Famed for caffeinated anarchic tendencies
Travelling 22nd Street through the Mission last week I noticed a Victorian flying a pirate pennant – you know, the skull and crossbones – at half-mast. What was up? I couldn’t think of anything in the news, and even Googled to make sure Rupert, famed as the plus-sized pirate-with-a-heart from Survivor, hadn’t passed away from a chicken bone or heart attack or anything.
I was even thinking this could be an opportunity to make up an interesting back story (it’s how “Red Glitter Shoes” came about) – but then the new issue of SF Weekly hit the free news stands and I saw that Pirate Cat Radio (and Cafe!) – the famed promoter of media anarchy and hip coffee in the Mission District – has gone back to the air, and gone legit. So sad when those things happen!
But they actually they went legit last year. After the FCC fined them $10,000 for broadcasting without a license, they became an internet radio station and ceased the pirate, over-the-air broadcast.
Cut to recent events – A few weeks ago a donor gave Monkey (Pirate Cat’s legally so-named owner/operator) a 300 watt broadcast license. It’s not a lot of power, and the license is in Pescadero “a small town in France.” Well, not really, it’s somewhere along the coast of San Mateo County – and now as the over-the-airwaves home of Pirate Cat Radio, it’s about to get a taste of urban hipness that (they can hope) will blend it with what is most likely it’s current hippieness. (Although not a word, it should be, so there!)
Aside from music that cannot actually be heard by non-hipsters (I tried and all I heard was noise) Pirate Cat is mostly famed now for its Bacon Maple Latte – as tasted by Anthony Bourdain! Check the clip below.
And aside from the hippies and cows in Pescadero, the internet will continue as the primary way to check it out. Go ahead now – check it out! (Annoying plug-in seems to be required)
Queeristan - everywhere you are 