Starpoint Radio is preparing to celebrate forty years on the airwaves with an anniversary party in South London.
The event takes place on Saturday 13 December this year at Soul Fez Nightclub in Putney, bringing together DJs, guests and supporters connected to the station’s long history.
The station began broadcasting in 1985 and grew from London’s black soul music movement, giving airtime to artists and genres that were not being widely heard on other outlets. Its early programmes reflected the rapid rise of jazz funk and soul during the eighties and helped shape the culture surrounding those scenes.
Starpoint was created by Carl Barrington-Webster, who wanted to offer a radio service centred on the music he loved. Carl later expanded the brand through themed events and trips, building a loyal community around the station’s output.
In the mid-eighties the station was heard across areas including Beckenham, Wimbledon, Croydon and Brixton, where it gained a reputation for championing black soul music. Supporters of the time recall how Starpoint’s programmes provided something different from the mainstream, both in sound and perspective.
The station now broadcasts online with a daily schedule covering soul, jazz, R and B, old skool, club classics, rare soul, groove and funk, presented by a team of experienced DJs. Its current plans include exploring opportunities to reach listeners across South London on DAB plus.
Anniversary organisers say they would like to hear from anyone involved with the station’s journey since 1985. A spokesperson added that the evening in Putney will feature “a top line-up of DJs, special guests and more” as part of the celebrations.
This story first appeared on radiotoday.co.uk