Music-lovers in search of a club that allows them to impact campus life, share their music, and spend time with other music-lovers should look no farther than Mines Internet Radio (MIR) and the Colorado School of Mines Broadcasting Club (CSMBC).
“MIR began as an EPICS project in 2005. A group of students were trying to explore different broadcast media that were viable on campus, and that is where CSMBC began,” said MIR President Benjamin Goertz, a senior majoring in Mining Engineering.
“This year we have 47 unique shows and a total of 59 hours of live music, not including the… sports broadcasting we do.” The radio features all genres of music from classic rock to techno and variety/request shows. Some of the more popular shows include the “Freak Show” which has been playing classic and heavy rock for two and a half years, “Double Black Diamond,” and “Octung,” which plays German music on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Becoming involved is easy. “We are looking for people who want to create a show, a character, and a feel that our listeners can relate to,” said Goertz, “and we are also looking for people interested in the technology behind it.” While MIR does most of its recruiting at Celebration of Mines, they look for new members throughout the year. Describing the club, Goertz said “It’s pretty laid-back. Most of the people have a passion for their music, which is what we love. They understand that their taste is their taste, but everyone appreciates what each [other] contributes in the studio.”
While the DJs are volunteers, producers are paid through work study at MIR. Therefore, some understanding of producing is a prerequisite. Goertz suggests taking the music technology class offered at Mines. Those who complete the course are well on their way to earning $7.50 an hour at a job that offers flexible hours and consists of doing something fun – listening to music.
MIR also has a few activities throughout the year and hopes to acquire more venues to broadcast through. One well-publicized effort is their pursuit to be broadcast in Slate Café and the Student Center, an effort the club hopes to have completed by late October. Also in October and later in the winter, MIR is hoping to do 24-hour shows, when all the DJs get together and play music for 24 hours straight.
The website for MIR is radio.mines.edu. There, students can indulge in a campus-wide source of entertainment that has existed for over six years, and continues to make music, much to the pleasure of Mines students’ ears.