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In the Bicycle Radio studios

July 18, 2010 by Brad 

Last week I was graciously accepted into the Cat 5 Tattoo Studios; the home of Bicycle Radio’s Escape the Peloton, a live streaming internet radio show and downloadable podcast that reaches tens of thousands of listeners around the world. This being Tour de France season, the show’s audience was peaking, and the discussion was hoppin’. Spirits are always high on the show, and as the photos below attest, the broadcast is a fun combination of joviality, professionalism, and great music. Check it out.

After getting permission to bring my camera, I decided to approach the night as a no-flash, low-light challenge. It was much darker in the studio than it looks in the photos. I had fun stretching the camera’s (and this photographer’s) ability to perform in the dark. It’s always good practice, as the halls, churches, and hotel lawns where I photograph so many weddings and receptions are often barely lit. There, I usually have the option of working with flash, on and off-camera. But location limitation, church rules, or technical problems can occasionally leave one with no additional light. So this was a good low-pressure time to practice.

The Bicycle Radio’s production level sounds great — like top-notch terrestrial FM shows. But this is podcasting, right? DIY radio. I expected to find anything other than the slick professional studio that Sean & Larry have put together.

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The show’s host, Sean Mellor, comes from a deep background in commercial radio, and has taken to the new frontier of internet broadcasting with an unmistakable joie de vivre.

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Co-host and producer Larry Hendon is no silent partner behind the boards. His fingerprints are all over the show, and his commentary and insights are entertaining parts of every broadcast.

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Efraim Rojas is the show’s sage of professional cycling, Belgian beers, and all things linguistic.

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Staff-member Marty was there that night too, but he declined to have his image captured and shared with the world. I am one of the lucky few to have seen his face. And alas, the lass Jerri was unusually absent the night of my visit. Without her, the show was without its news and upcoming events for the week.

Did I have a good time? Of course! But I’m not going to spell it all out here. The photos above tell most of the story. Listen to the podcast for the rest. If you’re a cyclist or a fan of the sport, make it a regular part of your routine, especially the live-streaming music show that begins an hour or so before each episode of Escape the Peloton (Tuesdays 7-8pm MST).

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