musical genres.

KCSN 88.5 FM’s remote studio and performance venue at The Village at Westfield Topanga will broadcast live on a daily basis, nurturing a growing programming slate that currently includes Mornings with Nic Harcourt Mondays through Fridays, Les Perry’s Saturday with The Beatles and Jim Nelson’s Music Mix on Saturdays, plus Lisa Finnie’s popular Dylan Hour and Masters of Song programs and Pat Baker’s acclaimed Tangled Roots show on Sundays.

Larry Green, Westfield’s Senior Vice President of Development, has been ecstatic since the announcement of the partnership, being quoted as saying, “As Southern California’s premier public radio music station reaching an audience of over 3.5 million listeners, 88.5 KCSN has evolved to become L.A.’s ultimate ‘tastemaker’ with regard to the music scene. This partnership not only provides the opportunity for Westfield’s visitors to engage with their favorite DJs and artists, it allows them to become part of the music experience itself, further complementing the overall vibe we’re creating at The Village.”

In addition to airing music from a plethora of artists, KCSN produces and broadcasts live performances by high-profile and legendary music acts, as well as local artists. These local acts have included bands such as Alabama Shakes, Band of Horses, My Morning Jacket and Snow Patrol, while recognized artists have encompassed Paul Weller, John Hiatt, Los Lobos and John Mellencamp, plus many more. The station will now be able to host these sessions at The Village at Westfield Topanga throughout the week, to include a live performance by one of L.A.’s top local artists every Sunday afternoon.

According to KCSN representatives, a complete list of previous Live Sessions can be viewed at http://www.kcsn.org/archivesplaylist.

Of course, an audio-oriented venue such as the KCSN/Village at Westfield Topanga remote studio would be nothing without its sound gear, and in this department the joint project is more than prepared with a studio that’s been designed by the legendary Harman Group/JBL, world-renowned pioneers in digital multimedia, audio and infotainment systems. Engineers from Harman and its JBL division also supplied and installed staging and audio design sound systems throughout The Village property, infusing the destination with “one of the most sophisticated audio experiences ever to be installed in a retail environment.”

Allowing guests an up-close look at the inner workings of the studio, the KCSN space boasts large, transparent windows as well as a portable 16 x 24-foot-wide performance stage just outside the studio, which has also been designed by Harman/JBL.

Adding to Mr. Green’s comments about the joint venture, KCSN’s General Manager and Program Director Sky Daniels says, “KCSN is excited to have been chosen by The Village at Westfield Topanga to be its curator of popular music and entertainment; we know that Westfield has already attracted some of L.A.’s most iconic retail brands to The Village,and we are honored to be part of that mix. Further, KCSN is delighted to be joined by the engineers at Harman/JBL as they provide a top-flight audio experience.”

Whether it’s taking in the electrifying energy of a live stage show by local or seasoned music artists or catching an on-air broadcast of an intriguing public radio program, one thing is for sure: The Village at Westfield Topanga is becoming the entertainment and shopping venue to watch in 2015…and beyond. Keep checking in with us here at Woodland Hills Magazine for regular updates on this retail mecca, which is becoming even more alluring with the addition of such exhilarating draws as the new KCSN studio and performance venue.

All Confirmed Stores The Village at Westfield Topanga:

Anchors:

Costco, REI, Crate & Barrel, 24 Hour Fitness, Burke Williams

Restaurants:

Cava Grill, EMC Seafood & Raw Bar, Eureka! Gourmet Burgers & Craft Beer, Il Fornaio, Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern, JOEY Topanga, Larsen’s Steakhouse, Le Pain Quotidien, Lucille’s Smokehouse BBQ, Panera Bread, Pieology Pizzeria, Sushi Katsu-Ya, Tender Greens, Veggie Grill, Wokcano, XOC Mex Cuisine

Eateries:

Barista Society, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, ConfeXion, DAVIDsTEA, eatsa, Go Greek Yogurt, Peet’s Coffee, Pressed Juicery, The Slaw Dogs, Sloan’s, Splash Fruits, SusieCakes, Yogurtland

Health & Fitness:

Shall We Dance Studio, YogaWorks

Beauty & Wellness:

18/8 Fine Men’s Salon, Adore Organic Innovation, Blushington, Drybar, Juan Juan Salon, Nail Garden, Planet Beauty, Rain, Skin Laundry, Sugar Nails

Home:

Bassett Furniture, Jonathan Adler, Sur La Table, Z Gallerie

Jewelry & Accessories:

Dejaun Jewelers, Manya Jewelers, Sunglass Hut

Apparel:

Athleta, Eddie Bauer, Everything But Water, Fabletics, J.D. Luxe, J. Jill, M.Fredric, Varga

Electronics:

T-Mobile, Verizon, Video & Audio Center

Financial:

Charles Schwab, Financial Partners Credit Union, Wells Fargo

Specialty Retailers:

Andrei Duman Gallery, Bitter Root Pottery, Fleurish, Healthy Spot, Paper Source, Shoe Doctor, UCLA