Up + Adam with Adam Montiel

Slo Town, Fast Tech: Can AI Help You Be Musically Creative or is it Cheating? Michael Venia from Carbon City Lights Opens Up
What if your favorite song was written... by artificial intelligence? We kick off this episode exploring one of the most buzzed-about topics in music: AI and creativity—how it’s changing the landscape for musicians, and what it means for fans, songwriters, and storytellers alike. Adam welcomes Michael Venia, lead singer of award-winning indie alt-rock band Carbon City Lights, into the LoBro Studios at Timbre Winery in San Luis Obispo for a rich and wide-ranging conversation.
Michael shares stories of growing up in Saudi Arabia, coming to the States, and how his cultural background influences his music. We also dig into his creative process, how he and his wife collaborate musically (and on TikTok), and how tools like AI are becoming part of the songwriting journey. Plus, yes - we get two live performances during the show.
Catch Carbon City Lights live this Saturday, April 12 at Rod & Hammer Rock in SLO, performing with Big Sierra. Expect high vibes, original music, fresh covers, and a few surprises. Thanks to Michael for hanging, and to Timbre Winery for hosting us at their incredible LoBro Studios.
Always check out and taste the excellent wines from the excellent people at Timbre Winery. Visit TimbreWinery.com to learn more.
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LINKS:
- Carbon City Lights – Official Website
- Tickets for April 12 at Rod & Hammer Rock
- Carbon City Lights on Instagram
- Carbon City Lights on YouTube
- Timbre Winery
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Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective
Moonshiner on Spotify HERE
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