Tampa Calling

It was ridiculously hot. It took me 15 minutes to realize that my white wife beater would become my face towel for the day. It was loud. It was colorful. It was my first time at Vinoy Park. And finally, at the age of 24, it was my first time experiencing Warped Tour.

It’s been three years since I attended a music festival and as I walked through the ticket line into a field filled with tents, stages, beer stands and even a slip n’ slide, I instantly recalled why I love outdoor fests; passing through the gates meant entering a world of the unpredictable and the unexpected. I didn’t know what kind of crazies I’d come across (there were bound to be some amidst the 10,000 attendees), what kind of new music I’d hear, or how pleased I’d be with the bands I was there to support. Read the rest of this entry »

A quick breakdown of this weekend’s most worthy concerts beginning with Thursday, ’cause that’s when the weekend really starts, right? For a more comprehensive schedule of concerts, check out our Upcoming Events page.

Thursday, July 23
Nightmare Of You (pictured) w/Plushgun/Brian Bonz/Aushua In Nightmare of You’s single, “I Think I’m Getting Older,” frontman Brandon Reilly laments about aging against jangly guitars and post-punk bounce, and right before it peters to an end, there’s a brief breakdown of lazy, watery dub. Haven’t heard the rest of the Long Island, NY, four-piece quartet’s just-released second album, Infomaniac (Bevonshire), but my curiosity is piqued. Plushgun and Brian Bonz are both Brooklynites; Plushgun does cloying electro-pop (oft-described as “infectious”) while Bonz has a husky vocals and a pleasant ambience to his organic experimental rock. Thurs., July 23, 9 p.m., Crowbar, Ybor City, $10 in advance/$12 dos (18 and up).

Ex-Norwegian w/The Lighthouse and the Whaler /Pemberley While the name may imply far away origins (or an appreciation of Monty Python’s Flying Circus), Ex-Norwegian hails from Miami Beach and their music has the bright and shiny quality you’d expect with hand-claps, acoustic guitar and cheery vocals. Ohio’s Lighthouse and the Whaler make airy folk rock with percussive trimmings and multi-voice harmonizing that give the music a tender, rustic feel. Thurs., July 23, 9 p.m., New World Brewery, Ybor City, $7. Read the rest of this entry »

Dozens and dozens of acts will make it onto Tampa Bay area concert stages this summer. Here’s our best bets, in a wide range of genres.

Stanton Moore The bespectacled founder of NOLA funk purveyors Galactic is widely regarded as one of the best drummers currently drawing air. This show has him in a trio setting with estimable guitarist Will Bernard and keyboardist Robert Walter. The small ensemble allows room for Moore to strut his Crescent City-honed skills. Expect expansive jamming and finely honed interplay. (Video: Stanton Moore Trio performing at Emerald Lounge in Asheville, N.C., Sept. 10, 2008.) (May 28, Crowbar, Ybor City) —Eric Snider

Sunday, May 31 WMNF Jazz Jam feat. Sam Rivers/PBS/World Afro-Cuban Ensemble/Infinite Groove Orchestra/Impromptu/Trio Vibe/others TBA Tampa Bay’s community radio station has been putting together more jazz events of late — thank you for that — this being one of the more ambitious. Saxophonist Sam Rivers, 83, was once a front-rank player on the New York (and thus international) avant-garde scene. He’s settled into legendhood well, living in Orlando and taking gigs as he pleases. A potpourri of locally-based acts rounds out the bill. (May 31, Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa) —ES Read the rest of this entry »

This just in! Submit for your chance to play The “Kia Kevin Says” Stage on the 2009 Vans Warped Tour. This is an opportunity for a Tampa band to get noticed and maybe even sell a few CDs.

Sonicbids has partnered with Warped Tour to bring bands this opportunity. The Kia Kevin Says Stage is a stage on the Warped Tour that features hand-picked local, regional, and independent bands in every market. There is one performance slot in each market reserved for a Sonicbids artist.

Confirmed bands for the 2009 Warped Tour include: Thrice, 3OH!3, The Ataris, Chiodos, The Devil Wears Prada, Bad Religion, Flogging Molly, Less Than Jake, NOFX, Anti-Flag, Bouncing Souls, Silverstein, Underoath and many more.

Deadline is April 1. To register, go to www.sonicbids.com/warpedtour

This might make for a nice road trip in early March. Harvest of Hope, a non-profit organization that provides financial, educational, and service oriented aid to migrant farm workers all over the country, has organized a three-day alternative music festival on the St. John’s County Fairgrounds, a short distance from St. Augustine, Fri.-Sun., March 6-8. The lineup is surprisingly strong and the price is right. ($19.50 for a day pass/$39.50 for a three-day pass).

Here’s a partial list of confirmed acts:

Against Me!, Propagandhi, Girl Talk, The Bouncing Souls, Strike Anywhere, Smoke or Fire, Lucero, This Bike is a Pipe Bomb, Mute Math, Bomb the Music Industry, Tim Barry (AVAIL), Fake Problems, Grabass Charlestons, Ninja Gun, O Pioneers!, Whiskey & Co., Underground Railroad to Candyland, Bridge & Tunnel, Tim Version, Paul Baribeau, Young Livers, Brainworms, E.Y.C., Eric Ayotte, Ghost Mice, Virgins (FL), How Dare You, Landmines, Anchor Arms, Monikers, The Takers, Dirty Money, New Bruises, Austin Lucas, Josh Small, Cheap Girls, Failures Union, Hometeam, Tubers, Alligator, Ones to Blame, Averkiou, Hawks and Doves.

It doesn’t appear as if a schedule of performers has been set as yet.

A thousand “primitive” campsites are available, and cost $29.50 for all three days.

Let’s face it – Gainesville always does things a bit differently.  So it is no wonder that the celebration of Festivus (aka Fest 7) Gainesville style is actually the amalgamation of more than 250 bands over 3 days in 8 venues throughout Hogtown wrangled by Tony Weinbender (of No Idea Records) and friends.   In its seventh year, Fest has grown up to become a destination for people from all over the world to see the best in independent music.  Special thanks to Tony for continuing to put this event together each year.

Over the weekend (10.31.08 – 11.2.08), I managed to see a myriad of music genres and capture no less than 26 bands: A Wilhelm Scream, American Cheeseburger, Ampere, Asshole Parade, Atom & His Package, Bouncing Souls (pictured above), Bridge and Tunnel, Building The State, Chris Wollard & The Ship Thieves, City of Ships, Coalesce, Dillinger Four, Foundation, Have Gun, Will Travel, Japanther, The Menzingers, Paint it Black, Red Clay River, Rehasher, Strike Anywhere, The Takers, Tim Version, Triclops!, The Wading Girl, Whiskey & Co and Young Widows. Tampa Bay was well represented with lots of hometown heroes making it on the Fest schedule especially the Kiss of Death Records and ADD Records bands.

Read the rest of this entry »