Carlota Gonzalez is currently the Midday host and APD/MD on X107.5 in Las Vegas. It’s her second tour on the station during her 25-plus years in Las Vegas, and while the station has changed considerably over the years, one thing remains for sure. When you hear her voice and see her face, you immediately know it’s her and immediately feel like she’s the coolest person in the room. Her plethora of knowledge on the Rock and Alternative formats comes from years of living the lifestyle of the format and living in the Vegas community for just as long. It’s no secret that West Coast Rock is unique, and Las Vegas Rock, even more unique and specific to its territory.
Carlota began her radio career with that grueling commute from Southern to Northern California back in the day. “I was driving from Orange County to Fresno every weekend, just to commute from Fresno to Porterville every Saturday and Sunday Night, then back to The OC,” she explains. “Finally, after about four months of that, I moved to Fresno, where I did the three-hour total commute every day until I landed a gig at KDGE 105.9 The Edge, Fresno, in 1992. From there, I worked at 95.7 The Fox, New Rock 104, and wrapped up my Fresno tour at KRZR, The Wild Hare, under E Curtis Johnson, whom I adore.”
“In March of 1998, I moved to Las Vegas to do middays at X107.5 Xtreme Radio. My four-year stint at Xtreme was some of the craziest radio daze and I will always cherish them. In 2002, I made the move to KOMP 92.3 Las Vegas, where I stayed for 18 years. I was Midday and Music Director. Those days are incredibly special as well. And now, after a pretty torrid Covid time, I’m back at X107.5 in Vegas as APD/MD and Middays.” Her passion project is KilPop, a rock/alt music with attitude website/social media page that covers all things attitude and all things rock.
Even as a Pop Programmer who spent most of her time programming in Vegas, I have always said that Vegas is a Rock market, and no one knows that more than Carlota. “Vegas is indeed a ROCK market, and it’s a special market, a special community,” she says. “And it’s a tight-knit community. We don’t like being told who we are by outsiders who only come here to party and lose their money (and their dignity) on a four-mile stretch of debauchery. We are far more than drinking and gambling. We are a community that cares about each other, and we care about our surroundings. As far as the Alternative format goes because we are a rock town, and the history of Xtreme Radio itself, the Triple A/ Pop/Alt does not work here. Especially if your gold library is the true Alternative, like Green Day, System of a Down, and Nine Inch Nails.”
Speaking of Green Day, Carlota and the powers that be at X107.5 have recently removed all of the band’s music from their library due to some nasty comments Billie Joe Armstrong made about the City of Las Vegas. At a recent concert at Oracle Park, the frontman, originally from Oakland, took a shot at Oakland A’s ownership and Las Vegas after the team’s announcement they would be moving to Vegas in 2028 for good when their new stadium is built. The team played their last game at Oakland Coliseum this week. They will temporarily play in Sacramento until the construction is complete.
“I (expletive) hate Las Vegas. It’s the worst (expletive) hole in America,” said Armstrong. Read the full article here.
“Look, nobody’s pretending us taking them off our playlist is going to have a major impact on the band’s future or finances,” says Carlota. “But I don’t take too kindly to what Billie Joe said about Las Vegas. This city is unique and it’s full of beautiful people. We’re more than just that five-mile stretch over there. It may be the pulse of our economy, but it isn’t the heart or soul of our city. No more Green Day on X107.5.”
Hear her full explanation on air on Instagram
For those of you who don’t know, Xtreme Radio was Active Rock back in the day, And KOMP is still a rock station. X107.5 today is technically considered an Alternative station. I asked Carlota, “Is there a big difference between Rock & Alt, as far as target, content, music, etc? “Yes!” she says. “Alt is a dirty word for those who like rock music and even for those who like Alternative Rock or, as I call it, Rockternative. Alt, IMHO, is thin and too pristine. It has no soul. Rock and/or Rockternative is not only multi-layered, but it has character and cuts and bruises. It has life.”
With Vegas, there are two distinct audiences: those who happen to be listening to the radio while visiting the City of Sin and the residents of Vegas. How do you balance that, or do you pay attention to the tourists at all? “I don’t think about tourists at all,” says Carlota. “They don’t live here, and they don’t have meters lol.”
One of my favorite features on Carlota’s show is “Carlota’s Box Lunch.” “Obviously, it’s a lunch feature that goes like this,” she says. “Winners get lunch for two from whoever and tickets for two to whatever, plus I super-size the box lunch with two requests that get played at the top of the Noon Hour.” Nothing groundbreaking, I know, but as a programmer, it’s great for both at work and lunchtime listening with a decent payoff.
Have you ever found it difficult being in a predominately male-targeted format? “Nah,” she says. “I know how to talk to men and have known forever. Men 25-54 are my spirit animals. But I will say this: I can’t think of any current female groups in the format that stand out right now, although Last Dinner Party does come to mind. I know Linda Lindas are making some noise, and that’s a great thing. I also love Lzzy Halestorm. I root for her, but I’d like to see more.”
After being in the market for so long, what are some of the things you hear most often when you meet people at events or on the street? “Oh, man…I grew up on you,” she says. “I used to listen to you when I was five, and they have grey hair. I’m like, ‘Oh Damn,’ LOL. It’s wonderful, though. It’s an honor to have been a part of so many lives and to have impacted them in a positive way.”
As you can imagine, anyone who has lived in Vegas for as long as Carlota has she’s got some great memories and stories. “There are so many to tell,” she says. “Being Onstage with Metallica for over 2.5 hours with his kids and wife right behind me looking bored because ‘UGH, we’re at dad’s work again.’ Watching so many artists grow through the years, like Godsmack, is also a highlight. But my biggest highlight was my 40-minute interview with Ozzy, as he told me stories through tears of his kids, his wife almost dying, and the fact that he has no idea what he was thinking when he decided to wear purple glitter capes in the 80s.”
OBC has been around for a while; this year, you guys are bringing it back. Talk about the show, its purpose for the station, meaning for the community, etc. “OBC is such a fabric of the history of Xtreme Radio, and when I came back, that was one of the biggest questions: ‘Are you going to bring OBC back?’ So we decided to go for it, even in this incredibly difficult live music climate (especially in Vegas). We decided to put it on in a venue NOT on or near the Strip, where the city of Vegas could easily come to it without the hassles of tourists, traffic, strip craziness in general, and most of all, FREE PARKING. Falling In Reverse is a monster right now, and they are from Vegas, so they were a natural fit to be headliners of the show.”
Carlota’s main concern about the format’s future is whether or not it can grow and thrive. “It’s not gonna happen if they keep trying to take Alternative the Triple A/Hot AC route and giving away the format to Rock radio. It’s bad enough that bands that began in Alternative, who rock would avoid like the plague back in the day, are now considered rock artist not Alternative artist. I mean, I heard there are some Alt stations that are NOT playing the new Linkin Park because it’s too heavy. That disgusts me!”
“We need more programmers with guts and the balls to do it right instead of being scared and only playing ‘safe’ records. We also need a chart for those of us who can’t and won’t be married to the Alt Chart because it’s loaded with a bunch of nonsense that doesn’t fit us. We need a Rockternative chart for us Misfits.”
By The way, Carlota’s thoughts on the new Linkin Park singer, “Love it!” Emily is great. It sounds great. And Mike has every right to continue his band and his legacy.” Another of her favorites: “I think the Dexter and The Moonrocks Song ‘Sad In Carolina’ is a dead heat strike right down the middle for this format. I mean, it feels so 1995 in the best way.”
Follow Carlota @Carlota Gonzalez or Carlota on Facebook and CarlotaVegasRadio on IG.
Charese Fruge’ is an award-winning Content, Broadcast, and Marketing executive with over 20 years of experience in markets like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, San Diego, and Las Vegas. As the owner of MC Media, she works with radio brands and individual talent, especially young women, helping them grow their brands and negotiate on their own behalf. She is also a Voice Actor and Voice Over Talent as well as a Freelance Writer for International Broadcast Outlets. Find her at @MCMediaOnline or www.mcmediaonline.com.
