Daily Loaf

Routes Music is a documentary film acting as a roving music census, taking in the true musical passions (and disgusts) of the American people. We’re traveling all across the country, stopping along the way to interview local bands, take footage of live performances and chat with anyone and everyone. Learn more about the documentary here; check out all previous entries here.

The first thing we noticed on Austin’s infamous Sixth Street was the preponderance of clubs. Not the live music that Austin is known for, but booming bass beckoning babes in short skirts (and the dudes chasing them). Roads blocked off … police bored and leering … drunk college kids swaying from one sidewalk to another … a street musician, here or there, drowned out by the latest pop hits.

To find some music that wasn’t prerecorded, the Routes Music crew had to drive across town to locally-owned and operated Violins Etc., a full service string shop.

Inside, we were greeted by hundreds of violins – some brand new and ready for sale, others in various states of disrepair – as well as the employees who fixed them.
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Dr. John’s stage persona (pictured), “The Night Tripper,” is as big and colorful as the Big Easy — he embodies the culture and heritage of his hometown of New Orleans, and his latest project is a tribute to Duke Ellington and Johnny Mercer. Dr. John and the Lower 911 take the stage with “The Sauce Boss” Bill Wharton. Visit mypalladium.org for more info. Thurs., Nov. 5, 8 p.m., Palladium Theater, $45.

This week’s installment in the Dalí and Beyond Film Series of shocking and surreal cinema is  5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, a live-action Dr. Seuss adaptation about Bart, who hates his piano lessons with Dr. Terwilliker and is dragged to a dream world where his piano professor is ruler and the students become his subjects. Visit salvadordalimuseum.org for more info. Thurs., Nov. 5, 6 p.m., Salvador Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, $5 after 5 p.m. Read the rest of this entry »

And now for something completely different … An anomalous evening of music was presented by ThxMgmt at New World Brewery featuring Orlando’s Vasti (pictured below), and Tampa’s Acho Brother and Chris Tolan this past Saturday, September 12.

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All right, I must confess that I caught my real “first Florida” show before my St. Pete Times Forum/ Green Day experience. Stick Martin performed at Skipper’s Smokehouse in July, and it was a great introduction to the Tampa music scene, but the lineup at New World Brewery in Ybor City this past Saturday, August 15, was indeed the actual initiation. (King of Spain pictured at right.)

As a veteran Northwest concertgoer who recently re-located from Oregon to Florida, a place my sister described as “not being able to get any further away,” I had my suspicions that perhaps the music, the performers, the bands, the whole scene could also be “further away” from anything I was used to. Unaware as to whether or not those differences would be good or bad, I walked into New World with the “Ybor Square” sign looming in the backdrop and I felt completely comfortable, a surprise and delight.

First of all, it was my grand introduction to Ybor City. I’d heard many people say I needed to go there but the closest I’d made it was IKEA, which doesn’t exactly count. NWB was tucked in and pretty quiet when I arrived. I walked past a few people running around the stage area and a DJ setting up. A quick scan of the place left no indication of who was performing and who was just grabbing a drink or ordering pizza that smelled really good. It was still early. Read the rest of this entry »

Back in the day, films like Shaft, Foxy Brown and Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song styled funkalicious jazzy soundtracks, tough black heroes and heroines and corrupt white cops and politicians. A new genre was born, both celebrating and exploiting black culture, targeting urban African-American audiences with its style and subject matter. Some of the best of these films have become cult favorites, and have influenced new filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino, whose Jackie Brown paid explicit homage to the genre he’d grown up on and loved.

Shaft was remade in slick Hollywood style by John Singleton (Boyz ‘n The Hood) in 2000, featuring Samuel Jackson in the title role. But for the original low budget style and campy flair you had to go to the bargain bin DVD versions, until now.

Scott Sanders’ blacksploitation spoof Black Dynamite premieres this year as one of the “Midnight” category films at Sundance. If the trailer below is anything to go by, the funky magic and excitement appears to be back. Black Dynamite looks hilarious and hotter than TNT: Read the rest of this entry »

Got an email from Mj’s Martini and Jazz Lounge chef Domenica Macchia saying that she is now the former chef. According to her, the restaurant and bar let her go because it is heading more for a downscale menu and vibe that she calls “roadhouse”.

Although I didn’t want to put it my review of the place, I could see something like this coming. MJ’s is in a truly rotten spot — a block off of Gandy and 4th St. N in Pinellas, hidden behind an overgrown and shuttered Bennigan’s, far away from any foot traffic. CL’s own Eric Snider couldn’t find much of merit in the jazz acts that MJ’s had on their schedule and the decor, although adequate, isn’t going to draw people to the place. Macchia’s damn fine cuisine was the only thing going for the place. It’ll be interesting to see how long the venue lasts without her.

Anyone have an opening for a great executive chef? We need to keep people like Macchia from heading off to greener pastures in bigger cities.

UPDATE: Macchia sent me a note saying “I have a mortgage so yeah im sticking around.” She hopes to go back to downtown St. Pete, if she can.