East Village radio resurrects for third time with sidewalk studio

After twice going dark, a quirky East Village radio station is back on the air, pumping tunes from its funky sidewalk studio.

Frank Prisinzano, the guy behind Lil' Frankie's on First Ave, fired up East Village Radio again in July, right where it all began 20 years ago. Money troubles forced the station to pull the plug twice before, once in 2014 and again in 2016.

To breathe new life into EVR, Prisinzano teamed up with old pal Jorge Parreira and roped in Brian Turner, a WFMU veteran. The trio aims to fill what they see as a void in curated, freeform radio programming.

"There really aren't any real curated, old-style, FM radio stations," Prisinzano told the New York Times.

From hip-hop to headbangers, the station's lineup is a wild mix of old favorites and fresh faces spinning everything under the sun. You can catch the DJs doing their thing through the fishbowl studio window, keeping that street-level vibe the station's known for.

EVR started out as a rebel pirate station until the feds shut it down, forcing it to find a new home online. It gained a following over the years, hosting shows by prominent figures like producer Mark Ronson and featuring guests such as Amy Winehouse.

Financial pressures, including licensing fees and salaries, led to previous closures. The current iteration aims to be more sustainable by reducing costs and incorporating website advertising.

Turner, the program manager, believes the pandemic-era rise in home podcasting and streaming has created an appetite for community-based radio.

"I think having a community of people together to do it together is the next best step forward," Turner said.

While the station operates with volunteer DJs, the organizers say they remain committed to paying artist royalties. Prisinzano emphasized that the project is not profit-driven.

"I'm just looking to break even," Prisinzano said.