Live 105 returns to the airwaves on Monday, while Dave FM goes bye-bye

It’s time to rejoice, modern rock fans, as the legendary Live 105 radio station is set to return to the Bay Area airwaves on Monday.

It will not be so happy a day, however, for those who dig 105.3 Dave FM.

That relatively young station format goes bye-bye the moment Live 105 signs back on, confirms David Heim, manager of corporate communications and PR for radio station owner Audacy.

Live 105 (KITS-105.3 FM), a modern-rock powerhouse for decades, was rebranded in 2017 as Alt 105.3, which kept the same format. Then came the switch to adult hits — and what’s billed as “totally random radio” — with Dave in 2021.

Live 105 makes its return on Monday at, appropriately enough, 10:53 a.m.

“The people have spoken, and we are excited to answer the call,” says Stacey Kauffman, regional vice president and market manager for Audacy San Francisco and Sacramento. “We are proud to bring back this local favorite that gives our loyal listeners and favorite alternative artists from the ’90s to today a place to call home again, right here in the Bay Area.”

Live 105.3 will now feature “music from every era of its history as the ‘Bay Area’s Alternative’” and core artists will include Red Hot Chili Peppers, Linkin Park, The Killers, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Blink-182, Foo Fighters, Depeche Mode, the Cure and more,” according to a news release.

“Our entire team has great respect and admiration for what Live 105 means to the Bay Area alternative community,” says brand manager John Allers. “We will continue to honor Live 105’s rich history and legacy by bringing back brand mainstays such as ‘Soundcheck’ with Aaron Axelsen and other familiar voices while collaborating with Live 105 alumnus ‘Miles the DJ’ in guiding the evolution of Live 105 into the future.”

Modern rock fans will be able to listen via regular terrestrial radio at 105.3 FM as well as the Audacy app and website (audacy.com). Fans will also be able to check out live105.com — although Allers says that content will be very limited to start — as well as connect to social channels (twitter.com/live105fm, facebook.com/Live105fm and instagram.com/live105fm).

Those tuning in Monday will hear all those familiar alt-rock tunes, but what they won’t initially hear are any DJs or on-air personalities at this early stage in the reintroduction.

“The first priority is to re-establish that the Live 105 music is back on the radio,” Allers says.

There is some plan to reintroduce some on-air personalities — such as Axelsen and his “Soundcheck” show — but to what extent, and how it will be done, has yet to be decided. The overall on-air staff has not yet been announced.

“We are still cultivating that plan,” Ayers says.

Of course, what truly endeared the original Live 105 to music fans extended far beyond its spot on the radio dial. The station was able to greatly build its brand and connect with untold thousands of fans through its many events — the most notable of which being its once-annual Not So Silent Night and BFD concerts — and Allers is looking into ways to try and re-establish that connection.

“We really want this (station) to be part of the community again,” he says.