Red Light Radio as you know it is over. The online radio platform will close the shutters to their studio at Oudekerksplei on Saturday 27 June, subsequently ending all residencies and daily programming.
From July onwards, Red Light Radio will be based out of the RLR AMS Shop, located on Oudezijds Achterburgwal 133 (10 min walk away), sharing the vicinity with Redlight Records, Voyage Select and Knekelhuis.
Despite this saddening news RLR stated “we are working on new ways to bring people together, share amazing music and broadcast from various locations, live events and festivals. We can’t wait to organise more listening sessions and get-togethers from our new homebase as well.”
No doubt the reason behind the decision is multi-faceted. The complex that has housed Red Light Radio (and friends) is to be converted into apartments. Coronavirus has expectedly had a detrimental impact to the day-to-day operations of the radio station and business – “we are a platform that, to a great extent, relies on income generated by events and festival partnerships all over the world”.
Launched in 2010 by Orpheu De Jong and Hugo Van Heijningen – Red Light Radio amassed a loyal and global listenership for its diverse musical programming and residents, all broadcasting live and direct from a former brothel window in the heart of Amsterdam.
In 2016, Inverted Audio was commissioned by Dekmantel to produce Selectors: Red Light Radio & Records – a film directed by Jaroslav Moravec documenting the close knit team behind the venture and their unstoppable passion for music that fuels what they do. Watch it below.