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Artwork for Alternative To What?

Alternative To What?

CJSW 90.9 FM
Calgary
High Line Brewing
Highline Brewing
CJSW 90.9 FM
Calgary, Canada
Jazz
CJSW
Music
Festival Of Animated Objects
Avant-Garde Music
Dolly Wiggler Cabaret
Ambient Music
Rock
Indie Music
Christmas
Calgary Underground Film Festival
Animal Collective
Puppetry
Experimental Performance
Luis Tovar

Enticing, sometimes challenging, music from the vast underground for thirsty ears and enquiring minds: post-punk, instrumental, math rock, avant, jazz, electronic, indie, funk and global grooves. Kerry has been mashing up independent, non-commercial sounds that cross disciplines and decades since 1987. Sponsored by High Line Brewing

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes27Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Music

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Artwork for Alternative To What?

Latest Episodes

Playlist:

* yoo doo right - the moral compass of a self-driving car

* Leah Callahan - irish goodbye

* harriet tubman - five points

* tom waits - the fly

* Phreqed - the waking up

* Yea-Ming and the Rumors - uncommon dreaming

* leenalch... more

Playlist:

* adrian younge - revolutionize

* animal collective - walker

* mùm - cycle boats

* postnamers - better angels

* charlie watts/jim keltner - charlie watts/jim keltner project

* emiliana torrini - black water

* Astral Swans - n... more

Guest host: Andrew Waller, from Breaking The Tethers!

Playlist:

* Pigface, Genesis P-Orridge - Howler side 1

* Barry Miles - Little heart of pieces

* Litosth - Monolith

* Joni Mitchell - Goodbye blue sky

* CHEER-ACCIDENT - The next fog

... more

Playlist:

* african head charge - no, don't follow fashion

* aja monet - every media minute

* Confusion - jumps into the width

* niloo - evil eye

* alabaster deplume - what can it take?

* Leah Callahan - irish goodbye

* Bondo - zuma

... more

Key Facts

Accepts Sponsors
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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Carolyn Mark
Canadian singer-songwriter
NQ Arbuckle (collaborator), solo artist
Episode: Alternative To What? - Episode July 2, 2026
Emiliano Tarini
Musician, conductor of Colorist Orchestra
Colorist Orchestra
Episode: Alternative To What? - Episode June 11, 2026
Brad Barr
Brad Barr of the Barr Brothers
The Barr Brothers
Episode: Alternative To What? - Episode May 14, 2026
Raymond Creamer
Filmmaker and interviewee for GOODIE GOODIEPlaylist
Independent film maker / Calgary Underground Film Festival guest
Episode: Alternative To What? - Episode April 16, 2026
Alex Mortia
Filmmaker of Friday the 69th
Independent filmmaker
Episode: Alternative To What? - Episode April 16, 2026
Jocelyn Mah
Puppetry artist and performer, part of Festival of Animated Objects and Dolly Wiggler Cabaret
Festival of Animated Objects / Dolly Wiggler Cabaret
Episode: Alternative To What? - Episode March 12, 2026
Amethyst Kia
Musician featured on the show
Episode: Alternative To What? - Episode February 19, 2026
Moberg Travesty
Guest to be featured in next set
Moberg Travesty (jazz group)
Episode: Alternative To What? - Episode February 12, 2026
Jeff McCloud
Special guest, multiple bands in town including Jolie Led
Calgary music scene
Episode: Alternative To What? - Episode December 18, 2025

Hosts

Kerry Clark
Host of Alternative To What?. Calgary-based presenter involved in CGSW / CJSW 90.9 FM.
Andrew Waller
Guest host and regular host, often filling in for Kerry and guiding episodes.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 12 ratings
  • Laid back and well put together

    Like the laid back atmosphere and hearing artists I otherwise would not discover.

    Had to stop my subscription because some episodes are ‘county-heavy’, which is not my genre of choice, but it’s a regional radioshow so of course they should be able to play what they want! Keep it up, greetings from Alkmaar NL.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Minomatic
    Netherlands8 years ago
  • Another stunning show from CJSW

    Being from the UK, I happened to just stumble across this show and have gone on to listen to various other shows from this great radio station. The breadth of musical variety is fantastic

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SteveP_UK
    United Kingdom9 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some listeners want more genre variety beyond the county/region focus but still praise breadth of underground picks and host banter.
Listeners appreciate the laid-back, discovery-driven music mix and strong sense of local community.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Alternative To What? - Episode July 2, 2026
Q: What is your favourite sort of situation for collaboration, especially for albums?
She explains a preference for one song at a time with rotating collaborators rather than completing an entire album in a single sitting, describing travel-based recording approaches and varied lineups.
Alternative To What? - Episode July 2, 2026
Q: Could you talk about your history with the great NQ Arbuckle?
Carolyn recounts meeting NQ Arbuckle in Toronto when he was a booking agent, their musical chemistry, and how collaborations developed into shared albums and tours.
Alternative To What? - Episode July 2, 2026
Q: You have lots of favorite collaborators. Let's talk about the one you have tonight.
Carolyn describes working with NQ Arbuckle and other collaborators, highlighting the evolving dynamic when different players join in; she emphasizes how performances and recordings come together in Toronto and across Canada, with each session shaping the record.
Alternative To What? - Episode April 16, 2026
Q: How did you come up with the idea and decide to expand from a short concept to a feature-length film?
The idea grew from a true-to-life moment inspired by a cousin's home birth, then combined with historical witchcraft lore to shape a continuous labor sequence that you could watch in real time, pushing the birth into the center of the story rather than cutting away.
Alternative To What? - Episode September 5, 2024
Q: Where do you buy your clothes?
I love finding unique pieces at yard sales and thrift shops, but I also enjoy designer fashion.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
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Frequently Asked Questions About Alternative To What?

What is Alternative To What? about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A locally rooted, music-forward program that blends a broad spectrum of underground sounds—post-punk, jazz, indie, instrumental, and world-influenced tracks—with host banter, guest interviews, and frequent sponsor mentions. Episodes emphasize community radio culture, Calgary's music and arts scene, and DIY approaches to production and programming. Notable recurring elements include cross-genre playlists, live gig pointers, and strong ties to the station's sponsor network, giving it a warm, community-driven vibe that appeals to curious listeners who want discovery alongside context and local scene updates.

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Which podcasts are similar to Alternative To What??

These podcasts share a similar audience with Alternative To What?:

1. Behind the Bastards

How many episodes of Alternative To What? are there?

Alternative To What? launched 10 years ago and published 27 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Alternative To What??

Recent guests on Alternative To What? include:

1. Carolyn Mark
2. Emiliano Tarini
3. Brad Barr
4. Raymond Creamer
5. Alex Mortia
6. Jocelyn Mah
7. Amethyst Kia
8. Moberg Travesty

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