KLLC (97.3 FM, "Alice @ 97.3") is a commercial radio station located in San Francisco, California, broadcasting to the San Francisco Bay Area. KLLC airs an Hot AC music format same as KZZO in Sacramento and on 97.3 HD-2 is Chill With Alice, a Chill format channel. According to the radio industry website, RadioStats.Net, KLLC's site is the most visited Modern AC radio station website in America.

History[link]

The 97.3 MHz frequency signed on the air in 1947 as KXKX. 97.3 FM was home to Family Radio's KEAR since 1956. On September 13, 1978, Family Radio purchased a much stronger frequency, which saw KEAR and their format move to 106.9, as part of a three-way deal that also saw KCBS-FM move from 98.9 MHz to 97.3 MHz. KCBS-FM, now known as "97K", programmed an adult contemporary/Top 40 format. Over the years, the station evolved in more of a classic hits direction. For a time, they aired the syndicated American Top 40.

In January 1982, KCBS-FM became KRQR, "The Bay Area Rocker", with a hard album-oriented rock (AOR) format, to compete against leading rock station KMEL. KRQR's harder approach helped start a long run as a dominant rock station. The year was a busy one for Bay Area rock stations. In May of that year, KSFX dropped rock and went to a talk format as KGO-FM. A month later, on August 23, KQAK switched to rock as "The Quake". And in September, KFOG dropped beautiful music for a more eclectic mix of rock.

Even with four AOR stations in San Francisco, in addition to two more in San Jose, KRQR still dominated amidst the stiff competition. KQAK was the first to give up, dropped AOR in April 1983 [1] and picking up modern rock. But KRQR and KFOG put lots of pressure on the tightly-formatted KMEL, which flipped to CHR in 1984.

KRQR's rock format continued throughout the 1980s and up to 1993, when they repositioned as a classic rock station. By 1995, the AOR format was in decline across the country, as modern rock was on the rise. Management responded by blowing up KRQR and introducing a new station, KLLC, "Alice 97.3".

Programming[link]

The station's most popular show has been in weekday morning drive. Originally known as "The Sarah and Vinnie Show", it was hosted by Sarah Clark (a.k.a. Sarah Emily Lyman) and Vinnie Hasson, then known as Vinnie Crackhorn, until he was fired in 2002 because of his problems with alcohol.^[1] After a several month search for a replacement for Vinnie, the station selected Mike Nelson, a.k.a. "The DJ with No Name", to become the co-host of the renamed "Sarah and No-Name Show". After 6 years, Nelson was let go by station management on July 17, 2008, who announced that Vinnie would re-team with Sarah starting on August 4, 2008, returning the show's name to "The Sarah and Vinnie Show."^[2] Nelson has since returned to his previous station, Live 105 as the host of their morning show.^[1]

Weekdays at noon, the station features a program called "Retro in the Metro", which plays a variety of songs that were released before 2000. The majority of the playlist is composed of music from the 1980s.

Off-air activities[link]

The station sponsors 3 seasonal concerts each year - the free "Summerthing" show in June and the "Now and Zen Fest" in September, both in Golden Gate Park, and "Alice in Winterland" in December. Featured acts have included Alanis Morissette, Duran Duran, Five for Fighting, Smash Mouth, and Train. Recordings from the concerts and other live appearances on the station are collected into the annual "This is Alice Music" CD, which is sold to raise funds donated to Breast cancer research and treatment charities.

Summerthing lineups[link]

• 2012, Adam Lambert, Scars on 45, Rebecca Ferguson.
• 2011, OneRepublic, Matt Nathanson, Parachute, Andrew Allen,^{[disambiguation needed ]} and Michelle Branch.
• 2010, Lifehouse, Kris Allen, One eskimO, Thriving Ivory.
• 2009, Matt Nathanson, Parachute, Sugar Ray, Gavin Rossdale.
• 2008, Lifehouse, Ingrid Michaelson, The Last Goodnight, Marié Digby, Secondhand Serenade.
• 2007, Smash Mouth, Everclear, Mat Kearney.
• 2006, Cake, Missy Higgins, O.A.R..
• 2005, Hootie & the Blowfish, Jem, Better Than Ezra.
• 2004, Smash Mouth, Five for Fighting, Berlin, Gavin DeGraw.
• 2003, Luce, Macy Gray.

Now and Zen Fest lineups[link]

• 2011, Goo Goo Dolls, Michelle Branch, and Eoin Harrington.
• 2010, Sara Bareilles, Plain White T's, Natasha Bedingfield, Five for Fighting, and Ryan Star.
• 2009, Train, Colbie Caillat, Howie Day, and Dashboard Confessional.
• 2008, Sara Bareilles, Gavin DeGraw, Sugar Ray, Duffy, and Lenka.
• 2007, James Blunt, Joss Stone, and Gin Blossoms.
• 2006, The B-52's, Blue October, Augustana, Gnarls Barkley, Carbon Leaf.
• 2005, Maroon 5, Duran Duran, Josh Kelley, Natasha Bedingfield.
• 2004, Howie Day, Dashboard Confessional, Tears for Fears.
• 2003, Duran Duran, Liz Phair, Seal, Maroon 5
• 2002, Train, India.Arie The Wallflowers, Aimee Mann
• 2001, Alanis Morissette, Macy Gray, Melissa Etheridge
• 2000, Dogstar, Tonic, Travis, The Go-Go's and Beck.
• 1999, Jewel, Cake, Old 97's, Fleming & John.
• 1998, The Wallflowers, Smash Mouth, Des'ree, Anggun, Sixpence None the Richer.

Alice in Winterland / Alice @97.3 Green Christmas Hosted by Sarah and Vinnie lineups[link]

• 2011, Kid Rock, and Christina Perri.
• 2010, Train, Michael Franti, and Christina Perri.
• 2009, Ingrid Michaelson, Uncle Kracker, and Diane Birch.
• 2008, Marc Roberge, Richard On, Alanis Morissette, Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, Buckcherry, Lenka, and Justin Nozuka.
• 2007, The Kooks, Colbie Caillat.
• 2006, Scissor Sisters, Soul Asylum.
• 2005, Eoin Harrington, Switchfoot, Alanis Morissette.
• 2004, Joss Stone, Jem, Los Lonely Boys, Rachael Yamagata.
• 2003, Howie Day, Pete Yorn, Counting Crows, Guster.
• 2002, Coldplay, Frou Frou.
• 2001, Matt Nathanson, Jewel.
• 2000, Nelly Furtado, Everclear, Fastball.
• 1999, Barenaked Ladies, Dido, Joan Osbourne.

Alice's Mad Hatter Birthday Bash![link]

• 2009, Hoobastank, Smash Mouth, Plain White T's.

See also[link]

• KALC, Alice 105.9, Denver, Colorado
• KALZ, Alice 96.7, Fowler, California
• KLCA, Alice @ 96.5, Tahoe City, California

References[link]

• "KQAK FM 99 - The Quake - August 23, 1982". http://www.bayarearadio.org/audio/kqak/kqak_alex-bennett_aug-23-1982.shtml. Retrieved 2007-01-13. 

External links[link]

• Alice @ 97.3 official website
• Query the FCC's FM station database for KLLC
• Radio-Locator information on KLLC
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for KLLC