When LDC Radio hit the airwaves last June, it became the first Leeds-based FM radio station dedicated to dance and underground music to win a broadcasting licence since 1997.

It was the culmination of several years of hard work behind the scenes, bringing together a line-up of DJs and presenters with a shared passion for all things dance – from house, techno and grime, to hip hop, UK garage and drum & bass.

Among those behind the launch was Daniel Tidmarsh, one of the station’s directors, who started mixing tracks as a teenager before hosting his own events and getting his first taste of broadcasting with Leeds pirate radio station Frequency.

More familiar to listeners as Daniel James, he hosts LDC’s Warm Up For The Weekend every Friday afternoon. And the connections he has built in the dance community have led to special guest slots by the likes of Tom Zanetti.

Giving the next generation of talent a route into the industry is just as important to the station though, with one such example being Abi Whistance, a music journalist and DJ who came to Leeds to study. She now hosts the Mothership mid-morning show four days a week, playing a mix of new and old funk, soul and disco tracks.

The station’s ethos is all about creating a real community for its listeners and being a part of daily life in here in the city.

Local businesses have been on air to talk about how they have been coping with all the challenges thrown at them over the last year, while station DJ Amber D – one of the Tidy Girls and now a mental health ambassador – has led discussions around the effect of lockdown on the wellbeing of listeners.
Abi Whistance hosts the Mothership mid-morning show four days a week.

Join the LDC Radio community by tuning in on 97.8FM, online at ldcradio.co.uk or via Alexa.