By Kaylen Ross
As the beat drops, neon lights reflect off drinks and local DJs spin tracks at a crowded dive bar in St. Petersburg, The Bends. Seen as the heartbeat of Sector FM, a Florida-based radio station, the faces behind the music come from Vonne Parks and Andre “Dre” Gainey, members of the band They Hate Change.
The idea to create a radio station was sparked through live broadcasts and community-centered events while touring the U.K.
“When we saw how simplified live radio could be, we thought, the Gulf Coast needs this—a radio station,” Gainey said.
Their vision was met with enthusiastic support from friends back home, including Zoe Robinson, also known as DJ Fesssi K. According to Gainey, their friends were eager to help turn that vision into reality, turning what started as a side quest into a community movement.
Parks and Gainey’s experiences on tour ignited the concept for Sector FM, Gainey said. According to the two artists, they were exposed to a vibrant radio culture in the U.K. and realized the potential for something similar in their hometown.
“There’s always something sick going on,” Robinson said. “I get put onto so much new music. A lot of us are really into DJing or singing ourselves, but we also love listening to other stations like NTS and Foundation FM. It made perfect sense to bring that energy to St. Pete, where we knew it could create real influence.”
Although Sector FM’s studio recordings take place at St. Petersburgs The Factory, The Bends’ atmosphere comes alive during live performances, giving audiences an in-person taste of the magic of radio, Robinson said.
A key factor in Sector FM’s success has been its partnership with The Bends, a dive bar that has become the venue for many of the radio station’s live shows. A frequent customer of The Bends emphasized the synergy between the station and the dive bar.
“Sector FM has brought a unique energy to the space, boosting foot traffic and connecting us with a whole new crowd,” the customer said.
The return of live music has revitalized The Bends, making it a central gathering spot for fans of St. Pete’s ever-evolving music scene.
For artists like Deja Denice, a singer and DJ who has performed on Sector FM, she said the platform has been a refreshing experience.
“In less than a year, I went from being the oddball listener and being scared to get on aux around friends to DJing at a festival,” Denice said. “On Sector FM, there are no oddities, but we are side-eying if you’re moving inauthentically.”
Through programming that has an emphasis on community engagement, Sector FM is becoming a cornerstone of St. Pete’s underground music scene.
“The goal is to keep growing, feature more artists outside of our friend bubble, and make live radio something so undeniably vital within our city,” Parks said.