Vans Ch. 66: LA Phone Home w/ Lil Smiley & Moniloca of Lowrider Sundays (DJ Set)
This week on LA Phone Home, DUBLAB residents Lil Smiley aka Melissa Dueñas and Moniloca aka Monica Robles present a glimpse into their monthly radio Lowrider Sundays. Tune in today at 12PM (PT) on Vans Ch. 66 or Instagram Live.
About Low Rider Sundays:
Part soul music curation of the classic, new, slept-on and rare; part casual conversation with guest DJs, collectors and musicians. Since the show’s inception in 2015, Lowrider Sundays has remained a platform of inclusivity for soul music enthusiasts from Oakland to Osaka. Past guests include deep diggers, first-time spinners and notable artists like Durand Jones, Peanut Butter Wolf, The Indications and Little Willie G of The Midniters.
Melissa Dueñas aka Lil Smiley:
Melissa Dueñas is a DJ and record collector based in Los Angeles. She’s known for her boogie, disco and soul sets, although her musical taste run the gamut from spiritual jazz to lovers rock. She’s opened for artists such as Peanut Butter Wolf, Dam-Funk and Durand Jones and the Indications. Melissa is the founder of Lowrider Sundays, a show on DUBLAB that explores the love of soul music by Latinx communities. She’s also an Artform Radio resident on WorldWideFM where she surveys diverse facets of music culture through her sets and guests. Melissa’s goal is to share knowledge, preserve music history and build community through her sets and radio shows.
Monica Robles aka Moniloca:
Monica Robles aka Moniloca is a vinyl DJ from San Diego, California. She is mostly known for her soul music collection, but plays everything from cumbia to freestyle. Moniloca got her start DJing when she was 15 by playing music at weddings with her uncle. She took a ten-year hiatus after having her daughter, but has been playing nonstop ever since. Currently she is the resident DJ of Sleepwalking, a lowrider oldies and funk night in San Diego. She is also co-hosts the online radio show Lowrider Sundays (DUBLAB) with Melissa Dueñas aka Lil Smiley. Moniloca has played in cities throughout California and the Southwest including Internationally in Japan. She has also opened for artists such as Lee Fields, Durand Jones and the Indications and Kali Uchis. Moniloca plans to continue DJing and collecting records because for her this is not just a hobby, it’s a way of life. El Disco Es Cultura!
ABOUT LA PHONE HOME + VANS CHANNEL 66
Channel 66 takes “Off The Wall & On The Air”, broadcasting live weekdays from New York City, Chicago, Mexico City, and Los Angeles. Vans Channel 66 programming aims to celebrate the unique creative culture of each city featuring DJ sets, curated radio shows, talks, workshops, and performances hosted by Vans friends & family across music, art, action sports, and street culture.
DUBLAB’s LA Phone Home is a bi-monthly series (airing 2nd + 4th Thursday of the month from 12-2pm PST) that will present our extended independent and creative network of community organizers, musicians, DJs, activists, and cultural organizations, with a focus on the multifaceted community of Los Angeles. LA Phone Home will feature forward-thinking conversations, and explorations in music and visual arts, serving as means for communication and expression, and we hope will inspire those to experiment and create.
