REAX #34 by Joel

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CONTENTS ISSUE 34

GUILTY SOUNDCHECK

Publisher Joel Cook jcook@reaxmusic.com

Sales Associates Emily LaDuca emily@reaxmusic.com

CALL & RESPONSE

Queen Finnie Cook ﬁnniec@reaxmusic.com

Alicia Zorrilla alicia@reaxmusic.com

08 10

INTRODUCTION

READER MAIL / CONTRIBUTORS

SEE SOMETHING SAY SOMETHING 11 14

DEAR GLOFFY YOUR BAND BLOWS / STEP BY STEP

SPECIAL FEATURE 16

HARVEST OF HOPE

RED FANG NONE MORE BLACK MATT & KIM WILD SWEET ORANGE

REAX INTERVIEWS 24 26 28 30 32

THURSDAY BOUNCING SOULS GHOSTFACE KILLAH KOOL KEITH LUCERO

A LOCAL GUIDE

TAMPA 44 HOTSPOTS 45 EVENT SPOTLIGHT 46 ALBUM SPOTLIGHTS 47 TAMPA BAY EVENTS

ORLANDO 52 HOTSPOTS 53 ARTIST / ALBUM SPOTLIGHTS 54 ORLANDO EVENTS GAINESVILLE 56 HOTSPOTS 57 SPOTLIGHTS 58 GAINESVILLE EVENTS JACKSONVILLE 60 HOTSPOTS / SPOTLIGHTS 61 NORTHEAST FLA EVENTS

PAGE 6 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • MARCH 2009

Photography Tony Landa landa@reaxmusic.com General Manager Marshall Dickson marshall@reaxmusic.com

Intern Andrew Pellegrino

UPCOMING RELEASES PRODUCT PLACEMENT ARTBEAT / BOOKS MUSIC REVIEWS VIDEO GAME REVIEW HANDS ON w/ SHAWN KYLE

YOU ARE HERE

Head Writer Michael Rabinowitz miker@reaxmusic.com

Circulation Manager Scott Jenson scottj@reaxmusic.com

SOAPBOX 34 36 38 39 42 43

Art Director Mike Delach delach@cookwaremedia.com

Illustration Noah Deledda noah.deledda@gmail.com

SOUNDBITES 18 20 21 22

Editor Scott Harrell scott@reaxmusic.com

Shawn Kyle shawn@reaxmusic.com Chris Anderson (Orlando) chris.anderson @reaxmusic.com Brad Register (Orlando) brad@reaxmusic.com Ryan McLaughlin (G-ville) ryanm@reaxmusic.com Contributors Timothy Asher Joe D’Acunto Mike DeLancett Brandon Dunlap Jason Ferguson Chris Gaughan Jeremy Gloff Jack Gregory Justine Grifﬁn Robert J. Hilson Colin Kincaid Joel Mora Ryan Patrick Hooper Cole Porterhouse John Prinzo Susie Orr Lance Robson Trevor Roppolo Susie Ulrey Amy Vanschaik Carrie Waite This cover was designed by HorseBites www.horsebitesdesign.com And we appreciate it so much it hurts

REAX Music Magazine P.O. Box 5809 Tampa, FL 33675 Phone: 813.247.6975 www.reaxmusic.com www.myspace.com/reax Reax Magazine is published monthly and is available through Florida businesses, music venues, restaurants, independent record stores, outdoor boxes, and F.Y.E. stores. Reax is also available nationally at over 160 record stores. Go to reaxmusic.com for a full list.

Advertisers warrant and represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. Reax Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All letters and their contents sent to Reax Magazine become the sole property of Cookware Media, LLC. Use or duplication of material used in this publication is prohibited without approved written consent from Cookware Media, LLC.

SOUNDCHECK INTRODUCTION ISSUE 34

WHEN YOU WORK FOR A MONTHLY MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY’S BREVITY ...WELL, IT SUCKS.

e missed the best (and some of the worst) weather of the year so far staring at computer screens, talking into phones, waiting for the phones we weren’t talking into to ring, and racking up highway miles all over the state, trying to make sure the issue got ﬁlled up and out on time - a tough task every other month, and one that seemed next to impossible this time around, what with February’s abbreviated timeline and the stuff we’ve been doing with the Harvest of Hope in anticipation of this weekend’s festival.

the website - a site that admittedly gets neglected occasionally when we’re stressing on the print mag.

A few of us also made time to be interviewed by some college students, which led to some interesting questions about exactly why we do this.

Thanks for helping us get our ﬁx.

Why do we do this? Print media’s in the crapper. We could put all of our meager resources into expanding and promoting PAGE 8 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • MARCH 2009

All we can tell you is, after all the screwedup hours and the prooﬁng and the sleepless nights and the ads and features that fall through or never materialize at all, when we get the thing in our hands ... there’s just nothing like that feeling. That feeling that we made this, and we’ve got it, and we get to share it with everybody - it more than offsets everything, and it’s still there, 34 issues in.

Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to spend the weekend blowing off copious amounts of steam somewhere just outside St. Augustine. See you there. - Scott Harrell

813-250-0208 920 W. KENNEDY BLVD. TAMPA

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MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • PAGE 9

CALL & RESPONSE READER MAIL ISSUE 34

CONTRIBUTORS

SEND FEEDBACK TO REAX@REAXMUSIC.COM FROM THE MAILBAG Dear Scott Jenson ... your words are righteous!

hold hands and direct our hate into the sky. Maybe avenging angels will yank the cash and the equipment out of Greenpoint and let it rain all over the I-4 corridor. BLECH! ! ! ! !! ! !

Re: Williamsburg blowing.

- Buck Davis

Seriously, what a joke. And oh, is it spreading. I almost moved to New York in 200X ... and with one degree of separation between me and a college radio maven mixed up with the Social Registry/Matador/Beirut/ etc., etc., puke, puke, you would think I could make myself handle the kids at the Bedford Ave. stop on the L Train, the white kids with dreadlocks, the landed aristocrats DJing at every single coffee house, the here-today-gone-tomorrow French sandwich shops blasting Exposé, but no, I missed my crazy redneck friends and the few rotten punks who make Central Florida feel like home.

FROM REAXMUSIC.COM

Orlando has exported many of these well-heeled scene retard prototypes to Williamsburg - Los Feliz, PDX ad infinitum ... they incubate at Hoops and the Black Box Collective, strut their stuff at Bar-B-Q Bar and Whiskey Lou’s: haughty hairdressers, t-shirt moguls, idle foreign photographers, South Florida scions with rooms and rooms of import vinyl, twittering ad agency nerds, film school faculties, masters of liberal studies ... it’s a Richie Rich rodeo. Look at the Winter Park indie rock scene. Wow. Everyone wants to be in Gang Gang Dance, and they can just leap straight into the wood chipper. At least L.A. churns out slightly more warm-blooded stuff like Ariel Pink and No Age - damn, I would way rather go to a show at the Smell than at Pianos or whatever the Lower East Side provides these days. Andy Warhol is not projecting films on anyone anywhere ... and good lord, did the Trachtenberg (sic?) Family Slide Show unleash a tidal wave of visual gimmickry or what? For sure, O-Town’s latest spoiled brat psychedelia ALWAYS offers WHOOO! - films onstage, but yeah, where the fuck is the fucking music? The Helen Keller Academy has obviously triumphed over Full Sail. With New Orleans in ruins, and esoteric preciousness spilling over from Georgia, NC, Tennessee … maybe our magical little flowerland down here can host something of a rebel spirit ... everyone I know with their heart in the right place is super broke and never on the bill at blasé Will’s or vomity Crooked Bayou. Let us

Comment on “Langerado Canceled?” by Scott Harrell: “Wow, that’s too bad. It looked to be a big festival with a lot of great names. Wonder how hard this hurts our reputation with national touring acts.” - Fluffy, February 3 Comment on “Live Review: Andrew Bird, Orlando, 2/6/09,” by Justine Griffin: “I had such high expectations for this show ... and I hate to say it - but I was disappointed. I was sitting in the seventh row and thought that the sound was actually pretty horrible ... It sounded like the music was coming from a blown speaker. I know that AB is pretty unconventional, but this is NOT the sound that he was going for. Also, the review doesn’t mention that he had dificulties engaging and disengaging the midi files for most of the songs. That was very distracting and disappointing. His voice, however, was amazing. The same goes for his violin playing, and whistling ... He is one of the most talented musicians I’ve ever seen play. I agree that it would have been a much better experience had it not been a sit-down venue ... The last few songs were the best because the audience was encouraged to stand. I hope to see him again at Bonnaroo. By then all technical difficulties will probably be resolved ... “ - Mila, February 11 Comments on “Drive-By Press,” by Brandon Dunlap: “This is awesome. Put things like this in the mag!” - Radface, February 25 [We were so happy with Brandon’s interview that we decided to print it in this issue. See page 38. - Ed.]

PAGE 10 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • MARCH 2009

AND, OF COURSE, THE BARBS, JABS, META-SNARK, FEMALE RELATIVE-INSULTING AND GENITALIA COMPARISONS CONTINUE OVER AT REAXMUSIC.COM’S “YOUR BAND BLOWS” BLOG. ENJOY.

SHAWN GOLDBERG Shawn Goldberg is currently learning sign language.

FROM MYSPACE Yeah, about the Myspace thing. We really like having the synergy of taking comments and messages good, bad or just plain interesting from our Myspace page and “re-posting” them here in the print mag. At the same time, the social networking community is quickly devolving into embedded video, jpeg ﬂyers and spam-bots. We actually don’t get a whole lot of interesting messages or comments via Myspace these days. Don’t get us wrong - we enjoy having a visible comments thread where people can pimp their stuff; our Myspace page isn’t going anywhere. But most of the private messages we get are from folks who seem to willfully ignore the statement on our Myspace page letting them know not to contact us there about business, promotion, the events calendar and whatnot. (C’mon kids, the e-mail address is right freaking there.)

COLE PORTERHOUSE Girl drinks and show tunes. Rum is the only colored liquor that matters. When I was born, the nurse gave me a look, then asked my mother what her shoe size was; my mother told the nurse, and the nurse shook her head, and told her to hide ‘em high or else I was gonna stretch the good ones all out. Something about my cries and my arches, I reckon. Come on over, I’ll certainly be honest yes, we were talking about you.

We’ve got a Facebook account, but are well aware that it’s gonna be the same thing in 15 minutes, only with vampire poker mummies sending us cocktails, or whatever. So, what we want to know is, should we continue including feedback and comments from our peripheral sites here on the Call & Response page? Exercise your opinion and let us know your ‘druthers at reax@reaxmusic. com. This thing is as much yours as it is ours.

CORRECTIONS In last month’s issue, Orlando electro-pop act XOXO’s Myspace link was incorrect. The duo can be found at myspace.com/ hugsandkisseshatesyou. Fair enough.

The photo of Nervous Turkey in last month’s issue was taken by Nicole Kibert. Her ﬁsh-eye is formidable.

TREVOR ROPPOLO 10 more things about me: 1. I know I’m late to the party, but underpants are B.A. 2. Bakula’s Enterprise is the best Star Trek - so suck it! 3. Wife likes lotion, lotion is slimy; I don’t care for it. 4. Paintball is my new old favorite thing. It’s like video games on crack. 5. I ran out of air. 6. I’m getting close to being done with school - not complete, just fucking done. 7. Seriously, I want to drop out. 8. The cake is a lie - so is the economy. 9. One day I’ll be teaching your kids how to be human beings. 10. … Never thought I’d be on a boat.

DEAR GLOFFY SEE SOMETHING... ISSUE 34

Words: Jeremy Gloff Photo: Ian Hensley

DEAR GLOFFY, I need sex. Period. Me and my

girlfriend have been dating for three years now and the longer we date, the less we do it. I think I’m going to go crazy!!! Last month we went two whole weeks without any action. Obviously I’m not going to cheat on her, and I can’t force her to do anything she doesn’t want to do. How do I get my girl to get in the mood more often? Signed, About to Explode

DEAR ABOUT TO EXPLODE, Oh buddy you are in a pickle ...

and that pickle has nothing to keep itself busy! Let’s rewind to 1969. Legendary drummer Mick Fleetwood had experienced yet another romantic breakup. Like you, poor Mick had to “do without.” So what does Mick do? Turn to Fleetwood Mac’s Then Play On album, track eight to ﬁnd out. The lyrics say it all: “Now, I know this guy his name is Mick/Now, he don’t care when he ain’t got no chick/ He do the shake, the rattlesnake shake/And jerks away the blues.” If it was good enough for Mick Fleetwood in 1969 it’s good enough for you in 2009!!! Like you said, you can’t cheat, and you can’t force her to get nekkid. To keep yourself from going crazy, you have no choice but to join Mick Fleetwood in the good ol’ “Rattlesnake Shake,” baby.

DEAR GLOFFY, As a musician enjoying playing

shows, my band has been fortunate enough to aquire a good solid local following. Gainesville is a great place for music. My problem is this - I have to play so many shows with shitty punk bands and I always think their music is crap. I hate that part after shows where the bands all pat each other on the back and say how great everyone was. I have trouble lying but it’s mean to

tell someone you think they suck. Advice? Signed, Your Band Isn’t Great, Even If I Told You It Was

DEAR YOUR BAND, I feel your pain. No matter what

musical genre you are part of, one must find a way to gracefully deal with this. I recall a show a few years back when everyone I played with was atrocious. And after the show was done, the exact thing you described started happening. I couldn’t take it. I grabbed my crew of gays and ran and hid in the car. So instead of dealing with the aftershow awkwardness that always ensues, we sat in the car and tried to find all the times Madonna sounded like Cher on her first two albums. You only have two options buddy: become a good liar or run and hide before the other band members can find you. Because in Gloffy’s opinion it’s never right to tell someone you think their music sucks, even if it does in your opinion.

Write to Dear Gloffy at deargloffy@gmail.com or log onto jeremygloff.com

MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • PAGE 11

PAGE 12 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • MARCH 2009

SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING YOUR BAND BLOWS / STEP BY STEP ISSUE 34

STEP BY STEP

HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD: SINGLE-SERVE SUCKAGE

ew movements have affected

music in a more heinous way than rap-rock. Ridiculous purveyors of crap like Limp Bizkit, 311, Kid Rock and Linkin Park, although commercially very successful, managed to take two respectable art forms and damage the credibility of both. I can remember spending the majority of the mid to late ‘90s attempting to insulate my ears from commercial radio due to the proliferation of the genre and its effects on popular music. So it was with great dread and horror that I discovered the song “Undead” by a bunch of masked twats called Hollywood Undead. Could it really signal a resurgence of raprock, with all its lyrical missteps, terrible ﬂow, bar chords and faked swagger? Am I doomed to have to sit through another three to ﬁve years of proliferating gangs of white boys who can’t sing or write decent lyrics, attempting to bastardize hip-hop while backed by half-assed nu-metal-loving instrumentalists? After a few months of digging, subjecting myself to one of the biggest turds of an album to come out in the last decade and sitting through a show that made my eyes and ears bleed bile, I found that the band probably isn’t a precursor to a resurgence of bad music, but hopefully just an isolated happening, albeit one much worse than I could’ve imagined. Hollywood Undead is riding the crest of a major-label record deal and marketing push that was spawned by a huge Myspace following. Before the widespread knowledge of the availability of automated “bots” to add friends and plays, HU managed to amass enough “fans” obviously through less-than-scrupulous means, given the quality of their demo - to get the attention of more than a few clueless record execs. It’s a pity that they weren’t given further scrutiny before being signed, because now they are in heavy rotation on rock radio.

Hollywood Undead’s gimmick is more clichéd than that of a late-’90s boy band. Six guys in masks, making vanilla music for mass consumption. Yet these guys have managed to appear edgy enough for the current generation of lost-cause Hot Topic semi-goth kids by covering their faces and creating a culture based around angst and partying. Their songs run the full gamut of human emotion; everything from bitches to drinking and ﬁghting is touched upon in a brainless format of chest-beating “rhymes” and poorly constructed backing tracks. After giving the album Swan Songs a serious listen, I realized the godawful “Undead” is actually one of the more comparatively palatable tracks on the record. The majority of the rest of the songs sound something like Eminem’s talentless little brother

alternating between trying to be street and telling the world how hard it is to be him. Boo f%cking hoo, you’re famous and touring Europe and managed to convince the suckers at A&M to pay for you to get a slickly produced record even though you’re totally devoid of talent, concepts or even love for “the game.” I really would love to see a rapper with some actual skills and hood cred like Lil’ Wayne get these kids into a freestyle contest, or better yet a gun battle. I’m sure Tha Carter would send all six of them running back to their mommies in Malibu, crying like the spineless little poofs they are. If you read this column, then you know that I love a trainwreck. That’s why I went to see Hollywood Undead a couple of months ago. I was actually pulling for the group to put on a good show - I figured that there had to be at least one thing to like about them, or the music gods must truly be crazy. But I was still pretty sure it would be similar to watching the eyeball scene in Hostel, and I was rewarded with what can only be described as a bleached-out Wu-Tang concert. True, there were a lot of guys on stage, and the crowd was rowdy and digging them, but the entire place was filled with suburban white kids who looked like they ran up their parents’ credit cards at Zumiez, and the music was the antithesis of what the Gods of Shaolin would put out on their worst day, soulless and without any hint of creativity or swagger. What I’ve walked away with after my experience with the Hollywood Undead isn’t the dismay that I initially experienced when I first heard their single. My worst fears that rap-rock is making a comeback - have abated somewhat, because the majority of what this detestable, gimmicky flavor-ofthe-month freakshow puts out is just really bad white-boy rap and, a couple of songs aside, they’re only managing to crap on one genre of music and not two. I don’t foresee hundreds of HU doppelgangers popping up, because their music doesn’t have the legs to inspire droves of copycats. I do feel very sorry for any of the mindless hordes of tasteless fans who buy Swan Songs after hearing “Undead,” because they’re essentially buying an ICP album dressed up in a Slipknot package. The entire presentation of the band is essentially a musical version of a (yep, here it comes again) Tasmanian Devil tattoo - you’ve seen it a million times before in hundreds of different versions, but people are going to pay for it because they are unoriginal, aesthetically challenged, and have no concept of what good art is. God help us all if this is what people consider decent music or entertainment.

PAGE 14 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • MARCH 2009

y band recently played

a last-minute couple of sets at St. Pete’s Emerald. Very last-minute. We didn’t have our shit completely together as far as gear went, and the Emerald’s bar back, Mike, gave us a lot of help rounding up little things like mic stand clips and cables. At the end of the night, I tried to tip Mike out for going the extra mile, but he refused the money, saying that instead he’d like to see a column in the mag sometime celebrating the bar back - the person behind the ‘tenders, the guy or girl who keeps the beer coolers stocked, the ashtrays empty and (ideally) the bathrooms somewhat usable. So this one’s for Mike, and every other bar back committed to doing a thankless but crucial job, and doing it well. There are a lot of reasons to keep the bar backs at your favorite watering holes happy beyond simple courtesy. A good bar back can mean the difference between a ﬁlthy dive that’s always running out of your favorite bevvie and a homey dive where your feet don’t stick to the ﬂoor and all the amenities are just a polite request away. And it’s fairly easy to do, too, assuming you’re already the least bit considerate: Learn the bar back’s freakin’ name. The bar back is every bit as integral a part of the bar’s relationship with its customers as the bartenders. You are not a regular until you know his or her name. It’s always a good idea to ask the names of those folks behind the bar not too busy to tell you in any case, because if you do that thing where you act like you already know ‘em and call ‘em “bro” or “my man” or “senator” or whatever, they generally automatically assume that you’re a jackass. 2. Realize that the bar back is, in fact, the bar back. That dude behind the bar isn’t ignoring

your shouted drink order because he’s some sort of punk. That dude behind the bar is ignoring your shouted drink order because he’s tired of explaining that he’s not supposed to get you a drink. No, not even a bottle of Yuengling from that sink full of ice right there. So quit asking. Know the bar back’s various roles. The bar back may not be able to get you a drink, but he or she is always a jack of all trades, and the jobs the bar back does can vary widely from bar to bar. Things a bar back probably is: bringer of ice; stocker of coolers; sweeper of broken glass; emptier of garbage; distributor of matches; fountain of gossip, hilarious barfly anecdotes and information about good nearby restaurants; lender of gear left by drunken musicians; ejector of cretins. Things a bar back probably is not: a human cigarette machine; your new drug connection; the bartenders’ pimp. Thank the bar back when the bar back cleans up your damn mess. You don’t have to apologize 700 times for spilling sweet, sticky, stenchy Amaretto and sour all over the newly finished bartop, but you do have to say thanks when the bar back sops it up. (Side note: if you just thought, “Why? That’s the bar back’s job,” kill yourself.) And, of course ... Get it in the bowl/urinal. Seriously, how hard is that? And who the hell throws up into a urinal? An unhappy bar back who knows it was you that pissed all over the HOT and COLD handles on the sink just might be too busy to wash his or her hands before putting a “special glass” in front of you for your bartender to fill. And then the bar back’s got another hilarious barfly anecdote to tell the next person who thanks him or her for the pack of matches.

MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC MAGAZINE • PAGE 15

HARVEST OF HOPE ISSUE 34

NOISE WITH A CAUSE

Words: Scott Harrell • Photos: Celia Roberts

IT’S ALWAYS HARDEST TO THINK OF OTHERS WHEN YOU’RE bUSY TIGHTENING YOUR OWN bELT. THE DRIVE FOR SELF-PRESERVATION IS bUILT INTO EVERY ANIMAL ON THIS PLANET. WHETHER THE SAME IS TRUE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR KINDNESS, COMPASSION AND SACRIFICE IS ENDLESSLY DEbATAbLE, bUT HUMANS CERTAINLY POSSESS IT.

ven at the best of times, it’s something that’s easy to forget. And by all accounts, these aren’t the best of times. The tendency to become miserly, to hoard what little is left, to look out for number one comes to seem like a necessity in the face of the kind of economic trouble America currently faces.

Which makes the mission of the Gainesville-based Harvest of Hope Foundation - to provide emergency and educational funds for migrant workers and their families - all the more important. And the massive opportunity for exposure represented by its firstever music festival, to be held March 6-8 at the St. Johns County Fairgrounds in Elkton, Florida, all the more timely.

“Our goals are, one, to raise some funds - we’d love to be able to build an endowment - and two, to generate awareness,” says Phil Kellerman, who founded Harvest of Hope with his brother Ed in 1997, and serves as its president. “This is a chance to educate people about the state of migrant workers’ lives.” The Kellerman brothers are no strangers to social service. Their grandmother, Dr. Helen Zand, was a lifelong activist and advocate for the indigent; it was her bequest to the Kellermans that initially

made Harvest of Hope possible. In the late ‘80s, Phil was working in a call center for Eastern Stream Center on Resources and Training (ESCORT), a national resource center dedicated to improving education for migrant families. He began to notice more and more calls requesting funds for day-to-day emergencies: someone’s power had been shut off, someone had fallen off a ladder and broken an arm, someone’s truck had broken down in the middle of nowhere. When your car breaks down, it means a pretty big inconvenience. When a

PAGE 16 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

migrant family’s transportation fails, it means missed work they can’t afford, perhaps nights spent out in the elements, a complete breakdown of their lives. As ESCORT is funded by a government grant from the Department of Education, with strict guidelines detailing how the money is to be spent, the organization couldn’t just Western Union out a couple of hundred bucks to a guy at a pay phone with a blown head gasket. “We just couldn’t use federal money for that,” Kellerman laments.

Eventually, he conceived Harvest of Hope as an offshoot that would help further the educational work of organizations like ESCORT while also providing what emergency funds it could on an as-needed basis. Kellerman started the foundation with the inheritance from Dr. Zand while he was still a resident of upstate New York, but it wasn’t long before his brother Ed, a communications professor at the University of Florida, talked him into relocating to Gainesville, where the foundation is now headquartered, with Ed as, naturally, Director of Communications.

profile to help raise the foundation’s as well: “They’ve played, like, five HoH benefits,” says Kellerman. “One time in Chicago, they did an acoustic show right after doing their regular tour show. They just handed us a check for $6,000 right at the end of the night.” It was another Ryan with longtime connections to the Florida original-music scene, Ryan Dettra, who advanced the idea of a massive fundraising music festival. As a promoter who works for both the St. Augustine Amphitheatre and St. Johns County Fairgrounds, Dettra was in a position to help with the logistics; Murphy and a host of other Gainesville musicians had the network. Everyone began working the phones, relying on combined decades’ worth of experience and contacts, roping in friends and peers - like fellow No Idea cabal member and Southern Lovin’ PR promotions wrangler Tony Weinbender and largely eschewing the more high-dollar mainstream summer-festival attractions in favor of like-minded acts that had both

SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE HARVEST OF HOPE FOUNDATION HAS DISTRIbUTED NEARLY $600,000 TO MIGRANT WORKERS AND FAMILIES, FOR EVERYTHING FROM MEDICAL AND UTILITY bILLS TO TUITION, FOOD, CLOTHING AND EVEN FUNERAL ExPENSES. THEY PROVIDE WHAT DIRECT SERVICE THEY CAN. “They think of the foundation as a last resort,” says Kellerman. “Of course, we have to prioritize. The families have to show that they’re trying to help themselves. Or if there’s a kid in the home, or if someone’s literally broken down on their way to a job.” Now, one can’t live and practice social activism in the Gainesville area without brushing up against the the college town’s fringe-legendary original-music scene, a community full of lefty thinkers, do-ityourselfers and cultural critics. Through Harvest of Hope volunteers and general socializing, Kellerman made some friends amid the punk set, including No Idea Records’ Ryan “Murph” Murphy, with whom Kellerman shared both an activist bent and some upstate New York roots. Murphy became involved with LIBRO, an outreach project in which volunteers go out and read to the children of migrant workers, inspiring both their imaginations and their English skills. “He’s always been interested in ESL [English as a Second Language] and migrant rights,” Kellerman says. One thing led to another; Gainesville bands started playing benefits for Harvest of Hope, including mainstream-breakthrough act Against Me!, who used their rising

a social conscience and a rabidly loyal fanbase.

The result is the Harvest of Hope Foundation’s biggest opportunity for exposure to date, a three-day independentmusic-friendly carnival featuring nearly 150 bands on five stages, as well as skateboarding demos, a film festival, a village full of socially conscious vendors, retailers and charities, and more. All that’s left is for the Harvest of Hope Festival’s gates to open, and for music fans and activists alike to respond. They built it; the only question now is, how many will come? “I had lunch with Tony [Weinbender] the other day, and I asked if they were starting to see anything out of this, if there was going to be some benefit [for the music scene],” Kellerman says. “And he said that yeah, it’s really turning into a win-win for everyone, which is really all we wanted.” The Harvest of Hope Festival takes place March 6-8 at St. Johns County Fairgrounds in Elkton, Florida. Three-day passes are $39.95; camping passes are available. For more information, visit harvestofhopefest. com.

HARVESTOFHOPE.NET ESCORT.ORG

AGAINST ME!

Performing at Harvest of Hope Saturday, March 7, 2009 Photo: Courtesy of Against Me!

MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • PAGE 17

SOUNDBITES ISSUE 34

RED FANG FUNNY, NOT JOKING

Words: Colin Kincaid Photo: Courtesy of Solid PR

MOST HARD ROCK IS FUNNY, JUST NOT ON PURPOSE. THEY MAY SERVE WELL AS ESCAPIST FANTASIES AND PROJECTION TARGETS FOR FRUSTRATED ADOLESCENTS, bUT COME ON - TO ANYONE OVER THE AGE OF 21 POSSESSED OF ANYTHING RESEMbLING A DECENT SENSE OF HUMOR, EVERYTHING FROM MOTLEY CRUE’S STRIP-CLUbbING bADASS PERSONAE TO DEICIDE FRONTMAN GLEN bENTON’S CROSS-bRANDED FOREHEAD IS EITHER SORT OF OR COMPLETELY HILARIOUS.

hat most of the musicians

themselves can’t see it - check the net for tales of Steven Tyler’s original animosity toward This Is Spinal Tap - just takes it to yet another level. Now, let’s be very clear: The aggressively killer music of Portland, Oregon quartet Red Fang is not, in and of itself, funny. It’s raw and substantial and punky and smart. “We definitely don’t want to be seen as a joke band,” agrees drummer John Sherman. “I am not a fan of joke-rock music.” But the four guys of Red Fang are all over

the age of 21, and apparently possessed of excellent senses of humor, because they know the caricatures of hard rockdom for what they are and, while the band’s music means it, there’s a sense of smart fun that emanates from the group as a whole. “In the character of the band, [humor is] huge,” Sherman says. “We don’t write funny songs so much, we’re just funny dudes who are always cracking each other up. My favorite part of being in the band is sitting around and laughing. We take the music seriously, but we don’t take ourselves seriously - it’s just a lot more fun that way.” Anyone who’s seen the amazing video for Red Fang’s “Prehistoric Dog” currently

PAGE 18 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

making the viral-video rounds can attest to the success of the band’s mix of fun and pummel. Conceived and directed by veteran video helmer Rob “Whitey” McConnaughy, the clip mixes copious beer drinking, live-action Dungeons & Dragons role-playing, performance footage, more beer drinking, vomit, do-it-yourself beer-can armor, and graphic carnage to guffawinducing effect. “We wanted to have kind of a fun video because so many heavy bands do take themselves so seriously, and they’re boring as shit,” explains Sherman. “Whitey is a total badass, he came up with the idea, and just said ‘you guys just gotta drink a shitload of beer.’ We tried to save all of our

cans, but we were on a time crunch, so we got some donations from some of the bars where we drink. A lot of the empties were donations, but all the beer we drank was real, all the vomit was real.” The “Prehistoric Dog” clip is garnering Red Fang new fans from all over the globe, and from all corners of the undergroundmusic scene. And along with their current U.S. tour, hopefully all those clicks will turn some attention toward the band’s sweaty live shows and new eponymous release. Equal parts stoner rock, punk ethos, classic chugging ‘70s metal and good old rock ‘n’ roll, Red Fang repackages the group’s two previous tour-only EPs with a couple of new tunes, and should please listeners of everything from contemporary metal to swaggering old-school rock. “We never really set out to be a metal band, really, we just think of ourselves as a rock ‘n’ roll band, and what we write just turns out on the heavier side of shit,” Sherman says. “We certainly don’t want to pigeonhole ourselves. We cross a lot of borders with our music, I think. The punk rock kids like it, the metal fans like it. Not to sound like a dick, but it seems like we do well in front of just about any crowd.” Red Fang plays Orlando’s BackBooth on March 13, and Tampa’s Crowbar March 14.

MYSPACE.COM/REDFANGPDx

thxmgmt

www.thxmgmtlive.com

upcomingevents

FRIDAY MARCH 6 2009

* Steph Taylor and the State Of Life Of Pi, Channing Deren, & Special Guests TBA

march&april ‘09

FRIDAY MARCH 20 2009 Reax & Thx Mgmt presents

* Take Your Pants Off w/ Special Guests TBA 9pm | $7 | 21&Up

@ New World Brewery

9pm | $6 | 18 & Up

@ Crowbar

SUNDAY MARCH 29 2009

* Matt and Kim

Select Start, Tyger Beat + DJ Scott Imrich & Tao Jonze 7pm | $8/10 | ALL AGES!

@ Czar

1420 E 7th Ave - Ybor City - 813.247.2664

SATURDAY MARCH 7 2009

SATURDAY MARCH 21 2009

Matt Hires, Just Call Me John, Alexander & The Grapes

* SXSW Showcase!

* Johnny Apple-Eyes 9pm | $7 | 21&Up

@ New World Brewery

New Granada Records

New Roman Times, Zillionaire, Hankshaw, King Of Spain & Rec Center 3pm | FREE | ALL AGES!

@ Gingerman Pub

FRIDAY APRIL 3 2009

* The Zou

Bang Bang Boom, The Pauses & Guests 9pm | $6 | 21&Up

@ New World Brewery

304 W 4th St - Austin, TX - 512.473.8801

SATURDAY APRIL 25 2009 THURSDAY MARCH 12 2009

* Lord Jeff

Your 33 Black Angels, The Vera Violets, & Strangers Family Band 9pm | $7 | 21&Up

@ New World Brewery

SATURDAY MARCH 21 2009

* Whiskey & Co.

Beardsley, Great Deceivers, & Stones Of Mora

9pm | $7 | 21&Up

* Jacob Jeffries Band 9pm | $7 | 21&Up

@ New World Brewery

Will Quinlan/Diviners, Matt Butcher, & John Gold and The Old Souls

@ New World Brewery

every wednesday Da Cypher Hosted By Aych Open Mic, Live Performances & MC Battles 10pm | $5 | 18&Up

@ Crowbar

SATURDAY MARCH 14 2009

* Red Fang

Early Man, Liquid Limbs, & Special Guests TBA + DJ N8 9pm | $8/10 | 18 & Up

@ Crowbar

SATURDAY MARCH 21 2009 SpoT & Thx Mgmt present

every thursday Thursday Live 9pm | $5/10 | 18&Up

@ Peabody’s

* Ghostface Killah & Raekwon

15333 Amberly Dr. - Tampa - 813.972.1725

8pm | $15 | ALL AGES!

1812 N 17th Street - Ybor City - 813.241.8600

1503 7th Ave - Ybor City - 813.247.2555

1313 8th Ave E - Ybor City - 813.248.4969

The Basiqs DJ Sandman & DJ Mega

@ The Ritz

Crowbar

New World Brewery

website & pre-sale tickets: thxmgmtlive.com • myspace: myspace.com/thxmgmtlive twitter: twitter.com/thxmgmt • booking: joe@thxmgmtlive.com

SOUNDBITES ISSUE 34

the better. “I’ve been demo-ing songs on my own and sending them to him so he can get refreshed or just get a sense of, you know, what we’re going to do to make the practices go smoother,” explains Shevchuk. “I busted out some new songs this weekend that I hadn’t sent him and it went really well. So I think I’m gonna throw my old process out and just start from scratch and do everything on the spot in practice. We have five now and I’d like to have 15 or 16 before we decide what to record for a full-length. “We’re not in any rush and we know it’s going to take us a while to do because I don’t know when we’re going to practice again, maybe April. It’s tough to say and it’s progressing … actually, it’s progressing quicker than I thought at this point, but who knows two months from now.” In the meantime, None More Black have played sporadic shows since announcing their return, including The Fest in Gainesville and early March’s Harvest of Hope Festival in St. Augustine. Fans looking for more shows, however, may be disappointed. “Touring in the grand sense of touring is out of the question,” Shevchuk says. “I work full-time, and Richard is really busy with HorseBites [Designs] and Black Axe, which I think is his new company. So I think we’re

NONE MORE

BLACK

bACK IN bLACK:

NONE MORE BLACK’S JASON SHEVCHUK

WHEN THE MUCH LOVED AND INFLUENTIAL HARDCORE OUTFIT KID DYNAMITE PARTED WAYS IN 2000, SINGER JASON SHEVCHUK WENT TO FILM SCHOOL. WHILE THERE, HE FORMED THE MELODIC HARDCORE ACT NONE MORE bLACK, WHICH RELEASED TWO ALbUMS (FILE UNDER bLACK, THIS IS SATIRE), PLUS THE EP LOUD AbOUT LOATHING. THEN, IN 2007, NONE MORE bLACK ANNOUNCED THE DREADED “INDEFINITE HIATUS,” A TERM OFTEN SYNONYMOUS WITH “bREAKING UP WITHOUT A FAREWELL TOUR.”

wo years later, None More Black have returned. And for one simple, elegant reason.

“It was the desire to play with Paul [Delaney, bass] and Colin [McGuinniss, guitar] again,” Shevchuk concedes. “There was one night I was hanging out with our mutual friend Katie and we were all talking and Colin was texting her - ‘Oh, I wish we could play again.’ And there was no reason why … I couldn’t think of any reason to not. So we all got together for dinner, me, Paul

and Colin and within 15 minutes we were like ‘OK, let’s try to do it again.’ That was it. It was just our desire to play music together again, to just hang out.” That desire is developing into a new record, but not quite the way things are historically done. While three members still reside in or around Philadelphia, new drummer Richard Minino (formerly of New Mexican Disaster Squad) lives in Florida. So with a sporadic practice schedule, Shevchuk has altered his approach to writing songs, possibly for

PAGE 20 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

just going to try to play weekend shows over the summer and spring here and there. And if we can try to get out west and do ten days here and there or ten days in Europe, or two weeks. I mean, that could be over the span of the next two or three years, but we’re gonna try to hit some spots we’ve never played before, some other countries. But for right now I’d like to focus on just playing weekends and working on the record when we can. “I don’t want to dis the bands that do it full-

time, that’s their thing, that’s their livelihood. It’s not my livelihood.” To pay the bills, Shevchuk works as a motion designer and editor for an advertising agency, a job he says makes him “a grown-up.” Fortunately, he works with other creative types, so if they discover he’s in a band, it’s not an issue. “It’s a big agency, so some people know and they look you up on YouTube or they go on iTunes,” he says. “I get embarrassed sometimes, but a lot of people I work closely with know I’m in a band. But it’s cool; there are a lot of artists and musicians at my company. Everybody does a lot of extracurricular activity.” One of his (brief) extracurricular activities was a project called LaGrecia, which released one record, On Parallels. After that dissolved, Shevchuk soured on the idea of music, to the extent of parting with most of his gear. “I sold everything but one guitar and a little combo amp,” he admits. “I really had no intention of playing in a live band again. So now I have to go buy new shit. Actually, it worked out, because I bought a new guitar, a guitar I always wanted. And that’s the cool thing about having a job. It’s like ‘OK, now I can afford these nice things I always wanted.’ Now I have a nice guitar and Colin built me an amp and I’m really stoked.” Laughing, he adds, “Finally, I’m as loud as him. He’s really, really loud and finally I can hear myself.” The underlying theme to this return seems to be about friendship and having fun while doing something you love. Shevchuk sounds more interested in having another creative outlet and being able to spend time with his friends than being the next big thing. As far as the future of None More Black, Shevchuk is overjoyed at the response they have received so far: “If we can keep that going we’ll be great, we’ll be good to go. I just want to put out another record, maybe two, maybe a couple EPs. I dunno, it’s just really fun to play with these guys again and it’s really fun to hang out. I mean, I’m 32 years old, I can’t expect more than that being in a band.” With that kind of outlook, especially in today’s disposable music industry, the world could do worse than have musicians like Shevchuck. We could do better with more. None More Black plays the Harvest of Hope Festival March 6-8 at St. Johns County Fairgrounds, just outside St. Augustine, Florida.

MYSPACE.COM/NMbMUSIC

SOUNDBITES ISSUE 34

MATT& KIM ONE THOUSAND PERCENT

WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED MAKING MUSIC TOGETHER bACK AROUND FIVE YEARS AGO, KIM SCHIFINO AND MATT JOHNSON DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO PLAY THEIR RESPECTIVE DRUMS AND KEYbOARDS. AT ALL. HOW THE APPEARANCE OF AN EPONYMOUS FULLLENGTH TWO YEARS LATER DIDN’T FIND THEM PLYING ATONALLY STYLISH ARTIFICE THEY ARE, AFTER ALL, bROOKLYNITES - OR JUST KIND OF SUCKING IS A TESTAMENT TO THE LESS TANGIbLE ELEMENTS OF MUSIC-MAKING.

ut it didn’t; instead, the disc showcased a duo whose sound was raw, rowdy and weird enough to endear them to their home-borough scene, yet hooky and accessible enough to transcend it.

believe in a lot. We can play at a traditional venue for a young audience, or we can play at a museum … it’s just because there’s something human about our band that can cross a lot of those boundaries, that people can just respond to.”

“It’s something I’ve definitely found interesting,” says Johnson via cell phone as the pair make their slushy way north from NYC toward a gig in Boston. “We came out of a time when noise bands were sort of at their height in New York, and we play with a lot of our friends’ bands or whatever, played a lot of art galleries, played a couple of museums.

And respond to it the national undergroundmusic community has, particularly in the context of Matt & Kim’s live shows. The combo’s consistently guileless kids-onChristmas joy at being able to bang out their tunes in a room full of people makes for an infectious opposite to the Wall of ‘Tude/Genius/Irony/Intense Emotional Investment that separates so many indie bands from their crowds. Their gigs are an obvious result of college rock’s original DIY ethos, of years of playing places without stages and being too busy trying to remember how the songs go to find the time for developing a stage persona

“That’s a world that we love, but in a way we play pop songs. And the fact that we’ve been able to still be connected to that community, which is more about the overall vibe than band’s genre, is something I

beyond We’re Here, And The Equipment’s Working for Now, So Let’s Go Go Go, And Oh, Before I Forget, The Weirdest Thing Happened At Burger King This Afternoon. It’s those rough edges of reality that, as much as their catchy tunes, have endeared Matt & Kim to many of their fans. So what happens when some of those rough edges begin to get smoothed out? Matt & Kim’s new album, the mockambitiously titled Grand, is an improvement over its predecessor in every way. Thanks to the extended and relaxed amount of time the twosome spent recording at Johnson’s childhood family home in the comparative wilds of southern Vermont, the sounds, arrangements and production are better. And thanks to the mere fact that they’ve been writing ‘em for a while now, so are the

songs. But therein lies the rub: Will the folks who love the band’s primal, we-just-barelygot-there feel allow them to evolve? “It’s not like we haven’t thought about it,” Johnson concedes. “There’s a certain straightforward pop-punk sort of niche on our first album that isn’t apparent on the new one. We just sort of made it more diverse … I don’t think of it as us changing so much as finally having the time and a little more skill to make an album I always wanted to make. You know, you’ll lose some people and you’ll gain some people, but as long as you’re making yourself happy, doing something you believe in that’s you, then you’re doing it for the right reason, and I think people understand that.” And while the sounds may change a bit, Johnson doesn’t think the shows ever will. “We’re not going to stop being our dorky selves,” he says. “Some things are harder to play, or whatever, I have to split the keyboard into five different instruments and it’s taking some concentration. But I’m still standing on my stool, I fell the other day while we were playing a show. We’re still going to be ridiculous, needless to say.” Grand is out now on The FADER Label. Matt & Kim play Orlando’s Club Firestone March 27, Miami’s Upper Eastside Garden March 28, Tampa’s Czar March 29, Tallahassee’s Club Downunder March 30, Gainesville’s Common Grounds March 31.

MYSPACE.COM/MATTANDKIM

MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • PAGE 21

SOUNDBITES ISSUE 34

partnerships.

BECOMING WHAT THEY ARE Words: Ryan Patrick Hooper Photo: David McClister

“bEING AN ARTIST COMES ALONG WITH A bI-POLAR PERSONALITY TYPE, OR THE FEAR OF COMMITMENT,” ExPLAINS PRESTON LOVINGGOOD, HIS TONE SLEEPY YET PASSIONATE - THE PRODUCT OF SPENDING 12-HOUR DAYS IN THE STUDIO AFTER A DEDICATED, STRESSFUL RUN OF OVER 230 SHOWS IN THE PAST YEAR-AND-A-HALF. “IN RELATIONSHIPS, IT’S HARD TO STAY WITH SOMEONE AFTER IT DOESN’T FEEL MAGICAL ANYMORE. YOU KNOW, ARTISTS ARE ExCUSED IN ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF THEIR LIVES TO bE KIND OF AN ASSHOLE, WHICH IS SICK AND TWISTED, bUT AS AN ARTIST, IT’S HARD TO bE COMMITTED TO ANYTHING bECAUSE YOU ALWAYS WANT EVERYTHING TO bE SO MAGICAL.”

or Wild Sweet Orange,

to be back in the studio, to finally be reaffirming that they “still have that magic, that passion to create” and are “something worth fighting for” after releasing 2008’s critically acclaimed We Have Cause To Be Uneasy - a clever plugging of their Baptist upbringing, southern-gentlemen charm and electric-folk swagger into the indie formula of layered guitars, hushed, descriptive poetics and marching drums - is a welcome relief. After learning each curve and crevice of North America’s cracked and broken asphalt landscape, Lovinggood is quick to point out the similarities between massive doses of touring and massive doses of government-caliber torture. “We didn’t realize that it was going to be

such a marriage,” laughs Lovinggood. “You are basically marrying four guys, who you are with all of the time. Touring … can be a very strange and bizarre thing, you know? In the CIA, if they are going to try and torture or brainwash people, they change their eating habits. They submit them to loud, obnoxious noises. They change their sleep habits, and that is exactly what a tour is. I don’t know if the human body and the human psyche was necessarily meant to be constantly nomadic.” The four-piece - composed of four lifelong friends from the suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama - are currently in the process of demoing their sophomore effort in a local studio as well as an EP of covers, comprised of “overly sentimental, overly romantic,” overtly obscure tracks by the

PAGE 22 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

likes of Tom Waits, Jackson Browne and Paul Simon. “We wanted all of these songs to be different from Wild Sweet Orange’s” light catalog, explains Lovinggood, “so it would push us to try something new … but we also picked songs with a lot of sad hope in them, and songs that helped us through touring.” Besides battling egos in the van and the constant search for that mysterious smell that runs rancid throughout when the air conditioning kicks in, Wild Sweet Orange faced the sometimes fatal rite of passage young bands must endure to succeed, thrive and survive in the musical middle class: the transition of lifelong friendships into dotted lines, bottom lines and business

“It was just a lot for anybody to deal with,” says Lovinggood, his tone rife with conviction and honesty. “We are in this rock band, and we do it solely for the art. And to grow up southern Baptist, get thrown into a bar every single night and get introduced into a whole new, beautiful world of things that you were raised thinking were bad your whole life, and coming to the realization that the world is not this big, scary place, is a little insane. We were really scared … because we thought we were going to have to be something we weren’t. But we always stuck to our guns. We got signed because of who we are, you know? In that regard, we didn’t have to change anything, and we weren’t surprised by anything. But one thing we knew was going to be hard was when large sums of money came into the picture. “That can always change things,” continues Lovinggood, unleashing a nervous batch of laughter as the words slip from his mouth. “That was hard for all of us to deal with, but thankfully evolved into a healthy understanding of money. We’ve learned over this past year that we are doing this because we love art, and we want to create original pop music.” Wild Sweet Orange plays the Harvest of Hope Festival, running March 6-8 at St. Johns County Fairgrounds in Elkton, Florida.

MYSPACE.COM/ WILDSWEETORANGE

REAX INTERVIEWS

THURSDAY POETRY AND MOTION: AN INTERVIEW WITH THURSDAY’S GEOFF RICKLY

Words: Ryan Patrick Hooper • Photo: Brantley Gutierrez

FOR SOME, THURSDAY IS A bLACK EYE ON THE CALENDAR. FOR OTHERS, IT IS FRESH INK ON YOUNG FLESH DECLARING A SORT OF DOVE-WINGED ALLEGIANCE TO A SIx-PIECE bAND THAT HAS RISEN TO THE SNOWY TOPS OF MAINSTREAM MOUNTAINS, DIPPED NOT-SO-GRACEFULLY INTO THE VALLEY OF ILLEGAL INDULGENCE AND LEISURELY SOAKED UP THE LIMELIGHT REWARDED WITHIN CERTAIN CIRCLES OF APPROVAL WHEN NO ONE ELSE WAS WATCHING - WARM, bUT NEVER ENGULFED IN FLAMES; TOASTY, bUT NEVER SIzzLING.

hursday can tell you stories of conquering MTV with 2002’s Full Collapse, swarming Total Request Live like a rabid pack of buzzing insects whose fabulous fabrication of the fleeting fad was a welcome, accessible infestation in the eyes of the captivated masses (and incorrigible, angry yet articulate youth). Thursday marched proudly in the same parade of praise with 2003’s War All The Time, a melodic, politically fueled beast

that pushed forward without sacrificing the band’s well-planted roots. Cue a three-year disappearing act, followed by 2006’s A City by the Light Divided, a poorly received, entertaining yet skeleton-frame effort that comes across as a blemish in the band’s history rather than a proudly displayed, artistically refined pursuit … and followed by yet another disappearing act. “What stopped the momentum … was that nobody seemed to like A City by the

PAGE 24 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

Light Divided,” explains lead vocalist Geoff Rickly, whose distinct voice, poetic lyrics and riveting stage presence have long served as a template for imitators of the emo/screamo variety in the group’s 12year run. “That slowed everything down. We thought, ‘Let’s put our heart into this just as much as every other record and if people don’t like it, fuck ‘em. We won’t tour anymore. We’ll take a break and live our lives for once.’ There are always personal issues when you have six people in a band,

but we weren’t angry at each other. It was more along the lines of, ‘I’d like to take three months off to see my kid.’” Rickly went off to form United Nations, an alternative supergroup of sorts featuring Daryl Palumbo (Glassjaw, Head Automatica) and Ben Koller (Converge). “Then we made this record,” he says, “and it’s been getting the best reviews we’ve had in a long time.” Common Existence, Thursday’s first release with Epitaph Records, certainly deserves it. At first glance, the album roars with a fierce, raw, punk-potency, but quickly peels away its surface layers, revealing a “sophisticated” core with ringing (yet sometimes hidden) vocal melodies, dynamic, swirling guitars and diverse instrumentation (thanks to Andrew Everding on keyboards) that resonate throughout - a grown-up photo album with plenty of Polaroids that reek of the proven past. “I’m supposed to say this because I’m promoting a new record,” laughs Rickly, “but I feel like [Common Existence] is our best

record. If you took out all the nostalgia and played all of our records back-to-back, you would think so, too.”

can be imposed on poetry. And, there are the same amounts of constraints with a song that are more intangible.

REAX: Personally, I’ve always found your lyrics to be vague in the best way. They seem to be purposefully left wide open for the audience’s interpretation. Is that an honest effort to craft lyrics that fall under such guidelines? Geoff Rickly: I spend a lot of time on lyrics. I never try and leave it vague, but I do try and have enough different things going on in a song that it’s not a declarative statement - it’s more of what you hope how an album would be written. You have human elements. You have an action that affects a person on a personal level, but

REAX: Initially, I’m sure there’s some personal turmoil or issues that you express through your lyrics. After singing those words and ideas to thousands of people night after night, do the meanings change? Do you find yourself reaching closure on particular issues? GR: Definitely. I mean, sometimes songs can change meanings because you are over the emotional impact of the song. They start out being about an emotional subject and then you do get over it. It has a therapeutic quality, and then you see something in the song - perhaps something

“I’m supposed to say this because I’m promoting a new record,” laughs Rickly, “but I feel like [Common Existence] is our best record. If you took out all the nostalgia and played all of our records back-to-back, you would think so, too.” also on a philosophical or religious level. And then you have these different elements working on a person in different ways. There is never an outcome in the ending, but it’s a bunch of ideas together. I know what you mean by the lyrics being vague, but I usually say “open-ended” to describe them.

REAX: Does that open the door for lots of fans to approach you with lots of different associations for words and phrases that you never meant to go that way? GR: Totally, and it’s usually not, “Do you mean this?” It’s more like, “You know how you are talking about the teleological god in that one song?” [Laughs] It’s very interesting. Sometimes, people have better interpretations than what they are actually about. REAX: And in your eyes, what’s the difference between a poet and a songwriter? GR: I’ve honestly always thought of them in the same way. I know a lot of poets think of themselves as writing songs, you know what I mean? Even without instruments, there is music in the words. I have a lot of respect for poets. It’s one of the most underrated, unappreciated forms, but there are plenty of great modern poets out there. REAX: Does not seeing them as separate entities leave you as a combination of both? GR: I don’t see them as separate entities at all. It’s sort of a short form, musical writing, you know what I mean? The only difference is with a song, because we write the music first, there are some constraints. It has to fall into some sort of form. That’s an interesting thing to think about, meter and rhyme, and whether it’s a sonnet or whatever else, there are these rules that

angular in the wordplay. It’s almost like you are talking back to the original lyrics, but you are feeling differently about how you say the same things. And you start changing a word here or there that can invert the meaning, like you are having a conversation with the original song. There have only been a few songs that after a year or two where I said, “You know what? I don’t want to play that anymore. I’m over the emotion, and I feel like it was a pretty petty thing to write a song about and I’m done with it.” But I think it reflects more on a poorly written song when it can change meaning, you know?

REAX: For me, the quickest thing that sweeps in and replaces that initial emotion is sarcasm. You are now delivering that line with a bit of sarcasm, or from an outside point-of-view with a sarcastic touch or a sarcastic flare. GR: There is a certain amount of that that happens, but whenever that happens, I feel very sad about it. I think that sarcasm is such an overused tone in modern American culture, especially among young people. So I do feel that sarcasm creep in, especially if it was a very sincere song in the first place. It’s interesting, because then you’ll see the sincerity in someone else’s face singing the words back to you and it’ll touch you again for the first time because you’ll be experiencing it second-hand through someone else. Those moments are the kind of moments that make you want to play music. Thursday, and the rest of the acts on Rockstar Energy Drink’s Taste of Chaos tour, in Florida: March 17 - Revolution, Ft. Lauderdale March 18 - Hard Rock Café, Orlando

myspace.com/thursday MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC Magazine • PAGE 25

REAX INTERVIEWS “We’ve done three-chord punk every way we can.” The group’s desire to try something different coincided with a tightening economy, the emergence of multiple new digital-distribution ideas, and, coincidentally enough, their own 20th anniversary. After kicking some concepts around, Attonito and company - drummer Michael McDermott, guitarist Pete Steinkopf, and bassist Bryan Kienlen - hit upon the idea of starting their own sort of singles club, and releasing one single per month for the duration of 2009. “Our contract with Epitaph was up, and we decided to put out some digital releases,” Attonito says. “And the 20-year thing came up, so it was like, ‘why not?’ Let’s do it like TV episodes. And to do it on our own label [Chunksaah], where we started out, economically it just made sense.” January saw the release of “Gasoline;” “We All Sing Along” followed last month, and the March single, “Airport Security” is now available. To avoid time crunches and indecision over what to put out and when, the Souls came into ‘09 with a plan: six of the year’s singles have already been recorded in their entirety, and, three months before they’re needed, only a little work is left to do on the second batch of tunes.

BOUNCING SOULS OFF THE TREADMILL

wish for, and all of that.

Words: Colin Kincaid • Photo: Mike McLaughlin / Courtesy of Mutiny PR

TWENTY YEARS IS A LONG TIME TO bE DOING ANYTHING - EVEN SOMETHING YOU TRULY LOVE. A HUMAN bEING IS NOT A HAMSTER; OUR bIG-ASS bRAINS NEED MORE INPUT THAN SOME CONSTANTLY SPINNING WHEEL OF THE SAME, ENDLESSLY REPEATING ExPERIENCE. OUR GREATEST PASSIONS EVENTUALLY, INEVITAbLY bEGIN TO PALE IF WE’RE NOT CAREFUL TO APPROACH THEM FROM FRESH ANGLES. IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYbODY.

“It was totally my doing, but it had become a job in the worst way. If you work at 7-Eleven, you do your eight hours, you sell some stuff, then you go home and do whatever you want. There’s a certain freedom to that. There’s no pressure on your soul - once you clock out, you don’t care about 7-Eleven. You don’t care about it the way you’d care about this thing you built with your friends and your brothers.”

a creative group known for enthusiastically spouting the old one about how they wouldn’t trade their lives - generally, a never-ending cycle of writing, recording, self-promotion, and ever-accumulating highway miles - for anything in the world.

Souls, about a time not too many years ago when their particular vicious circle began to take on the dangerous characteristics of a whirlpool. “On the outside it appreared that you’re living your dream, you’re free to do what you want to do, but it had become the opposite ... I allowed myself to become steamrolled by that at one time.”

Attonito wasn’t about to give up the Souls, something in which he’d invested half his life, something he still enjoyed and believed in, as did the rest of the band. (The facts that they still boast a rabidly loyal fanbase, and have consistently released some of the best no-frills punk ‘n’ roll tunes their scene has produced, might’ve had something to do with it.) But something had to change. Call it boredom. Call it been there, done that. Call it - shit, call it a decision to explore some new avenues by a band that had more than earned the right.

“I just started to close up, I was worn out,” remembers Greg Attonito, vocalist for veteran Jersey punk outfit The Bouncing

Attonito found himself, to paraphrase Mickey Rourke in Barfly, living in a cage with gold bars, baby. Be careful what you

“After the last record we’d done, the first question that arose was, why the hell do we want to do this?” the singer ruminates.

ven successful musicians,

PAGE 26 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

By adopting this new approach to getting their material out to fans, the Souls have broken with the schedule that so rigidly defined their existence for so many years. Touring is no longer dependent upon when an album is released; recording is no longer jammed into a narrow window between tours; time for family and friends is no longer relegated to whenever the hell they can find it. The confines of traditional bandom, so long seen as the only way to do it, are falling away, allowing committed lifelong musicians the freedom to actually have some semblance of a life. And by mixing it up in other ways - such as Attonito’s upcoming solo acoustic tour with his wife Shanti and The Slackers’ Vic Ruggiero - the Souls are finding new ways to keep their process fresh, exciting and passionate. When asked if stepping off the familiar treadmill he’d been on for two decades was disorienting, or even frightening, Attonito can only laugh. “We wanted to throw that into the can,” he says. “That’s what wore us all out in various ways. “Even before [2006’s] The Gold Record, we’d gotten to that point. Throwing a wrench in all that is only good.” The Bouncing Souls in Florida: March 7 - Harvest of Hope Festival, St. John’s County Fairgrounds, Elkton March 16 & 17 - The Social, Orlando March 18 - The State Theatre, St. Pete

bOUNCINGSOULS.COM

REAX INTERVIEWS

GHOSTFACE Words: Colin Kincaid • Photo: Courtesy of Def Jam

AS A MEMbER OF THE WU-TANG CLAN, GHOSTFACE KILLAH bALANCED THE STATEN ISLAND ECCENTRICS’ MORE ObTUSE AND OUT-THERE ELEMENTS WITH STREET-GROUNDED TALES OF CRIME AND MONEY.

ut he’s always been more

than the Clan’s diamond-hard straight man. Ghostface’s far-ranging lyrics feature bottomless layers of detail, and an inimitable perspective that’s at once thoughtful, free-associative and unnerving. His rhymes on touring partner Raekwon’s classic ‘95 step-out endeavor Only Built 4 Cuban Linx firmly established him as a solo force to be reckoned with, and discs like Supreme Clientele, The Pretty Toney Album and Fishscale immediately became favorites with both die-hard hip-hop heads and indie-rock snobs who crave the substance of the backpack set. Maybe he saves up his words for his explosive rhymes, but Ghostface was surprisingly tight-lipped during a recent and unfortunately brief e-mail exchange

with REAX. He did, however, drop some interesting hints as to his process, his eclecticism, his excitement about the country’s first African-American president, and the secrets to Wu-Tang’s success as both crossover recording artists and a firstrate live act.

REAx: Wu-Tang was one of the first contemporary black hip-hop groups to connect really solidly with what was then thought of as an “indie rock audience.” Were you surprised by the diversity of the fanbase at first? Ghostface Killah: Nah, Wu-Tang is universal, it’s meant for all people to feel us ... Nah, I wasn’t surprised. REAx: A lot of live hip-hop is pretty hit and miss, but both together and solo, the members of the Clan put on consistently

PAGE 28 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

KILLAH good shows, in terms of both sound quality and energy. What are the secrets to a great live rap set? GK: You answered the question within your question, it’s both quality and energy, connecting with your fans and being consistent. Just keep touring and doin’ shows to stay in touch with the people.

REAx: Some of the more recent stuff sounds really celebratory - are you feeling better than usual these days? GK: Celebrate our new president ... REAx: You’ve been able to move fluidly from gritty underground shit to more mainstream sounds, guesting on other big name singles, etc. Is there a certain area or scene in which you feel most comfortable? GK: I feel comfortable in all atmospheres, all surroundings.

TO THE POINT

REAx: Some of your songs and personae delve into the more familiar/classic hip-hop themes - crime, violence, money, the good life - but you always manage to lend a fresh approach or perspective. Is it hard to keep that stuff from becoming cliched? GK: Nah, ‘cause it’s all real, the world don’t stop spinning. People keep hustling, studying or whatever you’re into. Somebody [who’s] new or young still needs that experience. Ghostface Killah plays the Skatepark of Tampa’s Pro Party at Ybor City’s Ritz Theatre on March 21 with Raekwon, The Basiqs, DJ Sandman and DJ Mega.

MYSPACE.COM/GHOSTFACE

MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC Magazine • PAGE 29

REAX INTERVIEWS together [new 7th Veil album] Stoned? KK: I know I rapped on some songs. We worked on that album a long time ago, and those tracks came together later. I think those tracks over a period of time, have started to surface. It was a while ago in LA, like two or three years.

KOOL KEITH FOR THE RECORD: AN INTERVIEW WITH

Words: Scott Harrell • Photo: Courtesy of The Windish Agency

“EVERY RAPPER KNOWS WHAT I’VE DONE AND WHO I AM, IT’S KIND OF A SECRET THING,” SAYS “KOOL KEITH” THORNTON TOWARDS THE END OF THE PHONE INTERVIEW. “LIKE PEOPLE WANNA CHANGE THE bIbLE AROUND, THAT’S THE SYNDROME, RE-WRITE HISTORY.”

espite his membership in the pioneering Ultramagnetic MCs, despite his multiple groundbreaking concept- and character-driven albums as Dr. Dooom or Dr. Octagon or Black Elvis, despite his unique stream-of-consciousness-meetssharp-observation flow, Kool Keith remains a fringe-rap phenomenon. But he knows the contributions he’s made to the hip-hop scene at large - shades of his alternately idiosyncratic and righteously sceneconscious styles can plainly be detected in everything from Adult Swim-nurtured nerdcore rap and a healthy portion of the Definitive Jux catalog to Jay-Z’s multiple-

personality fetish. What’s more, he knows the scene itself knows, too.

REAx: Of all the personas, do you have a favorite? Kool Keith: Uh … my personal favorite is Kool Keith [laughs], because of my music, and what I do regularly, you know? I like to be myself sometimes, and just make songs that are whatever I feel like talking about at the moment. It’s not so conceptual. I get to make open-minded music, other than just being confined to subject matter - if I didn’t like the food at the fuckin’ restaurant,

PAGE 30 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

REAx: The reason I ask is, you’ve always railed against cliched mainstream rap. On Stoned, it almost sounds like you’re turning its own weapons against it, using its sounds and stars to comment on the whole scene. KK: Yeah. I mean, I do different types of things on records … I write about rappers doing shows for low cash, getting jerked around by record companies. I write about a lot of issues that a lot of rappers don’t want to talk about, stuff I’ve never experienced but that I’ve seen rappers around me experience. We live in a world where everybody’s actin’ like they’re somebody, but they’re not. Behind the scenes, they’re still trying to get their money, their royalties. I’m glad I learned through my own experiences ... we didn’t get [big] right away like some people got rushed into success, they forgot a lot of their paperwork, that goes for female singers and urban acts and rappers and a lot of people. They forget to do their business. I write about that stuff that I’ve seen. I want to write about it. Sometimes people miss that, my regular biography of myself musically, when I’m walking around observing things from my own point of view, instead of creating another locked-in movie.

REAx: Do you get into character to write? KK: Not really. Sometimes, I mean, more people are fans of me being conceptual no, I can’t really say that, it’s a half and half thing, but I think people tend to lock into the conceptual things, instead of just letting me be the artist. A lot of artists don’t have to be totally conceptual to be successful, but that’s the old industry rule, be conceptual is what the industry says. But I don’t figure it has to be that way. People should get the gist of your feelings, what you want to do.

REAx: Do you ever pay attention to what other MCs are doing, if only to have something to do the opposite of? KK: I think I’m into all kinds of music. I listen to different rappers. Some are obvious at times, they change subjects more for the trends, where I just do different worlds naturally. Some artists, one minute they’re doing one thing ... you have rappers that write about the streets and stuff like that, and then they’re turning political, then they’re turning back to the streets, you know. I don’t like to dodge in and out like that, I take natural courses with my songs. I don’t want to follow the trend, what’s hot for one minute. I like to stick to things as I feel ‘em, I don’t like to just jump on the bandwagon for that time. REAx: How long did you spend putting

REAx: Do you think that the things you’ve said about mainstream MCs and the industry have kept you from achieving a higher profile, or has your stuff always been too original for larger audiences anyway? KK: Not really. I think people are spoonfed, basically. I think [other hip-hop acts] have been maybe kind of jealous of us since day one. Ever since Ultramagnetic, we were always different and unique, we never followed the pattern. But I look at stuff, like bands I worked with, people who were successful - The Prodigy, I was proud to be on their album [The Fat of the Land], the WWF Aggression CD went gold. People stop me in some ways, but there are other things I’m always doing. They might not want to let me in over here, but I get in over there. I spread a lot of wings out for myself. If I lived like a bunch of urban rappers and got stuck in one genre my whole life, I wouldn’t be doing any shows, I wouldn’t be functioning internationally. I’d be stuck, known by a couple of dudes up the block, local fame. A lot of people get caught up in that, the person around the corner knows who they are. When they go to Turkey or Great Britain, nobody ever heard of ‘em. Kool Keith is currently on tour in the U.S.; he’ll be in Florida for the Harvest of Hope Festival, March 6-8 at St. Johns County Fairgrounds in Elkton, Florida. He’s also in search of ladies for his new lingerie line and adult-film company; interested parties can e-mail kkadultfilmstar@gmail.com for more information.

MYSPACE.COM/KOOLKEITH

REAX INTERVIEWS

LUCERO A CHANGE IS GONNA COME

career. He’s already got two step-daughters, and in his words, comes “home to a family.” But it’s yet another reminder that the day when spending six months at a time away is coming soon, if it isn’t already here. That’s Words: Scott Harrell • Photo: Sam Holden bad news for the fans who already worship the LAST FALL, MOST OF THE GUYS IN BELOVED MEMPHIS band for its sweaty, beerTWANG-ROCK OUTFIT LUCERO GOT A CHANCE TO GET OFF fueled, unpredictable and THE ROAD FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND CATCH A BREATHER occasionally volatile (but WHILE FRONTMAN BEN NICHOLS PARTOOK IN THE ACOUSTIC always spectacular) shows, REVIVAL TOUR IN A SEMI-SOLO CAPACITY. yet good news for a group of friends who’d like to keep their bond, ho knows exactly how underground music scene, rather than the creativity and sanity intact into their 40s. they spent that precious mainstream, and they win their fans over down time. Sleeping it off? one at a time. Large clubs and theaters are In the meantime, however, there’s an album Catching up with friends still the order of the day, and they’re still an to made, the ﬁrst new Lucero record in and family? Paying bills? Replacing busted act that makes their living onstage. almost three years. gear? Going to Disneyland? “We still make 80 percent of our money on “It’s gonna be a busy year for us,” Actually, guitarist Brian Venable spent his tour,” Venable says. “We love being home understates the guitarist. “vacation” caring for a new addition to his and writing and practicing, but we can’t be family: Henry Danger Venable, who was home too long, because that’s our primary The group has already recorded demos born back in September. source of income. of 18 songs, and has blocked off 17 days next month following dates at South By “I did do a lot of sitting in the chair, rocking “You want to play bigger places, give as Southwest and a couple with legendary and changing diapers,” says the elder many people as possible a chance to see Irish pub-punks The Pogues in which Venable. “It has its moments.” you. You want to grow your business. to record. They’re working with a new The two-and-a-half hours we play, that’s producer, Ted Hutt (The Gaslight Anthem, Lucero’s members - Nichols, Venable, ours, but we’ve got managers and booking bassist John C. Stubbleﬁeld and drummer agents and employees … we didn’t get into Flogging Molly, The Bouncing Souls), who’s more hands-on than any previous Lucero Roy Berry - might cherish their days off this to start a business, so we’re having to collaborator; while many D.I.Y. bands might more than a lot of their peers; since forming buy a lot of those ‘business for beginners’ bristle at the idea of an outside offering a decade ago, the group has spent an books. I’m a high-school dropout who’s criticism in such personal areas as song overwhelming majority of each year on having to learn serious math skills all of a arrangement, Venable says they’ve been tour. The crowds and venues have grown sudden.” surprised and pleased by the support consistently since the group’s eponymous offered by a party less intimately connected 2001 debut, but Lucero remains the kind Having a new son hasn’t drastically to the tunes. of band positioned near the top of the altered Venable’s perspective on his

PAGE 32 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

“He’s not rewriting our band,” he states ﬂatly. “He’s like a coach, he’s there to help us better ourselves. We did some preproduction, and we’d get done and be like ‘wow, he helped make this tons more badass.’ If we’re not married to a part, we’d discuss it and he might get us to a point where we could all agree, but there are also times where we’ll just say ‘we like this, and it’s staying.’” The addition of horns to the arrangements is another new wrinkle for Lucero this time around. Venable admits that some die-hard fans were nonplussed at the addition of piano and better production to ‘06’s excellent Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers, but artists have to follow their muse, and when a friend came in and laid down a few brass parts to the band’s demos, they were hooked. “It’s our version of a Memphis soul record,” says Venable. “With Ben’s rough vocals and our minimalist guitar songs, and the horns on there, hopefully we’ll come off like our version of Booker T & The MGs, or something equally as exciting. We want to be part of the Memphis musical tradition, so to speak … we’ll see what we can pull out of our butts.” Lucero in Florida: March 4 - Sluggo’s, Pensacola March 5 - Big Daddy’s, Tallahassee March 6 - New World Brewery, Ybor City March 7 & 8 - Harvest of Hope Festival, St. Johns County Fairgrounds, Elkton March 10 - The Social, Orlando

MYSPACE.COM/LUCERO

SOAPBOX UPCOMING RELEASES ISSUE 34

UPCOMING RELEASES

ARTIST

ALBUM MARCH 17

MSTRKRFT FIST OF GOD DIM MAK

ARTIST

ALBUM

RELAPSE

Bell X1 Bosque Brown Coheed and Cambria Grandmaster Flash Kurt Vile Laura Gibson Marissa Nadler Neko Case Say Hi Svarte Greiner U2 Valet Various Artists Who Made Who

TBA Baby Neverender (box set) The Bridge: Concept of a Culture God Is Saying This To You... Beasts of Seasons Little Hells Middle Cyclone Oohs and Aahs Kappe No Line on the Horizon False Face Society Luka Bop 21st Anniv. The Plot

HARMONIC 313 WHEN MACHINES EXCEED HUMAN INTELLIGENCE WARP

Yep Roc Burnt Toast Vinyl Columbia Strut Records Mexican Summer Hush Kemado AntiBarsuk Type Interscope Mexican Summer Luka Bop Gomma

MARCH 10

CURSIVE MAMA, I’M SWOLLEN SADDLE CREEK

31 Knots Abstract Rude Arboretum Architechture in Helsinki Bell Orchestre Bishop Allen BLK JKS Blktop Project Brother Ali Calexico Capracara Casiotone for the Painfully Alone Cobalt Condo Fucks DM Stith Elvis Perkins in Dearland Extra Golden Flower-Corsano Duo From Monument to Masses Julie Doiron Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds Kylesa Long Lost Luka Bloom Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band My Cat is an Alien & Zafﬁri Number Twelve Looks Like You Peter Walker Swan Lake The Bats The Mummies The Weight Thermals Tim Hecker Xrabit & DMG$

HANDSOME FURS FACE CONTROL SUB POP

Climax Anti | Climax Dear Abby Song of the Pearl That Beep As Seen Through Windows Grrr… Mystery EP Lane Change The Truth Is Here Spoke (U.S. LP issue) King of the Witches

None Rhymesayers Thrill Jockey Polyvinyl Arts & Crafts Dead Oceans Secretly Canadian Galaxia Rhymesayers Quarterstick DFA

Advance Base Battery Life Gin Fuckbook Heavy Ghost Elvis Perkins in Dearland Thank You Very Quickly Four Aims On Little Known Frequencies I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day

Tomlab Profound Love Matador Asthmatic Kitty 4AD Thrill Jockey VHF Dim Mak

Dracula Boots Static Tensions Long Lost Eleven Songs Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band Through The Looking Glass of Tomorrow

In The Red 20 Buck Spin Ninja Tune Bar/None Dead Oceans

Worse Than Alone Spanish Guitar Enemy Mine Don’t You Rise 7” Play Their Own Records Are Men Now We Can See 7” An Imaginary Country Hello World

Eyeball Records Birdman Jagjaguwar Slumberland Estrus Tee Pee Kill Rock Stars Kranky Big Dada

PAGE 34 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

WAVVES WAVVVES

FAT POSSUM

LABEL

MARCH 03

BURIED INSIDE SPOILS OF FAILURE

LABEL

Jagjaguwar

Atavistic

Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy The Donnas Gomez Great Northern Nick Lowe

Beware! Best Hits TBD TBA Quiet Please … Best of

Drag City Purple Feather ATO Eenie Meenie Yep Roc

MARCH 24

THE DECEMBERISTS HAZARDS OF LOVE CAPITOL

The Balky Mule Beep Beep Bob Log III Dan Deacon Fever Ray Fridge Fucked Up I.U.D. James Ferraro James Ferraro Jeremy Jay Matteah Baim Mirah Mono O+S Obits Pansy Division Pepper Rafter Röyksopp

LOTUS PLAZA THE FLOODLIGHT COLLECTIVE KRANKY

The Length of the Rail Enchanted Islands My Shit Is Perfect Bromst Fever Ray Early Output 1996-1998 Year of the Rat The Proper Sex Clear Discovery Slow Dance Laughing Boy (a)spera Hymn To The Immortal Wind O+S I Blame You Life In A Gay Rock Band Kona Town Gold 10 Songs Junior

FatCat Saddle Creek Birdman Carpark Mute Temp. Residence Wht’s Yr Rupture? Social Registry Holy Mountain Holy Mountain K D Stairbuilders K Records Temp. Residence Saddle Creek Sub Pop Alt. Tentacles Volcom Asthmatic Kitty Astralwerks

MARCH 30 / APRIL 07

PONTIAK MAKER

THRILL JOCKEY

Abstract Rude Arcade Fire Black Dice Bob Mould Coathangers Crystal Antlers Doves Eat Skull Harvestman Great Lake Swimmers It Hugs Back John Parish & Polly Jean Harvey Juan Maclean Junior Boys Kevin Blechdom Lady Sovereign Leonard Cohen Lil Wayne Pele Peter Bjorn and John Qemists Richard Swift Superchunk Telekinesis The Veils Youth Group

THE THERMALS NOW WE CAN SEE KILL ROCK STARS

Rejuvenation Miroir Noir DVD Repo Life and Times Scramble Tentacles Kingdom of Rust Wild and Inside In A Dark Toungue Lost Channels Inside Your Guitar

Rhymesayers Merge Paw Tracks Granaray Records Suicide Squeeze Touch & Go Astralwerks Siltbreeze Neurot Nettwerk 4AD

A Woman A Man Walked By Future Will Come Begone Dull Care Gentlemania Jigsaw Live in London Rebirth A Scuttled Bender In A Watery Closet Living Thing Join The Q The Atlantic Ocean Leaves in the Gutter EP Telekinesis Sun Gangs The Night Is Ours

Island DFA Domino Sonig Midget Records Columbia Cash Money Polyvinyl Startime Int. Ninja Tune Secretly Canadian Merge Merge Rough Trade Ivy League

SOAPBOX PRODUCT PLACEMENT ISSUE 34

PRODUCT PLACEMENT KINDLE 2

As devoted lovers of paper, ink, art and visually appealing layouts, we’re a little leery of even featuring Amazon.com’s brand-new e-reader in these pages. But, like you, we also love our gadgets, and there’s something to be said for easy access to news, novels and the kind of readables that don’t offer a lot of eye-candy in any case. The second-iteration Kindle is thinner and more feature-packed than its predecessor, and boasts longer battery life to boot. Whether or not that outweighs keeping your local indie bookstore in business is a decision only you, the individual, can make. (READ: Help keep your local indie bookstore in business.)

ALL-IN-ONE HOME RECYCLING CENTER

Recycling is a whole lot easier when somebody else handles the details - that’s why your company does it all the time, and you don’t always get it done at home. Which begs the question: Is 250 bucks too much to pay for permanently assuaging a guilty conscience? That’s what this Mode combination sorting/compaction system will set you back, but that’s also what you’ll get. You’ll never have to look at that pile of glass, plastic and paper for ﬁve minutes and then toss it all into the dumpster again. Unless, of course, you just let the damn thing sit full for weeks on end while you look at it for ﬁve minutes and decide to clean it out next week before tossing all your recyclables into the dumpster. Again.

$249.95, BROOKSTONE.COM

$359

AMAZON.COM

CASSETTE-TO-DIGITAL RIPPER

DISH NETWORK DTVPAL DVR

Not all TV stations switched over to all-digital broadcasting back on February 17 (though a great many did), ‘cause the government sided with the nearly 6 million households that hadn’t yet bothered to prepare for the deadline, and agreed to extend it until June 12. (Funny how they never do that with, oh, we don’t know, like, trafﬁc tickets or income tax.) So now you’ve got another four months to come up with the money for this sweet combination converter box/DVR. Nope, no Dish Network needed - it just converts the signal, and also offers all the amenities of your average DVR, like recording and program start-over.

$249.99, DISHNETWORK.COM

PAGE 36 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

Yeah. The bizarre PlusDeck EX not only converts your audio cassettes to digital ﬁles, but also takes a playlist of mp3s and puts it on a tape compatible with any cassette player, so you can get all up on your crush in seriously retro-cool style. But wait, there’s more - the PlusDeck also features input jacks for ripping everything from vinyl to cell phone conversations, a 7.1 surround sound audio card, an AM/FM tuner and even a clock and timer. Oh, and there’s a remote. At $300 bucks, it better have all that crap. PC only, people.

$299.99

THINKGEEK.COM

PRODUCT PLACEMENT SOAPBOX ISSUE 34

GANGSTA STRAIGHTEDGE

Despite the rise of the geekchic aesthetic, some jobs just aren’t perceived as cool - particularly the ones that require their practitioners to carry around, like, t-squares or protractors and shit. Well, here’s this Euro-cool ruler to add a little, erm, “edge” to things. (Weird how nobody in gun-crazy America came up with the idea, right?)

ABOUT $18

ATYPYK-E-SHOP.COM

PISTOL INSTRUMENT CABLE

For no particular reason, this is turning into one hell of a gun-themed installment of PP. Core One Creative’s instrument cables don’t just look good, with their rock ‘n’ roll stars and their even more rock ‘n’ roll pistol-shaped ... cable ... end ... thingies; they’re also made to last with 99.99% oxygen-free copper conductors, dual shielding and 24k goldplated connector tips. (We don’t know either, but it all sounds very buit-to-last.) One thing, though: you have to ﬁgure out which guy in your band is going to be the guy that has one, because you can’t ALL have one. That’s just, you know, kind of cheesy. Rock-paper-scissors for it, or something.

$24.95 - $27.95

COREONEPRODUCT.COM

ICE TRAYS FOR POP-ART PIRATES

It’s all very fun and kitschy and pretty much done to death, the crazy variety of ice trays one has from which to choose these days. But you know what? It’s gonna be freakin’ hot soon, and you’re gonna be throwing parties featuring beverages that will suck if allowed to become lukewarm. So, for the ﬁrst four cocktails to be served before you consider reﬁlling your kitschy, hip little ice trays and then abandon them for the big bags of coldness your guests brought, allow us to suggest the skull-andcrossbones motif.

$6.99, POPDELUXE.NET

KISS-O-METER Did you spend last Valentine’s Day alone at the bar, asking the strangers around you exactly what it is about you that’s so damn unloveable and pretending not to notice their barely concealed winces and turnings away? Might be your breath, Stenchy. This little gem is small enough to go anywhere, and ranks the kissability of your exhalations on a scale of one to ﬁve hearts. Yeah, we probably should’ve gotten this into last month’s PP, but there was no way we were cutting the bacon watch. And if your breath was stank last month, it probably hasn’t changed much, anyway.

$30, URBANOUTFITTERS.COM

NO-BUDGET PORTABLE DOOR ALARM

It’s kind of like a reverse door-stopper; jam it under a door, and if somebody tries to open said door, the alarm goes off. Not exactly a state-of-the-art crime deterrent, but it makes the kind of noise that makes a burglar second-guess, and it probably beats tying that long-ass piece of dental ﬂoss from the knob through the pulley and eye-hook to the shotgun trigger. And it’s portable - folks that do a lot of traveling and hotel sleeping will ﬁnd it adds a little peace of mind, and keeps tour buddies from sneaking into your room in the middle of the night to draw penises all over your face.

A SHOT GUN THAT SHOOTS SHOTS

A pistol. Full of liquor. That shoots shots of liquor. Into people’s mouths. Because your apartment/frat house is apparently not enough of a sticky, smelly mess the day after a party as it is.

PRICE TO BE DETERMINED, URBANTRENDHK.COM

$13.15

AMAZON.COM

MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • PAGE 37

SOAPBOX ARTBEAT / BOOKS ISSUE 34

ARTBEAT

BOOKS

KAT

VON D Words: Ryan Patrick Hooper

n tour promoting her bestselling High Voltage Tattoo, the L.A. Ink star talks about how she got into punk, metal, and eventually to the other side of the needle.

DRIVE-BY PRESS Words & Photo: Brandon Dunlap

REAX: Can you tell me a little bit about what you guys are all about and what you do? Gregory Nanney: For three and a half years, we’ve driven around the country and done woodblock printing on t-shirts, the press and other equipment that’s in our van. We’ve driven over 150,000 miles, been to 150 universities and over a dozen museums. Basically, we just pull up and park and start printing right out of the van. REAX: It’s a unique approach to printmaking, wouldn’t you say? GN: We are trying to democratize art through printmaking, take it out of the studio and to the people. Prints and t-shirts are accessible and affordable. Printmaking has always been a medium of the people, we try to share what we do with a broad audience. Now we have two crews doing this around the country right now. REAX: Can you brieﬂy explain your process? GN: Everything is already made on a woodblock,carved out. We use a mixture of etching ink and plate oil to ink the block, and then we run it with a shirt through an etching press with pressure. The ink is soft and permenant and every print is different. As far as I know, there is no one else driving around the country doing this live in person. It’s a completely

REAX: You’ve always talked a lot about your punk rock upbringing and your punk rock ethos, but what ﬁrst introduced you to punk rock perspective? Kat Von D: A lot of it came from my older sister. She was going to junior high when I was in elementary school ... that’s how I heard about Metallica when I was eleven or twelve and I ended up buying a bunch of CDs of theirs. Guns N’ Roses had this album called The Spaghetti Incident, where they did all punk rock covers. That’s how I got into punk rock music.

different thing than screenprinting on stuff.

REAX: How does the music scene play a role in what you do? GN: We’ve printed at festivals and also done exclusive prints for bands like Black Rebel Motorcycle club and Spoon. Many of our images reference music-related iconography.

REAX: Tell me one lasting story of your adventures. GN: We had our heavy press set up in a pickup truck and we burned out our clutch in Ithaca, New York, in the boonies. When the tow truck finally came and dropped us off, the mechanic told us we were going to be stranded for days until they could get the parts and labor. They noticed the equipment and asked about it, so we gave them a demo and threw them some free shirts because they were really interested in what we were doing. That night we shacked up at a motel, kind of bummed about the situation. Early the next morning, the mechanic calls and told us to come by ... we feared the worst. When we arrived, our truck was completely fixed and ready to roll. The mechanics had pulled some strings for parts and stayed up all night to fix the truck. They were so thankful that we had shared something cool with them that they did that for us.

DRIVEBYPRESS.COM

PAGE 38 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

REAX: From a metal angle? KVD: Which is weird, right? Punk rockers and metalheads, especially back then, weren’t that into each other.

REAX: When you first started getting into tattoos, what made you want to go from the girl in the dingy basement, getting her first tattoo, to being the one on the other end of the gun? KVD: You know, it was not too much later after my first tattoo that I started tattooing. I had always been drawing ... once I did the first one, I knew this was it. I definitely didn’t want a job - I just wanted to do it. My very first tattoo was the Misfits skull, which was awesome because I still love the Misfits. It was definitely pure innocence, as cheesy as that sounds.

artists, did you have a lot of your aged associates telling you to go back to school and live the life of a normal teenager? KVD: You have to understand. The first shop I worked at was not a good shop - it was the ghettoest shop on the planet! Nobody would hire somebody underage, so I was dealing with the most barbaric underbelly of the biker world in San Bernardino. Tattoo shops were literally burning each other down. We had to get bulletproof glass. It was not a good situation, and there was definitely no one telling me to go back to school. On my first day of work, they gave me a gun. I had no idea how to load the thing! That was the kind of people we were hanging with. It was positive for me because I just wanted the opportunity to tattoo, and I would’ve done anything to make that happen. But I was also living in really shitty situations when I could’ve been at home with my family. Either way, it felt important for me to be out there, learning about my craft.

REAX: Do the people that ﬁrst took you under their dirty wing know what sort of successful, Hollywood world your living in now? KVD: I haven’t talked to them in ages, but in the beginning of my book, I talk about my roots. I always thank the guy who hired me, you know? I’m hoping that, if he’s still alive, he’ll read the book and know it’s me. But I don’t really hang out in those parts of town anymore. [Laughs]

REAX: You got into the tattoo shop at 16, which would have never happened if you chose to stay in high school. KVD: Like I said, it wasn’t a rebellious thing. It was more about trying to make my parents understand that this wasn’t a stage. But fuck, at 15? I wouldn’t listen to me! I just felt so strong about it, you know? By that time, I had already left home for the second time. I had my own bank account and all that. I’ve been managing myself since then.

REAX: Obviously, people you’ve worked with have taken notice of your natural ability, but is it as much your talent as it is your personality that has landed you where you are now? KVD: I think it’s both because personally, I don’t care how good you are if you’re an asshole, you know what I mean? The show changed a lot of that stuff. It’s hard to gauge if people are getting tattoos from you because they love your work, or because you are this weird sort of celebrity or because you are on television or if you are a chick. I’ve always tried to let my work speak for itself, you know?

REAX: But being an attractive, sixteenyear-old girl at a tattoo shop with older

Read the entire interview at reaxmusic.com.

MUSIC REVIEWS SOAPBOX ISSUE 34

DELICIOUS PRETTY GOOD OK AT BEST UGH INEDIBLE

BEIRUT

MARCH OF THE ZAPOTEC / REALPEOPLE HOLLAND At first glance I asked myself, “Why two EPs? Why not one good album?” Then I listened. March of the Zapotec, apparently inspired by a recent sojourn in Oaxaca, Mexico, plays like the White Album for Mariachi bands. More than drenched, it is nearly indigenous-sounding music that is a result of Zach Condon’s Mexican stay, just as Balkan folk and French Chanson music heavily influenced the last release, The Flying Club Cup. The first track (more of an intro), “El Zocalo,” erupts from the start. It’s like being thrown into the middle of a Mexican street carnival. Like past releases, Beirut are able to cleverly synergize an international folk sound with good ole American indie whimsy. Realpeople Holland is a nifty piece of indie electro-pop. This one is more a return to the familiar Beirut, at least vocally - “My Night with the Prostitute from Marseille” brings Condon’s forlorn, drunken bellowing up front and center. The electronic exploration of Condon’s musical construction on this EP is lighter and not so much like “your-favorite-indie-musicgot-swallowed-by-the-World Music-sectionof-the-record-store” sounds of other work. “Venice” maximizes feeling and mood with its muted horns bleeding through waves of electronica, and the instrumental “No Dice” seals it all a with a sugary retro kiss. (POMPEII/BA DA BING!) - John Prinzo

HANDSOME FURS FACE CONTROL

Drum machines sometimes perform an auditory illusion, and the bass snaps and handclaps, wet drums and perfect cymbals, diminish the scope of a wellbuilt tune into overly simpliﬁed structure. But the catchy songs, they make me dance in my car driving too fast on the highway, they make my head bop, they make me sing along. They uphold the memory of Joy Division, even though they are secretly devoted New Order fans. The best parts of both are distilled and over desolate moans of introspective lyrics as Dan Boeckner (from Wolf Parade) and his wife Alexei Perry, for their second effort, deliver a collection of songs far tighter and shaper than their ﬁrst, but that could be attached to the tail end of it and be perceived as a unit whose trajectory improves with its advancing. (SUB POP) - Shawn Goldberg

...AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD THE CENTURY OF SELF

First impressions tend to stay with you. A few years back, I went to see Superchunk at the Social in Orlando, and unfortunately AYWKUBTTOD had an opening spot. The audience was treated to a set filled with grandstanding, temper tantrums and self-important bullshit. I don’t even remember what they sounded like, just how pissed I was that they even got to open for Superchunk. There was one highlight: hearing an audience member let out a loud heckle, “FUCKIN’ BOOOOOOO!” That pretty much sums up how I feel about this band. First of all, who thought that name was a good idea? Thanks for opening the door for a million whiny emo outfits to tag themselves with too-long band names. This album is their second since their romance with Interscope ended. It’s full of songs that drag themselves to an ending, each filled with pretension and bravado that cause involuntary eye rolling and a compulsion to hit “stop.”It’s mediocre at best. (JUSTICE) - Susie Ulrey

THE LOVED ONES DISTRACTED

Why do some bands get lauded for staying within a fairly narrow stylistic area their entire careers, while other bands get shredded for releasing a bunch of albums that sound too much the same? Because some bands are awesome, and other bands suck, that’s why. Originally featuring members of beloved Philly punk acts like Kid Dynamite and Paint It Black, The Loved Ones emerged in ‘05 showcasing a bristling, catchy punk ‘n’ roll sound that’s changed little over the course of four years and two excellent full-lengths. The lineup has changed a bit, but the sound hasn’t, and this six-song interim EP - split evenly between originals and covers - proves there’s no need for it to. The title track, “Last Call” and “Spy Diddley” are perfectly gritty yet hook-ﬁlled blends of Springsteen and Screeching Weasel that would’ve ﬁt on either of the previous Ones albums, and versions of The Boss’ “Johnny 99,” Billy Bragg’s “Lovers Town Revisited” and Joe Strummer’s “Coma Girl” split the difference between awed reverence and slight reinvention. (FAT WRECK CHORDS) - Colin Kincaid

MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • PAGE 39

SOAPBOX MUSIC REVIEWS ISSUE 34

M. WARD

HOLD TIME It’s no coincidence that the street date for Hold Time coincides with the 50th anniversary of the death of Buddy Holly. To M. Ward, “The Day the Music Died” is just a metaphor - both a dishonest expression and a lame attempt to eulogize a prophet. The less famous member of pop duo She & Him, the singer-songwriter is a disciple of the rock ‘n’ roll way. “To Save Me” swings on big beat, Spector ﬂair, and boogie-woogie piano, while “One Hundred Million Years” distills the black spiritual with lo-ﬁ blues acoustics and poetic laments. In “Rave On,” a Holly classic, Ward sings “When you say, ‘I love you’/I say ‘rave on,’” and in this timeless, offhanded cool, he speaks up for his late, horn-rimmed hero: the music, thank you very much, is alive and well. (MERGE) - Robert J. Hilson

LOOK MEXICO

GASP ASP (DIGITAL EP) Tallahassee’s Look Mexico bring orchestral textures and angular ingenuity to the kind of second-wave posthardcore that was always a little too progressive to be called emo - think of the likes of Hey Mercedes, Sense Field and Piebald, but with a decidedly more mature, contemporary and original bent. The swelling strings that introduce opener “You’re Not Afraid of the Dark, Are You?” announce that this is a band with ambition, and all four of these dynamic and meandering yet immediately catchy tunes bear that out. From the bouncy intro of “Don’t You Dare” swerving into a gorgeously off-kilter time signature to the crazy mix of disco rhythms and Chicago-style art-rock of “A Survivors’ Code. My Code.”, Gasp Asp is consistently interesting, but never so weird that the listener can’t enjoy it for the hooks. (LUJO) - Scott Harrell

LAZY MAGNET

HE SOUGHT FOR THAT MAGIC... Listening from start to finish might obliterate your mind. A graveyard-shift radio station; the entire experience dips and darts, constantly fluctuating through diverse representations of musical genres: lo-fi moans, noodling thrash, metal, Pavementstyle punk, a morose Lou Reed tune, fun and poppy electro, drone, psychedelic sitars, country that’s crushed by feedback and becomes the sounds of the rainforest and wind, and the simple rise and fall of a pan-type

ﬂute that becomes a London rave, which after returning momentarily to the sound of wind and the pan-type ﬂute, cranks into a fuzzy postpunk anthem; these styles and countless others, replicated without being derivative, blister with the randomness, dexterity, and inventiveness that makes an impressive record into a memorable one. But the most curious tracks are the occasional orchestral pieces, ominous cello- and viola-heavy interludes that create haunting landscapes similar to the soundtrack to John Carpenter’s The Thing, where, lost in the tundra, the pursuit for the monster has lasted so long, it’s impossible to distinguish if you’re chasing the beast or if the beast is chasing you (CORLEONE RECORDS) - Shawn Goldberg

DÄLEK

GUTTER TACTICS If the election of President Barack Obama was a big can’t-we-all-just-getalong? inquiry to the good people of America, then Gutter Tactics is a scathing, unqualiﬁed “Hell no!” Not yet, anyway. Atop corrosive grooves tangled in haywire electronic beats, this Garden State duo spits tales of torture, war, civil rights abuses and the like, exposing every closeted sin, protesting all the wrongs that still need be righted. “Armed with Krylon” and “Who Medgar Evers Was” make up a suite of continuously devolving ambient rap that taps a well of run-for-your-life paranoia. The latter track works off a big, beefy drumbeat, spiraling feedback and lyrics about assassination. Indeed, this is dark stuff that takes nerve to slog through, and that’s to speak nothing of the introductory monologue - a caustic, hellﬁre and brimstone throwdown from the Reverend Wright himself. Or as Dälek likes to call it, feel-good music. (IPECAC) - Robert J. Hilson

FRANZ FERDINAND

TONIGHT: FRANZ FERDINAND Trends always expose themselves on the third album. The Look only buys you so much time. Catchy singles only take you so far. By album three, you’re either the White Stripes or you’re Jet. Or, you’re Franz Ferdinand, stuck in that untenable middle ground - milking the same-song formula for all it’s worth and, in turn, ﬁelding diminishing returns. So it goes: Tonight’s “Ulysses” takes on “Do You Want To,” which was Take Two on “Take Me Out.” That’s a lot of “takes” for one sentence, not so many for three-and-ahalf years - the time between albums. If this seems like a momentum killer, well, it is. And so too are songs like “Turn It On” and “Live Alone.” They’re all the same, really; slinky little danceable groove rockers that have three things in common. They’re all catchy, all disposable, and all written by a band destined to be the answer to a trivia question. (DOMINO) - Robert J. Hilson

PAGE 40 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE

MERRIWEATHER POST PAVILLION Pitchfork awarded this album a stunning, nearperfect review, and given their penchant for lauding bands with cool names and unconventional music (even if they suck), I was hesitant to accept this. Then, throw in the fact that AC’s previous albums, although boldly defiant, could never steer far from the sounds of a reckless cacophony. Merriweather Post Pavilion continues in that Kid A approach to deconstructing people’s notions of what constitutes a pop-rock song. Scant use of guitar and drums with swirling, delicate layers of synth loops, bells, whistles, and odd blips combined with their unique vocal approach sometimes culminates in a maniacal and fantastical din - the sound of Willy Wonka’s Air Conditioner if it was on the fritz. It’s a Pet Sounds with no restraint, but I’m pretty sure that’s what they are going for. The Beach Boys comparison isn’t helped by the layered, echo-y yearnings of Panda Bear’s voice, but his soft and scary Brian Wilson discorporated, floating above asynchronous waves of sound - is the high point in some of their music. “Guys Eyes,” one of the more coherent and direct tracks, and “My Girls” expand with his voice, as do the ethereal backing vocals - reaching out of the din with eerie softness - on “Lion in a Coma.” This album is a watermark and it definitely does its job in merging indie and experimental in ways that challenge the listener, but (as I draw the ire of the hipsters), even though it is superbly produced, music like this can’t help but seem muddled. Live, with some lights and video, this material may be staggering, but it is performance art. AC is groundbreaking, fresh, and sure to influence music for the next few years. It’s just that, up close, near the source, it’s too much. It needs to be distilled in the minds of other musicians and reinterpreted (it’s actually already happening) in order to make it palatable. Most of MPP’s content seemed a minute too long for songs of their nature. There isn’t a track that makes me want to turn it up. In fact, I found myself turning it down to escape the auditory mindfuck. (DOMINO) - John Prinzo

OH NO NOT STEREO 003

This Los Angeles duo’s fairly lightweight mash-up of all the predictable tools in the modern pop-rock chest, from taut emo to ironic cock-rock to classically Beatles and Beach Boys-informed piano ﬂourishes and ballads, shouldn’t work. It should be too pandering, too all-over-the-place in its attempts to connect, too cheeseball. And in some places on 003, all of that’s true. And some of the songs, like “Shot Down By The Man,” “Something New,” “Say Anything” and

“The Eyes On The Kids,” just aren’t very good. Elsewhere, however, the sheer quality of the songwriting transcends everything the CD has stacked against it - opener “Let’s Get It Started,” the sugar-rushed “All You,” schizoid modern-rock track “Miss Hard Time,” pensive pop ballad “12 Years Later,” power-pop template “This Friday Night” and the hidden, cabaret-esque untitled closer are all solid, infectious tunes. Oh No Not Stereo deﬁnitely aren’t being choosy enough as they throw everything they’ve got at the pop wall, but a surprising and encouraging amount of it sticks. (SELF-RELEASED) - Scott Harrell

LILY ALLEN

IT’S NOT ME, IT’S YOU With Allen’s first full length release in 2006 Allright, Still, I had to admire her as a scrappy little Brit with a crass presentation and a rock-steady backbeat. Did she usher in the current craze of neo-soul songstresses? Whether or not she did, it doesn’t matter because she has all but abandoned what made me like her in the first place. With this year’s It’s Not Me, It’s You, Allen belly flops into the above-ground pool of transparent pop stars - which just makes her inherent trashiness seem distasteful, as opposed to its formerly attractive pairing with early stylistic leanings. She drops f-bombs, talks about giving head and doing drugs. Nice. Factor in her silly feud with shallow gossip monger Perez Hilton along with topless sunbathing and panty-less dress-wearing pics with her vapid electro-pop and eclectic indecisiveness and you have … what? Another broken down pop star served up as tabloid fodder. (EMI) - Susie Ulrey

FRANZ NICOLAY

MAJOR GENERAL Possessing nearmythic powers, the mustache traditionally lifts the underdog to unprecedented feats of heroism. Examples abound – Harrison in ‘70, Flanders in ’89, Giambi in ’08 - so you have to feel good about the prospects of Hold Steady keyboardist/Ron Jeremy double Franz Nicolay. Major General sounds even more promising after “Jeff Penalty” and “Notes on a Subway Wall,” bar-band sing-alongs ﬂeshed out with HS trademarks - raging power chords, drunken storytelling, whoa-ohs galore. Unfortunately, Nicolay knows how to kill a good buzz - perhaps a necessity when carousing with Craig Finn - and does so frequently with sappy acoustic fare. “Do We Not Live in Dreams” even drifts into Norah Jones territory, and if there’s one thing the mighty ‘stache cannot match, it’s the Gillette Mach3 that is lounge music. (FISTOLO) - Robert J. Hilson

MUSIC REVIEWS SOAPBOX ISSUE 34

THE BLACK LIPS

200 MILLION THOUSAND What is it with bands called The Black Somethings and their Anton Newcombe worship? These psychedelic Georgia acid-rock/ acid-blues/acidfolk freaks do it better than most, with both a comprehensive knowledge of Nuggets-era sonics and a unique, deceptively mellow southern accent. In fact, I’d venture to say that 200 Million Thousand is a more engaging and satisfying front-to-back listen than many Brian Jonestown Massacre albums - it’s diverse without sounding schizophrenic, and druggy without succumbing to ﬁller. Of course, without the Lips’ infamously chaotic live energy to send things way, way, way over the top, it sometimes struggles to differentiate itself from the dozens of Roky Erickson acolytes out there. But still, it’s an above-average work of retro-trippage. (VICE) - Colin Kincaid

MORRISSEY

YEARS OF REFUSAL I’m so tired of the whole Morrissey vs. The Smiths argument - for me there is no argument, he wins hands down. After The Smiths broke up and set the hearts of pathetic, gentle goth ﬂowers worldwide into a permanent wilt, who continued (for 20+ years) to put out rockin’, solid albums full of sardonic “pity me” lyrics delivered with deadpan seriousness? That would be Mr. Steven Patrick Morrissey. Now, with his newest release, Years of Refusal, he harkens back to my most favorite of his albums, Your Arsenal, with his classic formula of muscle rock + crooner vocal chops = gold. What’s the best advice for listening to this album? The back of the CD cover simply states “play very loud.” And oh yeah, for a dude turning 50 this year he looks damn good with his chest all puffed out and a wee baby in his arms on the cover. For sure. (ATTACK/LOST HIGHWAY) - Susie Ulrey

ELVIS PERKINS IN DEARLAND

ELVIS PERKINS IN DEARLAND Somewhere between Leonard Cohen’s sophisticated moodiness and Tom Waits’ eccentric, oldschool rasp lies Elvis Perkins’ own maudlin and occasionally vaguely countriﬁed take on Americana. At ﬁrst listen, Perkins’ second album is nice, and fairly original, and not really all that interesting - possessed

of a certain trademarked blend of dustbowl melancholy and ‘60s singer-songwriter tropes, all the tunes seem to run together a bit. However, repeated exposures tease out their individual personalities, from the jaunty “Hey” to mid-album highlights “Chains, Chains, Chains” and “Doomsday” and the devastating closer “How’s Forever Been Baby.” It’s not all great, but there is greatness here; it’s just a slow to reveal itself. Give it a little time. (XL) - Scott Harrell

FOL CHEN

PART 1: JOHN SHADE YOUR FORTUNE’S MADE All the spices from the electronic rack, and still no ﬂavor. I was lulled to sleep by the rhythm-less beats and melodic drone of what looks like a great concept album on the surface. I was, however, able to get in touch with my inner B-boy thanks to some of the ‘80s-style hip-hop knockoff grooves. Regardless of whether or not it’s 1980, this mystery indie-dance outﬁt brings little interest to my rock ‘n’ roll sensibilities. I will say that if slow drugs, dark rooms, and neon playgrounds are your bag, this album could make your desert-island Top Five. (ASTHMATIC KITTY) - Jack Gregory

OUTCLASSED

THIS COULD BE COINCIDENCE... A song called “Kick God in the Face, Hail Satan” opens in a hail of feedback-scree and unintelligible gang-vocal hollers, then locks into an off-time groove and skronk-guitar thrash. You immediately know what you’re gonna get, and this Pittsburgh quintet delivers plenty of noisy, noisy metallic hardcore that lies somewhere between Unsane and The Dillinger Escape Plan. The only trouble is, they’re less concise and polished than the former and less musically adept than the latter, and about 100 bands did this kind of thing at least as well seven or eight years ago. “The Amputeed Hand Book” is an above-average tune for its niche, and all told these ﬁve tunes are all right if you’re into the style. But there’s nothing new or particular exciting about this EP, and a better (and louder) production would’ve at least gotten the adrenaline ﬂowing. (FORCEFIELD) - Colin Kincaid

www.mojotampa.com | 813.971.9717

2558 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa

Located to the University Mall, in the Wipers:next Is this real? same plaza asRecords) Chipotle Mexican Grill & Quiznos (Jackpot

Remastered from original tapes provided by singer and guitarist Greg Sage, myspace.com/mojobooksandmusic this repress presents the unmistakable piercing sound of Portland’s best late 70s/early80s punk outﬁt without losing the cloudy raucous texture of their snapping delivery and twitching rhythms.

Owen: The EP (Polyvinyl Records) Quite possibly the saddest singer/songwriter. Here, the simplicity and complications of relationship doldrums and daily routines, scatterbrained misunderstandings and inebriated arguments are explored; and despite the supposed rarity and cliché of these forlorn sentiments, the images in these ﬁve songs possess a morose complacency that appears more prominent watching hung-over young lovers quietly eat at breakfast buffets on Sunday morning. Mountains: Choral (Thrill Jockey) Their best album so far. The perfect soundtrack to observing the sky develop during sunrise or sunset. Soothing electronic and acoustic ambience in long tracks, some over ten minutes. A skeleton key for the unconscious. Instrumental. Hypnotic. Like Eno’s No Pussyfooting or Music From Airports. Serge Gainsbourg: Histoire De Melody Nelson (Light in the Attic) I don’t speak French, so the perverse puns and sexual metaphors conveyed by the smoky voice, over the jazzy guitar and ominous orchestral arrangements, are lost on me; and it sounds like the long lost bastard of Marvin Gaye, Lou Reed, and Tom Waits, only years before those guys decided to start writing love songs geared toward celebrating the relentless appetite for indulgence. And yes, the album sounds like the cover. Deerhunter: Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. Originally released with an additional 13 track bonus album available on cd; but now, after immense demand, it’s been repackaged in double LP gatefold fanciness. If you are like many others, that bought the album already, purchasing this might be worth the extra dough. Finally, hear the warmth of “Vox Celeste” on vinyl.

www.mojotampa.com | 813.971.9717

2558 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa

MORE REVIEWS AT REAXMUSIC.COM

Located next to the University Mall, in the same plaza as Chipotle Mexican Grill & Quiznos

myspace.com/mojobooksandmusic

MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • PAGE 41

SOAPBOX VIDEO GAME REVIEW ISSUE 34

GAME REVIEW

F.E.A.R. 2: PROJECT ORIGIN IT’S JUST AN ACRONYM … RIGHT?

ith a name like F.E.A.R. 2:

Project Origin, one would be under the impression that you were about to go on a hellish trip chockfull of terror. You know, that chill-inducing, play-with-the-lights-on, don’t-want-to-play-italone kind of fear? One would assume this, and one would be wrong. So does this little bit of irony ruin a game that uses ALL CAPS to spell F.E.A.R.? Surprisingly, no. F.E.A.R. 2 picks up about half an hour prior to the conclusion of the first game, but as seen through the eyes of a member of a different military squad. You are a commando named Michael Becket and you’ve got some crazy shit going on in your head. You keep having blackouts accompanied by visions of a tree swing and a certain long-haired girl: Alma - creepy, naked Alma. The story stuff centers around Alma, and an evil corporation that conducts strange experiments on school children. Although its plot is twisted, however, it never really does much to suck you in. Gameplay-wise, Monolith has built a solid, if not spectacular, first-person shooter. Action abounds in every dark hallway throughout each of the game’s many clichéd settings (elementary school, hospital, subway, etc.), and a good firefight is never too far away. Skirmishes can get pretty frenetic at times, and the A.I. doesn’t like to stay in one place for long. The enemies aren’t necessarily smart or anything; they are just always moving around and trying to flank you, adding to the intensity. If a battle gets too intense for you, or just because it’s cool, you can slow down the action by pressing the Y button and take advantage

of “heightened reflex” mode - F.E.A.R.’s own bullet time-style visual thing. This can be really helpful when multiple drones are trying to get a position on you, or while trying to pull off a head-shot with your sniper rifle. But F.E.A.R. 2 isn’t all FPS, all the time. The campaign throws you a couple of first-rate turret sequences and, in my two favorite moments of the game, lets you clamber into a mech and shoot everything that moves! Piloting the mech is seriously satisfying and breaks up the monotony of grinding through similar dark corridors - I found myself getting sick of the dark sometimes, and appreciated the variety. The only real letdown is the game’s fear factor; I can’t help but be slightly disappointed. Isn’t the point to scare the curls out of my hair? F.E.A.R. 2 is … peculiar, and there are copious amounts of blood, but it’s just not scary. Maybe I’m desensitized, but I was looking forward to a few more surprises. While there is nothing really wrong with F.E.A.R. 2, there is nothing extraordinary about it, either. The game sounds good, looks good and has a decent multiplayer compliment. There’s a high degree of polish here, and you can tell Warner Bros. cares about their newly acquired franchise. Overall, F.E.A.R. 2 is better than many of the FPS’s out there - but it’s not as good as some of those upper-echelon titles like Call of Duty or Halo.

REVIEWED ON XBOX 360 - Trevor Roppolo

PAGE 42 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

HANDS ON PRODUCT REVIEW SOAPBOX ISSUE 34

I don’t give a damn how cute the hippie girl in pigtails is, if she is tooting on a harmonica, stay the hell away unless she’s blowing a Little Walter tune, she will drive you insane. The Marine Band Harmonica was used by Paul Butterfield and countless other legendary musicians, and gets super cred for still being made in Germany. You can get one for $20-$30 and annoy the living hell out of everyone around you as you cheerfully chirp on the thing and learn how to play, or lead all your stoned friends in a rousing rendition of “Rainy Day Women” as you sit around the campfire. Back when skateboarding first started, dudes wore tight pants, ripped shirts and high-tops, and listened to ‘70s stoner rock … now it seems that we have come full circle once again. Badass, and good riddance to rap-rock and pants that were so baggy you could smuggle someone into the country in them. Erik Ellington escaped Alaska to become one of the most talkedabout skaters of recent years. The pants that bear his name are slim, tight and sport the look of ‘70s pastels and vintage thin cords, and are slightly stretchy. No they do not make you skate like him, even if you wish they did. - Kr3w Apparel Tested at Southern Boarder Skateshop. Southernboarder.com

Product tested at a lonesome truck stop half a mile out of Joliet, Illinois. Hohner.com

Sure I want my band to be on the cover, but lately that means that you have a five-sentence blurb on the inside, because there is no room for anything else - the thing is only a few pages thicker than a flyer at this point. I picked up a recent copy to check out the band The Living Things, whose name was featured on the cover, only to find one photo and a couple of one-liners. I had to check to see if half the magazine pages had fallen out, but apparently it was just the content that did. Product tested in the new REAX office bathroom. Spin.com

It’s the 18th century. You are hungry and thirsty at the same time. You decide to drink a porter stout beer, perhaps brewed by Arthur Guinness. Now. It’s the 21st century and you are on tour with a band. You are hungry, and pissed that food is not included in your tab. You notice Guinness on tap and proceed to have a four-course meal of it. The beneﬁts of this stout brew are many, including nourishment and an apparent antioxidant effect to help your heart stay healthy, but also the fact that at 4.3% alcohol by volume, you can drink a few liters of it and still stay reasonable. Little-known fact: part of the brewing process contains isinglass, which is made from the swim bladders of ﬁsh, and every time you see a hardcore vegan drinking this you can buy them another and chuckle at their ignorant bliss as they try to convince you to stop eating things with faces. Tested at Mr. Dunderbaks German Biergarten, where we all started singing the famous German drinking song “Denn Sie Ist Mir Zu Fett” as I ate venison sausages (yes that’s deer, like Bambi), which doesn’t make any sense at all because this beer is from Ireland, but I don’t care because deer are not only cute but mighty tasty. Dunderbaks.com

Yes, I have smashed one of these in the middle of a ranting and drunken gospel. I have thrown them across stages, and nearly caved someone’s head in with one. Nothing screams “get the f*** off MY stage” like the 12 pounds of solid mahogany wood, mother-ofpearl inlays and ebony that is the gloriously heavy Les Paul Custom being swung at your head. Good luck finding one that’s less than $2,000 that some asshole like me hasn’t splintered into bits and glued back together. And if you just find the head of one that has the serial number 1082736 please email me at the contact at the front of the book, I am still looking for that piece and will offer a reward. Product tested on the stage floor at the Backbooth in Orlando FL. Gibson.com

MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • PAGE 43

YOU ARE HERE ISSUE 34

A GUIDE TO TAMPA BAY

HOTSPOTS: VENUES/BARS ARTPOOL A unique take on the gallery space that

JANNUS LANDING Consistently voted one of the best places

includes a boutique along with regular shows and events with which the entire community can get involved. 919 1st Ave. N., St. Petersburg artpoolrules.com

in the Bay area to see a show, it’s an open-air concert hall housed within an historic city block. 16 2nd St. N., St. Petersburg jannuslandingconcerts.com

THE BRASS MUG Where just about every band in town cut

KELLY’S PUB A comparatively new hangout that helps

its teeth, this North Tampa strip-mall bar is near USF, and specializes in punk and metal. 1441 E. Fletcher Ave. #101, Tampa myspace.com/brassmug

CROWBAR A live room with excellent sound and a

fully stocked beer garden stand out amid Ybor’s dance clubs and hipster retail, attracting everything from well-known touring indie-rock acts to local metal legends. 1812 N. 17th St., Ybor crowbarlive.com

CZAR Home to some of the best parties of

2008, CZAR’s three rooms of goodness have a lot to offer music and vodka lovers alike. PULP on Friday night is a must, see hipsters dance the night away in style. Don’t forget the ice shots! 1420 E. 70th Ave., Tampa czarybor.com

EMERALD BAR Cross the bay to St. Pete and visit the

local music scene’s favorite dive, where original art adorns the walls and any sort of band or DJ imaginable might take the non-stage. 550 Central Ave., St. Petersburg myspace.com/emeraldbar

FUMA BELLA The smallest bar in America, so it

has been said by the locals. Friendly bartenders that know how to make a damn good drink. This place is perfect for a small group who wants to sit and chat, or someone traveling solo who wants to meet some legitimately cool Tampa folk. 1318 E Eighth Ave., Tampa 813-248-6130

THE GARAGE Formerly heavy on the metal and

industrial, this medium-sized venue is gaining new respect amid the scene for everything from movie nights to a wider variety of shows and its Skateboard Industry Night parties. 662 Central Ave., St. Petersburg myspace.com/garagepromotions

GASPAR’S GROTTO Gaspar’s is for the everyday pirate

looking for a good time. You can ﬁnd live music, food, and tons of booty. 1805 E. 7th Ave., Tampa gasparsgrotto.com

legendary Tampa bar The Hub keep downtown Tampa happening after dark. 206 N. Morgan St., Tampa myspace.com/kellyspubtampa

NEW WORLD BREWERY A killer beer selection and eclectic,

culture-friendly musical slate make this Ybor City bar-and-patio a local-scene favorite. 1313 E. 8th Ave., Ybor myspace.com/newworldbrewery

ORPHEUM A long-running favorite for national and

local indie shows, as well as hipster-ﬁlled dance nights. 1902 Ave. Republica De Cuba, Ybor 813-248-9500

THE PEGASUS LOUNGE Another close-to-USF live-music watering hole that often caters to heavier sounds. 10008 N. 30th St., Tampa pegasusniteclub.com

RESERVOIR BAR The Finest Hole-in-the-Wall in Town! 1518 E. 7th Ave., Ybor resbar.com

THE RITZ The venue formerly known as The

Masquerade (and before that, er, The Ritz) is back in action. Live music is only part of what’s going on there these days. 1503 Seventh Ave., Ybor theritzybor.com

THE STATE THEATRE A longtime tour stop for rising punk, rock

and alt-country bands, you can catch acts as disparate as Shooter Jennings and The Hush Sound in this converted movie palace. 687 Central Ave., St. Petersburg statetheatreconcerts.com

TRANSITIONS ART GALLERY It’s the SPoT’s edgy, all-ages-friendly exhibition/performance space. 4215 E. Columbus Dr., Tampa transitionsartgallery.com

UPTOWN BAR Amiable little dive that features an

always-eclectic lineup of local shows, from DJs to hardcore. 658 Central Ave., St. Petersburg 727-463-0567

PAGE 44 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

HOTSPOTS: RETAIL ALL PRO PERCUSSION Everything from wood blocks to the new

Roland V-Drum electric kits, without the annoying 8th-graders butchering Avenged Sevenfold over in the guitar section. 10101 E. Adamo Dr., Tampa 813-341-DRUM allpropercussion.com

MOJO BOOKS & MUSIC This place has it all when it comes to music retail. Used CDs and Vinyl of course, but don’t forget about the huge selection of used books. Located in the heart of USF country. Hit it up son. 2558 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa 813-971-9717 mojotampa.com

SEMINOLE MUSIC & SOUND Another one of the few music-gear

independents still in operation. And they’ve been at it for 25 years. 10720 74th Ave. N., Suite F, Seminole 727-391-3892 seminolemusic.com

STEVIE B’S TOTAL GUITAR Let’s just say they know their shit, from vintage instruments to the latest tech. 650 Central Ave., St. Petersburg 727-822-3304 30111 U.S. HWY 19 N., Clearwater 727-785-9106

VINYL FEVER Again, there are plenty of great indie record/ CD shops in the area, but Vinyl Fever has been the gold standard for years. 4110 Henderson Blvd., Tampa 813-289-8399 vinylfevertampa.com

HOTSPOTS: LIFESTYLE MOSI ATOMIC TATTOOS (Museum of Science & Industry) There are, seriously, too many great tattoo shops (including Monique’s and Mean Machine, to name a couple more) and artists in the area to list, but Atomic has long been reputable in the area, and has locations in just about every Tampa Bay neighborhood, so there you go. atomictattoos.com

Interesting, out-of-the-box kind of stuff like experiencing what 74 mph hurricane force winds feel like, or ﬂying a virtual reality ﬁghter jet. Check the website for exhibit info. MOSI also has an IMAX Dome theatre. 4801 E. Fowler Ave.Tampa, Florida 813-987-6100 mosi.org

BENTLEY SALON RED LETTER 1 Redken-authorized, forward-thinking salon RedLetter1 is a ﬂash-free, 100% custom that emphasizes education for aspiring stylists. 3228 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa 813-877-9801 myspace.com/bentleysalon

CANOE ESCAPE, INC. Not really feeling all of the hustle and

bustle? Forget about trafﬁc and drunk football fans for a moment and think about canoeing or kayaking down the Hillsborough River - but you need to reserve your spot early so call in advance. Oh, and yes you will see alligators. Have fun kids! 9335 E. Fowler Ave., Thonotosassa 813-986-2067 canoeescape.com

FLYING FISH BIKES A full-service shop for both recreational and serious riders. 2409 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa 813-839-0410

MAD PADDLERS KAYAK & SURF SHOP

Equipment and lessons for beginners and die-hards alike. 8808 Rocky Creek Dr., Tampa 813-243-5737 ospreybay.com

tattoo studio and art gallery located in historic Ybor City. Tattoos are currently made by Lucky Mathews, Jeff Srsic, Angelo Nales and Phil Holt. Hours are noon to 7, Tuesday through Saturday...other hours available by appointment only. 1818 N 15th Street. Ybor City 813-241-2435

SKATEPARK OF TAMPA The legendary home of the Tampa Pro and Am comps. 4215 E. Columbus Dr., Tampa 813-621-6793 skateparkoftampa.com

TRIBECA COLOR SALON Keeping Tampa beautiful, one head at a time. 920 W Kennedy Blvd 813.250.0208 www.tribecasalon.com

WATTS TUBE AUDIO Musicians, stereo hobbyists and do-it-

yourself ampliﬁer builders will all ﬁnd something interesting. 2323 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N., St. Petersburg wattstubeaudio.com

A GUIDE TO TAMPA BAY YOU ARE HERE ISSUE 34

EVENT SPOTLIGHT

SHOPPING BARBER

f you’re not a hard-core follower of

tattoo culture or contemporary urban art, you might not have heard the name Shawn Barber. But chances are you’ve seen or at least heard of at least one of the San Francisco artist’s pieces his gorgeous, classically inspired portrait of some dude named Barack Obama graced the cover of the Wall Street freakin’ Journal’s inauguration-day issue. Barber has been called “the tattoo world’s Michaelangelo,” and you’ll get a chance to see why when Ybor City tattoo shop ‘n’ art gallery Redletter1 hosts an exhibition of his work. Titled Tattooed Portraits, the show will feature a selection of Barber’s paintings from the series of the same name, which runs the gamut from anatomical studies to renderings of famous tattoo artists both

startlingly real and slightly whimsical, and more. The artist’s eye for detail, color and tone is, frankly, astonishing - the guy’s crazy, crazy, sick talented. Tattooed Portraits opens with a reception at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 21. Do yourself a favor and stop by Redletter1, you don’t need to be a tattoo fan or schooled art buff to appreciate Barber’s evocative work. Additionally, artists can sign up for a painting seminar to be held by Barber the following day at 4 p.m. The seminar is also at Redletter1; the cost is $100. Redletter1 is located at 1818 15th St. in Ybor City.

REDLETTER1.COM SDBARBER.COM MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • PAGE 45

YOU ARE HERE A GUIDE TO TAMPA BAY ISSUE 34

HOTSPOTS: EATS AGUILA SANDWICH SHOP We’re not gonna get into any beefs by calling it the best Cuban sandwich in town - but it might be the best Cuban sandwich in town. 3200 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa 813-876-4022

BURRITO BOARDER Healthy burritos, ﬁsh tacos and other Cali-Mex fusionables with a skaterfriendly vibe. 17 3rd St. North, St. Petersburg 727-209-0202

CAPPY’S PIZZA Arguably the best pizza on either side of

the bay. Casual, and as cheap as a lot of the delivery chains to boot. 4910 N. Florida Ave., Tampa 813-238-1516 3200 W. Bay to Bay Blvd., Tampa 813-835-0785 2900 1st Ave. N., St. Petersburg 727-321-3020

DAVE’S Where the St. Pete scene meets the

morning after for big, cheap breakfasts. Cash only. 2339 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N., St. Petersburg 727-895-6057

GLOBE COFFEE LOUNGE Shows, local art, coffee and some of

proprietor JoEllen’s famous recipes for healthy entrees and tasty desserts. 532 First Ave. N., St. Petersburg 727-898-5282

GRASSROOT ORGANIC Reviewers call its vegan- and vegetarianfriendly menu “creative” and “tasty.” 2702 N. Florida Ave., Tampa 813-221-7668

LA CREPERIA CAFE A menu that boasts perfect options for

breakfast, lunch or dinner. Best known for their extensive list of crepes of which you may want to consider something on the sweet side with nutella and a rich cup of european coffee. Bonjour! 1729 E. 7th Ave., Ybor 813-248-9700

MELLOW MUSHROOM One of the most heavily praised pizza

chains in existence anywhere. And did we mention the plethora of awesome beers? 11955 Sheldon Road, Tampa 813-926-3600 10959 Causeway Blvd., Brandon 813-685-1122

ELWeird, TACONAZO (TACO BUS) mostly lunch-only hours, but

NICKO’S The last classic steel-exterior diner in the

FRANKIES Started in Connecticut in 1933, these

SMOKE BARBECUE AND GRILL Some of the best ribs in Tampa and the

indisputably awesome cheap and authentic eats. 913 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa 813-232-5889

are some pretty swell cheeseburgers and dogs - think old fashioned fast food. Some of the fried delectables include onion rings, sweet potato fries and fried cauliﬂower or broccoli. 909 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa (813) 425-3647

area, with the classic eclectic breakfast, lunch and dinner menu to match 4603 N. Florida Ave., Tampa 813-234-9301

side dishes to along with ‘em. Do not leave without trying the mac ‘n’ cheese. 901 W. Platt St., Tampa 813-254-7070

quirky/vintage fashions, particularly for the ladies. 4336 4th St. N., St. Petersburg 727-528-9490

SUNSHINE THRIFT You can generally always ﬁnd something

cool here, even when the other thrifts in the area are picked clean. 4304 S. Dale Mabry Hwy., Tampa 813-831-4377

SQUARESVILLE URBAN OUTFITTERS A longtime local favorite for vintage clothes, You know the deal. not to mention kitschy home furnishings. 508 S. Howard Ave., Tampa 813-259-9944

BRIAN CAUDILL

POCKETFUL OF CHANGE (SELF RELEASED)

Clearwater singer-songwriter Caudill delivers a fairly solid and eclectic collection of full-band folk-pop fare. Opening track “Big Wheels” immediately delivers with an upbeat, hooky and rhythmic style that’s reminiscent of Del Amitri, and Caudill is at his best on tunes like this, as well as the slightly more soulful yet pop-grounded cuts such as the title track and “You And Me.” There are a couple of missteps on Pocketful of Change – the ode to father-son relationships “The Tire Man” is a little cliched and overly schmaltzy, and “The Dog Song” ruins a great, moody Dylan-esque musical arrangement with lyrics that try too hard to be clever (it’s from the dog’s perspective, get it?) and come off as cheesy. Overall, though, this is an above-average album from a songwriter with chops and potential. - Cole Porterhouse

ALBUM SPOTLIGHT SONS OF HIPPIES WARRIORS OF THE LIGHT (SELF RELEASED)

I’ve always been a big fan of evocative, poetic singer/guitarist Katherine Kelly, and I’ve always cringed when anybody mentioned the name of her band-ish collaboration with multiinstrumentalist Jonas Canales - for me, it conjures the sort of stereotypical drum-circle cliches that would hamper the duo’s chances for exposure to the hip, smart crowd they deserve. So, to the people who hear a band name like Sons of Hippies and automatically think, “fuck that,” I gotta say: You’ve gotta hear this album. With the help of engineer David Byrd, Kelly and Canales run Patti Smith and Kate Bush-isms through the prism of postmodern styles to arrive at something equal parts shoegaze, broken New Wave, experimental pop and catchy modern rock. This is what art-rock should be like, bold and chance-taking without sacriﬁcing catchiness or emotional heft. Songs like “Spaceship Ride” and “Whatever We Spend” are raw and boisterous, but also immaculately layered exercises in sound manipulation. No drum circles here - Warriors of the Light is a thoroughly contemporary, and thoroughly satisfying, slice of original electric music. - Colin Kincaid

ALBUM SPOTLIGHT

HOTSPOTS: WEARABLES IFThis&hipONLY IF St. Pete boutique has some cool/

ALBUM SPOTLIGHT

1600 E. 8th Ave., Centro Ybor, Ybor 813-242-8472 urbanoutﬁtters.com

PAGE 46 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

VARIETY WORKSHOP VARIETY WORKSHOP (SELF RELEASED)

There may never have been a more aptly named band in the history of music. This Bay Area outﬁt does indeed seem to be workshopping a variety of styles, which might work well for avant garde genres, but just tends to alienate rock fans. They do everything from emo (“Tetris Attack”) and Pennywise-esque melodic hardcore (“Pool Pisser”) to proggy modern rock (“Sqaranoid”) and Sublime-y white reggae (“U Suck Noodles”) respectably well - there’s a high level of musicianship at work here. But it might all be too much, and when you throw in less-than-mediocre joke-rap and some cringingly cheesy skit-like breaks, you’ve got a CD with a dangerous identity crisis. Variety Workshop gets high marks for the solid rock, punk and rock-steady tunes, and great production. About a third of this material might’ve been better served in the context of a jokey side-project, however - one that, unfortunately, just wouldn’t be as compelling or impressive as a Variety Workshop that showcased a cohesive sonic personality. - Scott Harrell

A GUIDE TO TAMPA BAY YOU ARE HERE ISSUE 34

TAMPA BAY EVENTS FRI MARCH 06

TUE MARCH 10

Cope, Middle Rhythm Session Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Cost: $7 Time: 8 p.m.

Empty Hats Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Cost: $10 Time: 8 p.m.

Exhibit: Animals & Machines Works by Tracy Midulla Reller & Kurt Piazza Three04, Tampa Time: 7 p.m.

Folk Mini-Fest Fundraiser for The Multiple Sclerosis Society Feat. Brendan Nolan, Parson Brown, Neighbors, Roseville Faire Dave’s Aqua Lounge, St. Petersburg Cost: $8 Time: 7 p.m.

Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad The Garage, St. Petersburg Time: 9 p.m. Lucero, David Dondero New World Brewery, Ybor City Cost: $14 Time: 9 p.m. Ozomatli Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg Cost: $17/21 Time: 7 p.m. Skindred, Stuk, Not Tonight Josephine, A City Divided State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $15 Time: 7 p.m. Steph Taylor & The State Of, Life of Pi, Channing Deren Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $6 Time: 9 p.m. Stone Groove Sunday, Stereo Type & The Treble Makers, Silent Trio Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m.

SAT MARCH 07 First Annual CrowFest Music & Arts Festival Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $10 Time: 2 p.m. Forty Winters, Closing The Harbor, Set The Sights, Of Heroes And Legends, Alvira, Weight Of The World Transitions Art Gallery, Tampa Cost: $7 Time: 7 p.m. Johnny Apple-Eyes, Matt Hires, Alexander & The Grapes, Just Call Me John New World Brewery, Ybor City Cost: $7 Time: 9 p.m.

Less Than Jake, The Expendables Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg

WED MARCH 11 Stephen Pearcy (Ratt) State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $14 Time: 7 p.m.

THU MARCH 12 Bobaﬂex, Apocalyptic Prophecy, Not Tonight Josephine, Paradigm, No Coma Crowbar, Ybor City Time: 8 p.m. Lord Jeff, The Vera Violets, Strangers Family Band, Your 33 Black Angels New World Brewery, Ybor City Time: 9 p.m. Mason Jennings Orpheum, Ybor City Roadside, Mortimer Nova, Nicole The Nihilist, Tim Walker Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m.

FRI MARCH 13 Andy McKee The Tamiami, St. Petersburg Cost: $12 Time: 8 p.m. Craig Owens, Ace Enders, The Gay Blades, Versa Emerge Orpheum, Ybor City Mojo Gurus CD Release Party Dave’s Aqua Lounge, St. Petersburg

Lecherous Nocturne, Embryonic Devourment, Sol Asunder, Aruspex, Contorted, Legions Brass Mug, Tampa Cost: $8 Time: 8 p.m.

Papa Grows Funk State Theatre, St. Petersburg Time: 8 p.m.

Miggs, Four Star Riot Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Cost: $7/10 Time: 8 p.m.

Pre-St. Paddy’s Trolley Hop Feat. Inﬁnite Groove Orchestra Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: FREE Time: 8 p.m.

The Spears, Nerve Scheme, Pigpen The Garage, St. Petersburg Cost: $6/8 Time: 9 p.m. Trenchbox, Malaki, Kingdom of Blood, Sobriety Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. Tricky, The Floacist Natalie Stewart, BC (Red Tide), DJ Lazy (Red Tide) State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $22 Time: 8 p.m. William Elliott Whitmore, Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers Orpheum, Ybor City Cost: $8 Time: 7 p.m.

Rebekah Pulley & The Reluctant Prophets, Miss Tess, Danny Schmidt New World Brewery, Ybor City Cost: $7 Time: 9 p.m. Singod CD Release Party Feat. The White Kids, False Demise, Must Not Kill Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. The Prodigals, Urbane Cowboys Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Cost: $10/15 Time: 8 p.m.

Sins of the Father Fundraiser Feat. 4 Souls, Life Less Dead, From Story to Glory, Foreshadow, At Odds, Endless War Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. The Wholigans (Who Tribute), Sin City, Ascension Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg Cost: $16 Time: 7 p.m.

SUN MARCH 15 Mudvayne The Ritz Theatre, Ybor City Suggestion, Weight Of The World, Love Cunningham Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. The Terry Adams Crazy Trio, The Vodkanauts Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Cost: $10 Time: 8 p.m.

MON MARCH 16 The Tape Delay, One Small Step For Landmines, Slow Claw, XOXO New World Brewery, Ybor City Cost: $7 Time: 9 p.m.

TUE MARCH 17 Bonded By Blood, Exmortus, Witchaven, Great Awakening, Fatal State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $12/15 Time: 6 p.m. Soap the Party Feat. Shock to the System, dfu, This Is An Adventure, Dj Sugar Pill Pastimes Pub, Sarasota

WED MARCH 18 The Bouncing Souls, The Dillinger Four, The AKA’s State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $18/20 Time: 7 p.m.

THU MARCH 19 Down With Paul Riser & The Renegade Thugs, Better In Black & White Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. Ligeia Orpheum, Ybor City

FRI MARCH 20 Biggodtalking, Everise, Spellbinder, The Ruthless Design Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. DJ Rob Swift, And.On.I.Must Orpheum, Ybor City Michale Graves Crowbar, Ybor City Time: 8 p.m. Tampa Bay Blues Fest Feat. The Fabulous Thunderbirds Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg Cost: $30/75 Time: 11:30 a.m.

SAT MARCH 14

The Original Wailers Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg Cost: $18/22 Time: 7 p.m.

SUN MARCH 08

ARTpool’s 2nd Annual Film Fest ARTpool, St. Petersburg Cost: $10 Time: 8 p.m.

SAT MARCH 21

Britney Spears, The Pussycat Dolls St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa Cost: $39.50-127.75 Time: 7 p.m.

Chris McCarty Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Cost: $7/10 Time: 8 p.m.

Wake Up Dead Birthday Show Feat. Gates of Ithica, Graves, Tides Of Apathy, Alvira, Last of the Nobles, Ovids Withering Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m.

David Allan Coe, Fastgun, Marla Worley State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $18 Time: 7 p.m.

Grim Reality, Thrash Attack, Aggravated Sodomy, Generichrist Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m.

Lemonade, Hearts of Darkness, Soft Rock Renegades New World Brewery, Ybor City Cost: $8 Time: 9 p.m.

Halcyon, Kelly Neff Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Cost: $12 Time: 8 p.m.

MON MARCH 09 Deerhunter, Summerbirds In The Cellar, Giddy-Up, Helicopter Czar, Ybor City Cost: $12 Time: 9 p.m.

Red Fang, Early Man, Liquid Limbs Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $8/10 Time: 9 p.m.

Da Goldminerz Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $10 Time: 8 p.m.

Jacob Jeffries Band, Beardsley New World Brewery, Ybor City Time: 9 p.m.

MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • PAGE 47

YOU ARE HERE A GUIDE TO TAMPA BAY ISSUE 34

TAMPA BAY EVENTS SAT MARCH 21

CONTINUED

Skatepark of Tampa & Nike present Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, The Basiqs, DJ Mega, DJ Sandman The Ritz Theatre, Ybor City Cost: $15 Time: 8 p.m. The Tampa Bay Blues Fest Feat. Eric Lindell Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg Cost: $30/75 Time: 11:30 a.m.

SUN MARCH 22 Ballyhoo, Groovestain, Elevated, Unmotivated, Ramble Crowbar, Ybor City Time: 8 p.m. Katsumoto, No Bragging Rights, Wake Up Dead, Set The Sights, and Langdon Alger Transitions Art Gallery, Tampa Cost: $8 Time: 5 p.m. Kurtis Matthews, Young Sojaz & Tha Young Geez, GMS, FBGM Records, Danny Dollars Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. Pieces Reunion Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Cost: FREE Time: 5 p.m. The Tampa Bay Blues Fest Feat. Tinsley Ellis Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg Cost: $30/75 Time: 11:30 a.m. Vital Remains, Success Will Write Apocalypse Across The Sky, Gigan, Inferaeon, Destined To Ruin, more TBA The Brass Mug, Tampa Cost: $12 Time: 7 p.m.

MON MARCH 23 The Devil Wears Prada, A Day To Remember, Sky Eats Aeroplane, Emarosa State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $16 Time: 6:30 p.m.

TUE MARCH 24

FRI MARCH 27 Ballyhoo, Iration, Junkie Rush, Unmotivated, Smashism Kills, Ramble State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $15 Time: 7 p.m. Charlie Louvin, Will Quinlan & The Diviners New World Brewery, Ybor City Cost: $12 Time: 9 p.m. Kottonmouth Kings, La Coka Nostra, Blaze Ya Dead Homiez, Big B & Dirtball, Short Dawg Tha Original Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg Cost: $22/24 Time: 6:30 p.m. Kraak and Smaak, DJ Mighty White, DJ Willy Vegas Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $12/15 Time: 9 p.m. Nomads of the Nook, Poundsalt, Sins of the Father Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. Toubab Krewe, Jar-E Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Time: 8 p.m. WMNF Presents Synthetic Pleasures Orpheum, Ybor City Time: 9 p.m.

SAT MARCH 28 Aperture, Of Heroes And Legends, A Hand To The Fallen, Abolish, Ecclesia, Take Charge Transitions Art Gallery, Tampa Cost: $7 Time: 7 p.m. North Mississippi Allstars, Hill Country Revue State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $21 Time: 7:30 p.m. Pigpen Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m. Soulidium Zombie Fest Crowbar, Ybor City Time: 8 p.m.

As Tall As Lions State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $10/12 Time: 7 p.m.

The Vodkanauts, Stolen Idols Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Cost: $10/13 Time: 8 p.m.

Kylesa, Skeletonwitch, Black Tusk, Flying Snakes, HellDistort Brass Mug, Tampa Cost: $10 Time: 7 p.m.

SUN MARCH 29

WED MARCH 25 Emmure, Winds of Plague, Terror, All Shall Perish, Ghost Inside, ABACABB State Theatre, St. Petersburg Time: 7 p.m. Wretched, Hester Prynn, Within The Ruins, Tides Of Apathy, Horde Of Moloch Transitions Art Gallery, Tampa Cost: $6 Time: 7 p.m.

THU MARCH 26 Amanda Palmer (Dresden Dolls) State Theatre, St. Petersburg Cost: $16 Time: 7 p.m.

THX MGMT & Transitions Art Gallery present Matt And Kim, Select Start, Tyger Beat Czar, Ybor City Cost: $8/10 Time: 7 p.m. Saint Diablo, New Parallel, Murdock, Elysium Crowbar, Ybor City Time: 8 p.m. Suncoast Blues Society/WMNF Blues Blast Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Time: 4 p.m. The Ting Tings, Hot Tub Orpheum, Ybor City

MON MARCH 30

Energy, Defeater, Trample, With Increase Transitions Art Gallery, Tampa Cost: $8 Time: 7 p.m.

Matt Wertz Orpheum, Ybor City

Green Sunshine Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m.

That 1 Guy Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa Cost: $7/10 Time: 8 p.m.

Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Nervous Turkey Crowbar, Ybor City Cost: $10 Time: 8 p.m. The Black Lips, Gentleman Jesse & His Men Orpheum, Ybor City

TUE MARCH 31 THU APRIL 02 Better In Black & White, The Growing Groove Pegasus Lounge, Tampa Time: 9 p.m.

PAGE 48 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC Magazine • PAGE 49

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YOU ARE HERE ISSUE 34

AND FL A GUIDE TO ORLANDO CENTRAL

HOTSPOTS: VENUES/BARS THE AKA LOUNGE A nightlife chameleon, where hip-hop, funk DJs and ‘80s nights rage alongside local-band lineups. 68 East Pine St., Orlando myspace.com/akalounge

BACKBOOTH Great room and beer selection, a favorite scene hangout with an eclectic lineup of local and touring acts. 37 West Pine St., Orlando backbooth.com

BAR-B-Q BAR Not really a venue, per se, but it’s a great bar and it’s jammed between The Social and the Independent, so you’re gonna end up taking your business out in the old-school photo booth at some point. 64 N. Orange Ave., Orlando

BLACK BOX COLLECTIVE It’s like a community center for cool kids, activists, anarchists and free thinkers live music, workshops, art shows, etc. 630 W. Central Blvd., Orlando myspace.com/theblackboxcollective

CLUB FIRESTONE It’s actually a converted Firestone

building. Great club, heavy on DJ/dance stuff but hosts trendy-cool touring bands as well. 578 North Orange Ave., Orlando clubﬁrestone.com

THE DUNGEON Often unknown to out-of-towners, this

warehouse space caters to the extreme metal underground. 6440 North Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando myspace.com/dungeonorlando

HARD ROCK LIVE Big, stylish room where you’ll see up-andcoming nationals for the last time before

they hit arenas opening for someone even bigger, and the area’s top-drawing regional acts. 6050 Universal Blvd., Orlando hardrock.com

HOUSE OF BLUES Lots of perennially cool nationals and big local draws. 1490 East Buena Vista Dr., Orlando hob.com

INDEPENDENT BAR All sorts of hipsteriﬁc DJ and dance

nights - Wave Pop Wednesdays seem to be a particular favorite - and occasional shows in the downtown space that used to house Barbarella. 70 N. Orange Ave., Orlando independentbar.com

THE PLAZA THEATRE An eclectic community venue that’s been consistently ramping up its cool-show quotient over the last year. 435 N. Bumby Ave., Orlando theplazatheatre.com

THE SOCIAL Pretty much Orlando’s default live indierock room, but they do more, too. 54 North Orange Ave., Orlando thesocial.org

REDLIGHT REDLIGHT

The favored killer-beer purveyor is now open at its new location. 745 Bennett Rd., Winter Park myspace.com/theredlightredlight

WILL’S PUB One of O-Town’s favorite venues/hang-

outs. The new location opened up back in November, and is already making up for lost time. Good beer, good friends and good entertainment are the house rules. 1040 N. Mills Ave., Orlando 407-898-5070 myspace.com/willspub

HOTSPOTS: RETAIL DISCOUNT MUSIC CENTER DMC continues to hold off the big-box

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL HEAVEN Your place for vinyl - the round kind that

IKEA Yes, those of us over on the west coast

THE GUITAR DEN This place specializes in used and vintage

are dying of jealousy. Cheap, neat-looking furniture and a food court? It’s worth it just for the walk-around. 4092 Eastgate Dr., Orlando ikea-usa.com

guitars, amps and replacement parts. An impersonal big-box retailer it ain’t; just check out the info and disclaimers on their website, and you’ll know they’re on it. 5515 S. Orange Ave., Orlando 407-855-1333

PARK AVE. CDS They support the local scene, promote

ÜBERBOT An awesome collectible-design shop - art,

music-store chains, maybe because it’s so big its damn self. 3301 Gardenia Ave., Orlando 407-423-4171 discountmusic.com

shows and even host in-stores. 2916 Corrine Dr., Orlando 407-447-PARK UCF Student Union, Orlando 407-282-1616 parkavecds.com

DEJA VU VINTAGE CLOTHING Deja Vu Vintage Clothing

PINK HEART BOUTIQUE Recently featured in Lucky Magazine, this

HIPKAT This boutique carries some hard-to-ﬁnd

STATIC Rock ‘n’ roll fashion covering pretty much

Specializes in vintage looks. 1825 North Orange Ave., Orlando 407-898-3609

brands, and wholeheartedly supports local music. Check their Myspace page for deals and discounts. Orlando Fashion Square Mall 3201 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando 407-897-7035

shop offers scads of accessories as well as image consulting. 4825 New Broad St., Orlando 407-228-6013

every inch of the territory that implies. 240 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park 407-478-1083 myspace.com/staticwinterpark

PAGE 52 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

ﬁgures, designer toys, basically Cool Geek Utopia. 480 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park 407-788-UBER uberbotonline.com

HOTSPOTS: LIFESTYLE BOOM-ART BY ROGERS STUDIO Custom pop illustrations that are

GALACTIC G SKATE SHOP This downtown skate shop has been

DEVOTION TATTOOS They’ve got a love for the whole history

REDEFINE A combination art gallery/clothing boutique

simultaneously modern and nostalgic; yes, they’ll paint anything - a chair, a door, a bench, whatever. 1821 North Orange Ave., Orlando 407-895-0280 rainfall.com/crafts/boom-art/

and culture of tattooing; old-school photos and hand-painted ﬂash by world-renowned artists are on display. Word has it Devotion is tough to beat when it comes to classic American and Asian body art. 1010 N. Mills Ave., Orlando 407-894-7888 devotiontattoos.com

DRUMS2GO Everything percussion, and indie to boot.

HOTSPOTS: WEARABLES

makes noises. 1814 North Orange Ave., Orlando 407-896-1952 rock-n-rollheaven.com

204 S. Semoran Blvd., Orlando 407-306-0611 drums2go.com

around for nearly 12 years, and boasts one of the biggest inventories of gear and peripherals around. 334 E. Harvard St., Orlando 407-895-0410 myspace.com/galacticg

that’s a new part of the emerging arts district in downtown Orlando. 213 N. Magnolia Ave., Orlando www.myspace.com/redeﬁneboutique

RON JON SURF SHOP Sure, the original location long ago

graduated from surf touchstone to tourist trap. But at least you know where to get stuff to send to your friends back home. 5160 International Dr., Orlando 407-481-2555 ronjons.com

VANS SKATEPARK FULL SAIL ACADEMY A sick concrete bowl, along with all Probably still best known as the place to get the vert, mini-ramps and street-course schooled in sound/engineering/recording, but Full Sail also offers intensive degree programs in everything from Entertainment Business to Game Development. 3300 University Blvd., Winter Park 407-679-6333 fullsail.com

INTERNATIONAL FOOD CLUB A multi-lingual staff can help you peruse

foods, spices & teas from around the world. 4300 L B McLeod Rd., Orlando

obstacles you’d expect. 5220 International Dr., Orlando 407-351-3881 vans.com/vans/skateparks

A GUIDE TO ORLANDO & CENTRAL FLORIDA YOU ARE HERE ISSUE 34

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

HOTSPOTS: EATS AUSTIN’S ORGANICS Organic Fairtrade beans, a surprising

JAX 5TH AVE. DELI & ALE Most older patrons are here for the beer,

array of light and/or vegetarian-friendly fare, and regular nighttime entertainment. 929 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park

but the sandwiches are hard to beat, too. 3400 Edgewater Dr., Orlando 407-999-8934

DRUNKEN MONKEY COFFEE Emily sez “free wi-ﬁ, homemade

LAZY MOON PIZZA Pizza by the slice. Beer. Cheap combos

soups, Panini, wraps, quiche, vegan & vegetarian available, live art on Mondays, movie night on Sunday, music movie night on Tues.” Whew 444 N. Bumby Ave., Orlando

ETHOS VEGAN KITCHEN Orlando Weekly’s Best Vegan Restaurant

VIERNES

Words: Cole Porterhouse • Photo: Chase Heavener

REAX: So, why the Spanish word for Friday?

Alberto Hernandez: We keep getting asked that, but that’s to be expected. It’s mostly because we were initially getting together on Fridays after work. I think my wife mentioned the name casually one day, I ran it by Sean [Moore] and he liked the sound of it, it ﬁt. We both had several different projects going on at the time, so it was nice to have one day of the week that was guaranteed to be creative for both of us. But we don’t have any songs in Spanish, just to clarify.

REAX: Who does what as far as instrumentation, singing, etc? AH: From the beginning, we set out to make it the most collaborative process possible. It’s about 50/50. We have instruments that we sort of stick to, mostly for live purposes. But on the recordings, we both play as many instruments as we can get our hands on. We make a conscious effort to split our vocals evenly with simple strong harmonies. There is no “lead singer” in Viernes. We like the way our voices blend together, and sometimes even during playback, we can’t tell who’s singing what, because it’s a very similar range. Sean plays violin on our record, and also does some trumpet on “Glacial Change of Pace.” Live, he sticks mostly to keys/synth and I usually stick to guitar. And I use a Puerto Rican cuatro for “Regressive Soul Pollution.” We both play a lot of different instruments on the record and we love mixing it up.

REAX: There seem to be more and more bands that look for inspiration beyond other musical artists. What, other than bands, has had an inﬂuence on Viernes?

AH: Not to be vague, but any art form that affects and infects us. Books, ﬁlm, and anything that is creative in general. We both thrive off of fresh sounds and ideas. Anything breaking new ground, or revisiting old ground but in a fresh way. We both just saw Henry Selick’s latest stop motion feature, Coraline. Highly recommended in 3D if you can ﬁnd a theatre playing it.

REAX: Your recordings often capture a big, roomy, organic vibe. Is there some secret to getting that sound, or is it just knowing the right plugins and mix? AH: No secret. We do try to utilize reverb, but we also don’t wanna overdo it. It ﬁts for some songs, and for others we seek a clearer sound. Our sound celebrates spacial awareness. It’s all about throwing a bunch of sounds together and leaving enough space. Busy minimalism.

REAX: How do you feel about the term shoegaze as applied to what you do? It’s got some very specific band connotations that don’t really encompass what Viernes does, with the keys and layers of different sounds. Do you think it’s a dated term? AH: We don’t think it’s dated. No more than any other term. There are a few bands that started it all that we love, like MBV and The Jesus and Mary Chain, but we will never try to copy what they do. Some bands are doing that now, and that’s cool, it’s enjoyable, but there is nothing like the real deal, like Loveless. But, we do have a few songs that we have some dreamlike guitar sounds and people consider that shoegaze, so we are fine with it. And to be honest, the vocal sound on “Sinister Love” was somewhat influenced by “You Made Me Realise” by My Bloody Valentine. \REAX: Listening to your music, it’s easy

of ‘08 sports an insanely deep menu, including pizza and brunch offerings. 1235 N. Orange Ave., Orlando

FIDDLER’S GREEN One of Winter Park’s favorite hangouts, with traditional Irish pub fare and live entertainment to match. 544 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park

FALAFEL CAFE Inexpensive Mediterranean radness. 12140 Collegiate Way, Orlando

of beer and pizza by the slice. 12269 University Blvd., Orlando 407-658-2396

TASTE Healthy, fusion-y California-style tapas

and sometimes live music in College Pk. 717 W. Smith St., Orlando 407-835-0646

WHOLE FOODS Foodies, be warned: You cannot hope to

go into this socially and environmentally conscious grocery store and not walk around for hours with drool hanging from the corners of your mouth, wishing you had more money and refridgerator space. 8003 Turkey Lake Road, Orlando 407-355-7100 1989 Aloma Ave., Winter Park 407-673-8788 wholefoodsmarket.com

ALBUM SPOTLIGHT LIBYAN HIT SQUAD FIJI (SELF RELEASED)

Frying chicken, 20 or more years of aged whiskey, and a brand new vinyl album; these are distinct smells that will get my attention and keep my wandering mind from drifting somewhere else. My journey to Fiji began with the waft of one sleek black record album. The Orlando-based LHS tear right into our hearts and souls with ripping and screaming rants about the truth and stuff, on the A side at least. The B side seems to be an exploration in punk rock opera. If there is a common theme here, it ﬂew right past me. I suspect the next few releases from these fellas will be something to pay attention to. At the moment, it sounds like a sonic hodgepodge of style and inﬂuence. - Jack Gregory

to get some ideas about your personalities that probably aren’t even close to the truth - like hearing the DJ on the radio and assuming he looks a certain way. Tell us something about you that people would never guess from hearing your style. AH: Sean’s favorite movie is The Sound of Music. I’d like to live in a world where everyone rollerskates. Everywhere. Like, to get groceries and stuff.

REAX: Do you think it was fair to give Heath Ledger the Oscar for the entirety of his too-short career, rather than based solely on his performance as The Joker?

AH: We’re in agreement that the Oscar was well-deserved solely on his performance as The Joker. He deﬁnitely got into that role. I really loved the part when he burned all the money and told the Maﬁa guy to tell his men they work for him now. And the magic trick. Viernes plays the Harvest of Hope Festival, March 6-8 at St. Johns County Fiargrounds in Elkton, and opens for Deerhunter and Summerbirds In The Cellar at Orlando’s BackBooth March 10.

MYSPACE.COM/VIERNESVIERNES

MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • PAGE 53

YOU ARE HERE A GUIDE TO ORLANDO & CENTRAL FLORIDA ISSUE 34

ORLANDO EVENTS FRI MARCH 06 Badﬁsh, Scotty Don’t, Passaﬁre House of Blues, Orlando Cost: $15.25 Time: 7:30 p.m. Broken War Machines, Go Rydell, Change of Ideas, Pop Suicide Black Box Collective, Orlando Cost: $5 Time: 8 p.m. Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers The Social, Orlando Cost: $13/15 Time: 9 p.m. Wheels Above, Brett Leiberman, The Radio Suitcase, Lost Time Accident AKA Lounge, Orlando Cost: $5 Whole Wheat Bread, Fifty Foot Ordinance, (EARLY SHOW) Will’s Pub, Orlando Cost: $10 Time: 5 p.m. Whole Wheat Bread Will’s Pub, Orlando Cost: $10 Time 9:30 p.m. William Elliott Whitmore, Samantha Crain, Crutch & The Giant Junshi BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $8A/10 Time: 7 p.m. Ylem, The Unit Shifters, Not Them! Copper Rocket Pub, Orlando Time: p.m.

SAT MARCH 07 Cherry Spoiler Will’s Pub, Orlando Cost: $5 Time: 9 p.m. Girl Talk Club Firestone, Orlando Cost: $15 Time: 8 p.m. Ignid Central Station, Orlando Time: 8 p.m. Monotonix, Yip-Yip, Slippery Slopes BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $10/12 Time: 8 p.m. Stereomud The Plaza Theatre, Orlando Tokyo Police Club, Harlem Shakes, Ruby Coast The Social, Orlando Cost: $15 Time: 9 p.m.

SUN MARCH 08 King Kahn & The Shrines, Hex Tremors, Strangers Family Band Will’s Pub, Orlando Cost: $8/10 Time: 9 p.m. Less Than Jake, The Expendables, The Flatliners House Of Blues, Orlando Cost: $17.75 Time: 5:30 p.m. Over The Rhine The Plaza Theatre, Orlando Ozomatli, Bad Brains, Solillaquists Of Sound Club Firestone, Orlando Cost: $25 Time: 6:30 p.m. Valient Thorr, Goes Cube BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $10/12 Time: 8 p.m.

MON MARCH 09 Anathallo, The Pauses The Social, Orlando Cost: $10 Time: 7 p.m. Joe Buck, .357 String Band, Ben Prestage Will’s Pub, Orlando Cost: $7 Time: 9 p.m. Modest Mouse, Mimicking Birds House of Blues, Orlando Cost: $31.75 Time: 7 p.m.

TUE MARCH 10 Deerhunter, Summerbirds in the Cellar, Viernes BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $12 Time: 9 p.m. Lucero, David Dondero The Social, Orlando Cost: $15 Time: 8 p.m. Science Hill, The Leeside Central Station, Orlando Time: 10 p.m.

WED MARCH 11 Cameron Quartet Central Station, Orlando Time: 10 p.m. Shut Up And Dance, Camerae, Mayday! Cried The Captain, Amely BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $6/8 Time: 8 p.m. The Riverman, The Transfers, Secret of Vessia AKA Loune, Orlando Cost: $5 Tyrone Wells, Keaton Simons, John Frank The Social, Orlando Cost: $10 Time: 8 p.m.

Part One Tribe Central Station, Orlando Time: 10 p.m. The 42Five The Plaza Theatre, Orlando Who Am I, Adrift, 13 Below, Rising Up Angry, Down Slid House of Blues, Orlando Cost: $5 Time: 7 p.m. Wovenhand Will’s Pub, Orlando Cost: $8 Time: 9 p.m.

SUN MARCH 15 Greg Barris, John Wells, Jermaine Fowler, Matt Wittman, Slippery Slopes, Virgins Will’s Pub, Orlando Cost: FREE Time: 7 p.m. History, Damiera, The Still Voice, Blush Response BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $6/8 Time: 7 p.m. These Arms Are Snakes, oung Widows, Coathangers The Social, Orlando Cost: $10 Time: 8 p.m.

MON MARCH 16 The Bouncing Souls, Dillinger Four, The AKA’s, Virgins The Social, Orlando Cost: $17/20 Time: 7:30 p.m.

THU MARCH 12

TUE MARCH 17

Casper & The Cookies, Marc With A C, Dish Will’s Pub, Orlando Cost: $7 Time: 9 p.m.

Happy Valley, Altamira, Antarctic, Khann Will’s Pub, Orlando Cost: $5 Time: 9 p.m.

Craig Owens, Ace Enders, The Gay Blades, Versa Emerge The Social, Orlando Cost: $12 Time: 6 p.m. Rock For Hunger Spring Concert Feat. There for Tomorrow, Senate, Karrigan, G-Ro & The Sneakers BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $10 Time: 7:00p.m.

FRI MARCH 13 Band of Brothers, The Bluesbusters Copper Rocket Pub, Orlando Time: 9 p.m. Dangerkat Black Box Collective, Orlando Time: 8 p.m. Mason Jennings, Heather Lee & Jordan Wynn The Social, Orlando Cost: $15 Time: 9 p.m. Rabbits With Glasses, Confused Little Girl, M.E.S.S., Vulture Boys AKA Lounge, Orlando Cost: $5 Richard Thompson The Plaza Theatre, Orlando Red Fang, Early Man, Junior Bruce BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $8/10 Time: 8 p.m. The Hi-Lifes, Gomez Will’s Pub, Orlando Cost: $5 Time: 9 p.m. The Preachers & The Prophets Central Station, Orlando Time: 10 p.m. Willie Nelson, Jamey Johnson House of Blues, Orlando Cost: $54.50 Time: 7 p.m.

Inkwell, One Small Step For Landmines, Slow Claw, XOXO, Andy Matchett BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $6 Time: 7 p.m. Suckerpunch Central Station, Orlando Time: 10 p.m. The Bouncing Souls, Dillinger Four, The AKA’s The Social, Orlando Cost: $17/20 Time: 7:30p.m.

WED MARCH 18 Evolucid Central Station, Orlando Time: 10 p.m. Johnny Plastic & The Rubber Band, Minds Bigger, Hitman For A Heart The Dropa Stone, Our Neverending Life BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $10 Time: 7 p.m. Mark & James, Big 10-4, Tiffany Martin The Social, Orlando Cost: $6/8 Time: 7 p.m. Thursday, Bring Me The Horizon, Four Years Strong, Pierce The Veil, Cancer Bats Hard Rock Live, Orlando Cost: $22.50/25.25 Time: 6:30 p.m.

THU MARCH 19 Buffalo Gun Will’s Pub, Orlando Cost: $5 Time: 9 p.m. In Violent Times, Awestruck, Hydrosonic BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $7 Time: 8 p.m.

SAT MARCH 14

FRI MARCH 20

Alesana, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Fear Before, I Set My Friends on Fire, Fall From Grace The Social, Orlando Cost: $10/13 Time: 3 p.m.

Dinger Does It Central Station, Orlando Time: 10 p.m.

Andy McKee, Joel Tipke BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $10/12 Time: 7 p.m. Baby Anne, Huda Hudia, Tony Faline Club Firestone, Orlando Cost: $10 Time: 10 p.m.

PAGE 54 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

Dirty Shannon The Social, Orlando Cost: $8 Time: 9 p.m. Freedom Hawk, Back Alley Brawlers Will’s Pub, Orlando Cost: $5 Time: 9 p.m.

Louis CK Hard Rock Live, Orlando Cost: $32.50/35 Time: 8 p.m. Sasha & Digweed House of Blues, Orlando Cost: $25 Time: 8 p.m. The Savi Fernandez Band, The Movement, Made of Hemp, Fifty Foot Ordinance BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $7 Time: 7 p.m.

SAT MARCH 21 Gorillaﬁght, Traverser, Fall of Envy, Lost In Chaos, Munk Tung House of Blues, Orlando Cost: $5 Time: 7 p.m. Murph, Nathan, Watch Me Disappear Will’s Pub, Orlando Cost: $5 Time: 9 p.m. Sander Kleinenberg Club Firestone, Orlando Sonar, Shak Nasti, The Fling, Riverman BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $5/6 Time: 7 p.m. Spiritual Rez The Social, Orlando Cost: $10 Time: 9 p.m.

SUN MARCH 22 10 Years, Adelitas, The Leo Project The Social, Orlando Cost: $15 Time: 7:00p.m. Vetiver, Larkin Grimm, Great Deceivers, Vanda BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $8/$10 Time: 7 p.m.

TUE MARCH 24 Stimulus Nimbus, Misanthropist, Through The Wishing Well, Bad Actor, A Season of Violence BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $10 Time: 7 p.m.

WED MARCH 25 As Tall As Lions, Dear & The Headlights, Band Marino The Social, Orlando Cost: $12 Time: 7 p.m. Late Of The Pier The Peacock Room, Orlando Cost: $5 Time: 9 p.m. Let’s Get It, Watchout! There’s Ghosts, Karate High School, After Midnight Project (EARLY SHOW) BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $8/10 Time: 5:30 p.m. Rock Paper Scissors Contest Will’s Pub, Orlando Cost: FREE Time: 9 p.m. The Devil Wears Prada, A Day To Remember, Sky Eats Airplane, Emarosa House of Blues, Orlando The Holden Boys, Sterling Schroeder, Whistle Stop, The Queues, Pellet on Target, Winter Bays (LATE SHOW) BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $6 Time: 10 p.m.

THU MARCH 26 Anthony Hamilton House of Blues, Orlando Cost: $22.50 Time: 7 p.m. Junior Bruce, 6 Dead Horses, Hull, Hollow Leg Will’s Pub, Orlando Cost: $7 Time: 9 p.m. The Burnin’ Smyrnans The Social, Orlando Cost: $10 Time: 9 p.m. The Dealers BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $6 Time: 9 p.m.

FRI MARCH 27 Cut Copy Club Firestone, Orlando Cost: $19.99 Time: 7 p.m.

A GUIDE TO ORLANDO YOU ARE HERE ISSUE 34

ORLANDO EVENTS G. Love & Special Sauce House of Blues, Orlando Cost: $18.25 Time: 7 p.m.

Yellow Day Union AKA Lounge, Orlando Cost: $5

Gargamel!, Drater Tator Copper Rocket Pub, Orlando Time: 9 p.m.

SUN MARCH 29

Jon LaJoie, Two Zimas & The Bad Idea The Social, Orlando Cost: $13.50/15 Time: 8 p.m. The Knievels Will’s Pub, Orlando Cost: $6 Time: 9 p.m. The Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band, The Wedding Party, Big Jef Special BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $10/12 Time: 7 p.m. Urbe Prima, Minimal, Late Messengers, Versus Nova AKA Lounge, Orlando Cost: $5

SAT MARCH 28 DJ Smilin’ Dan Presents Will’s Pub, Orlando Cost: $5 Time: 9 p.m. Heart House of Blues, Orlando Cost: $52.25 Time: 7 p.m. How Dare You, Gatorface, Stressface, New Bruises, Pizza Brothers BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $5 Time: 7 p.m. The Pauses, The New Lows, Spirit Bomb Copper Rocket Pub, Orlando Time: 10 p.m.

Butch Walker & His Gang of Melody Makers The Social, Orlando Cost: $15 Time: 8 p.m. Pillar The Plaza Theatre, Orlando The Black Rabbits, Emma Jean Branch, Geri X, North Korea BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $6 Time: 7 p.m. Todd Rundgren The Plaza Theatre, Orlando

MON MARCH 30 The Black Lips, Gentleman Jesse & His Men, The Little Debbies The Social, Orlando Cost: $12 Time: 8 p.m.

TUE MARCH 31 A Palace In Persia, The Vanity Plan, Lights On High, Rug, Divide The Throne BackBooth, Orlando Cost: $10 Time: 7 p.m. Kid Koala (LATE SHOW) The Social, Orlando Cost: $12/14 Time: 10 p.m. Matt Wertz, Michael Tolcher (EARLY SHOW) The Social, Orlando Cost: $12/15 Time: 7 p.m.

MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • PAGE 55

YOU ARE HERE ISSUE 34

A GUIDE TO GAINESVILLE

HOTSPOTS: VENUES/BARS 1982 All-ages friendly live-music hangout.

COMMON GROUNDS G-ville’s premier punk/indie-rock club.

919 W. University Ave., Gainesville myspace.com/1982_bar

210 S.W. 2nd Ave., Ste. A, G-ville commongroundslive.com

THE ATLANTIC Cozy, eclectic bar and performance

THE KICKSTAND This altruistic endeavor - more formally

space that usually does live music four nights a week. 15 N. Main St., Gainesville myspace.com/atlanticnights

BACKSTAGE LOUNGE Formerly Eddie C’s, the Backstage

known as The Gainesville Community Bicycle Project - promotes responsible bicycle use and ownership when not hosting the shows that help raise operating funds. 722 S. Main St., Gainesville thekickstand.org

caters to more mainstream rock and alt-rock tastes than some of the area’s more indie-centric nightspots. 1315 S. Main St., Gainesville myspace.com/backstagelounge

805 W. University Ave., Gainesville 352-372-4890

BODYTECH TATTOO One of Gainesville’s biggest and most

MOTHER EARTH MARKET Organic groceries, holistic supplements,

FREERIDE SURF SHOP Named after the classic wave ﬂick.

MODERN AGE TOBACCO & GIFT SHOP Your one-stop shop for things with dancing

community-conscious body-art enterprises for a decade. 306 W. University Ave., Gainesville 352-376-4090 bodytechtattoo.com

420 N.W. 13th St., Gainesville freeridesurfshop.com

and a schedule of events and lectures held right on the premises. 521 N.W. 13th St., Gainesville 352-378-5244

teddy bears on them. 1035 N.W. 76th Blvd., Gainesville 352-332-5100

HOTSPOTS: EATS

HOTSPOTS: RETAIL RECYCLED BIKES Rent and roll.

HOTSPOTS: LIFESTYLE

HEAR AGAIN CDS AND DVDS The sign says “Gainesville’s largest home of music and movies,” and that is correct. 818 W. University Ave., Gainesville 352-373-1800

DRAGONFLY SUSHI Award-winning sushi. Their website

MAUDE’S CLASSIC CAFE Opinions vary wildly, but if you want

ELWeINDIO think yelp.com commenter Kasey S.

REGGAE SHACK Yup, just what you’d expect - everything

alone looks good enough to eat. 201 SE 2nd Ave., Gainesville 352-371-3359 dragonﬂysushi.com

says all that needs to be said about this G-ville standby: “Burritos are good, food is cheap, sauce is a must.” 407 NW 13th St., Gainesville 352-377-5828

FLACO’S CUBAN BAKERY More of a diner than bakery. Popular with vegetarians, and drunk folks who really want a meaty sandwich after hitting the bars. 200 W. University Ave., Gainesville 352-371-2000

LEONARDO’S 706 This meeting-and-eating spot is well

known for its gourmet pizzas and Sunday brunch. 706 W. University Ave., Gainesville (352) 378-2001 leonardos706.com

to see/overhear what the hippies and hipsters in town are wearing/doing, this is the place. 101 S.E. 2nd Pl., Gainesville 352-336-9646

from jerk chicken and beef patties to curry, Caribbean salads and hell-yes passion fruit smoothies. 619 W. University Ave., Gainesville 352-377-5464

SAIGON LEGEND Casual atmosphere, fairly cheap Asian food. People rave about their pho, a Vietnamese soup/staple. 1228 W. University Ave., Gainesville 352-374-0934

THE TOP It’s been called the best restaurant in

town. Folks are critical of the service, but the full bar seems to help. Another hot brunch spot, as well. 30 N. Main St., Gainesville 352-337-1188

HOTSPOTS: WEARABLES AMERICAN APPAREL Derf. Aside from the newly opened

Orlando store, Gainesville is the only place in Florida north of the Miami area to get all the stuff you’ve seen on all the cool kids lately. 15 S.W. 1st Ave., Gainesville 352-372-2262 americanapparel.net

GOODWILL INDUSTRIES The thrifts in most college towns are

usually pretty picked over, but this is FL unintentionally ironic t-shirt heaven. 3520 S.W. 34th St., Gainesville 352-376-9041

PAGE 56 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

PERSONA VINTAGE CLOTHING & COSTUMES This joint has a reputation for great

threads and kitschy or unusual gifts. 201 S.E. 2nd Pl., Gainesville 352-372-0455

WOLFGANG A more upscale place that carries the

kinds of designers not usually found outside of bigger cities. 1127 W. University Ave., Gainesville 352-505-8123

A GUIDE TO GAINESVILLE YOU ARE HERE ISSUE 34

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

EVENT SPOTLIGHT

ASSASSINATE THE SCIENTIST

Words: Joel Mora • Photo: Kelly Bennett Photography

t was a special moment for bassist and singer Nick Sessions and the rest of Gainesville punk band Assassinate The Scientist when they sat down with Less Than Jake’s Roger Manganelli to plan an EP that Manganelli agreed to produce. “It is really weird to think about me being 15, just playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and listening to this Less Than Jake song and being like, ‘this band is awesome,’” says Sessions. “And then have someone from that band show so much excitement for our band.” For guitarist and singer Gary Kreitzer, the most mind-blowing part is that it was only a year ago when he and drummer Roger Cohen joined forces with Sessions to form the heavy pop-punk trio. “We were just going to give [the songs] all away for free,” Kreitzer says. “We had no intention of being signed. We played two shows with nobody and then our buddy put us on a Voodoo Glow Skulls bill and we were going to give it away for free.” But when Assassinate The Scientist put seven songs on MySpace, they received a call the same day from Gainesville label Fail Safe Records asking them to take the songs down and record a full-length album. “We jumped at every opportunity we had with such childlike excitement,” Sessions says. The band credits their success and sound to the community of bands and afﬁliated labels in Gainesville. “When I started listening to punk music, I started listening to a lot of West Coast mid-’90s skate punk, and I liked it a lot,” says Sessions. “When I was 15, I went to a Today Doesn’t Count show and ever since

then that vocal style completely captivated me.”

THIS TICK WON’T SUCK

Kreitzer adds, “I’m more freaked out when I’m in the same room with one of those underground bands from when I was a kid than I was when Roger said he wanted to record us.” The band’s sound is a powerful force founded on Cohen’s hard double-hitting drums and Sessions’ bass runs, coupled with the southern-style guitar solos coming from Kreitzer. The vocals are the sounds of anger, despair and a lot of whiskey, but they balance it with their up-tempo style. The lyrics stretch from Kreitzer’s freestyling in “Garﬁeld” to Sessions’ tales of radio mystery shows in “Desperate in the Country.” “If I could be a novelist, I’d be so happy, but I can’t do it,” says Sessions. “I only have the discipline to smash it into a threeminute thing.” With Manganelli’s knowledge and experience, the new songs sound much tighter and fuller. Assassinate The Scientist’s short-term goal is to promote these songs, and try to conquer the Southeast. The long-term goal, Kreitzer states with passion, “is just kicking ass, because I think we are. I’m not ashamed to say that.” Assassinate The Scientist plays at the Harvest of Hope Festival, March 6-8 at St. Johns County Fairgrounds in Elkton, then at Gainesville’s 1982 on March 9 and Kickstand on March 15, and Tallahassee’s St. Mike’s March 17.

MYSPACE.COM/ ASSASSINATETHESCIENTIST

Photo: Matthew Blodgett

o you came home to Gainesville after the Harvest of Hope Fest, slept for about 24 hours, lost your job ‘cause you slept for 24 hours, and woke up realizing that you still haven’t gotten enough good, gritty, live rock ‘n’ roll just quite yet. Yeah, you live in a great town for it, but what’s up on a Tuesday night that you might not have seen before? New York’s Deer Tick, that’s what. Dirty, soulful country-inﬂuenced rock that’s often driven by acoustic guitar, but still packs a whiskey-fueled punch and sway-along rhythms. These guys are not kidding around, there’s no hipsterifﬁc Americana

doodling going on here, just real, earnest, alternately mournful and celebratory songwriting. This is what your drunken heart sounds like in its rarest and most eloquent moments. Plus, you’ve got absolutely top-notch local support courtesy of long-running raspers Enablers and peerless porch-drunks The Ones To Blame, making this pretty much a perfect example of weeknight post-HoH hair of the dog. Deer Tick, Enablers and The Ones To Blame play Gainesville’s The Atlantic on Tuesday, March 10. Showtime is 9:30 p.m.

MYSPACE.COM/DEERTICK

ALBUM SPOTLIGHT THE

SHAKING HANDS

THE SHAKINGHANDS (KISS OF DEATH)

You know, anybody with a cool gravelly voice, a sense of commitment to the material and a little melodic sense can crank out some pretty acceptable shoutalong Gainesville-style punk rock. It’s the bands with that little (or big) extra something, deﬁnable or not, that really rise above the crowd. The Shaking hands, featuring Matt and Chris from Young Livers, have that extra something, and they’ve got it in spades. Great arrangements, smart but easy to sing to lyrical hooks, and super passionate performances just lift this CD up, and make the songs more than just 11 more decent tracks to throw on the iPod. A great balance of dirty and clean, delivered with heart. - Cole Porterhouse

MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • PAGE 57

YOU ARE HERE A GUIDE TO GAINESVILLE ISSUE 34

GAINESVILLE EVENTS FRI MARCH 06

SAT MARCH 14

By The Horns, Impurity, Secrets She Kept, Echoes of Violence Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $5 Time: 9 p.m.

Action Research Show 36 Feat. Aloonaluna, Fallon, Ironing, Jane Jane Pollock, Charlie McAlister & Dolls, This Year is the Membrane, DJ Thanatos Civic Media Center, Gainesville Cost: $5 Time: 9 p.m.

Synapse 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m. Redboy, Chelsea LaBate, Emily White Brophy’s Irish Pub, Gainesville Time: 10 p.m. Subliminal Sanity, Soulkry Backstage Lounge, Gainesville Time: 10 p.m.

SAT MARCH 07 Long Strange Day, Yankee Slickers Backstage Lounge, Gainesville Time: 10 p.m. Steph Taylor, The Rochevaines Brophy’s Irish Pub, Gainesville Time: 10 p.m. Surfers on Acid 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m. Tim Barry, Austin Lucas, Josh Small, Whiskey & Co. The Atlantic, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

MON MARCH 09 Assassinate The Scientist, Droan, Botox Party, Sobriety Starts Tomorrow 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m. Ghost Mice, Pink Houses The Kickstand, Gainesville Cost: $5 Time: 9 p.m.

TUE MARCH 10 Deer Tick, The Takers,Enablers, The Ones To Blame The Atlantic, Gainesville Time: 9:30 p.m.

WED MARCH 11 Mystery Books, Hello, Hale Bopp, Your Favorite Cousin, Emma Jean, Sea of Dogs Wayward Council, Gainesville Cost: $5 Time: 10:30 p.m.

THU MARCH 12

Ghostwitch Family Band, Kings of Awesome, Synapse Backstage Lounge, Gainesville Time: 10 p.m.

Validus, Lost in Chaos Backstage Lounge, Gainesville Time: 10 p.m.

SAT MARCH 21 Hours Eastly, The Pull Out Market Street Pub, Gainesville Cost $6 Time: 9 p.m. Morningbell, Bang Bang Boom, Badge The Atlantic, Gainesville Time: 10 p.m.

Junius, The Hundred Days, The Future Now The Atlantic, Gainesville Time: 9:30 p.m.

Sin City (AC/DC Tribute), The Sevilles, Last Will Illuminate Backstage Lounge, Gainesville Time: 10 p.m.

These Arms Are Snakes, Young Widows, The Coathangers Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $10 Time: 9 p.m.

Stevie D and the No Shows CD Release Party Arms Harbor, Thunder Over Water Tim & Terry’s, Gainesville Cost: FREE Time: 10 p.m.

SUN MARCH 15 Dillinger Four, Grabass Charlestons, Anchor Arms The Market Street Pub, Gainesville Cost: $10 Time: 7 p.m. EOTO (Members of The String Cheese Incident), 3rd Stone Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $10/12 Time: 6 p.m. North Central Florida Blues Jam 1982, Gainesville Cost: FREE Time: 7 p.m.

MON MARCH 16 Damiera, The Dead Songwriters (Pseudo-Kids), Lost Apparitions The Atlantic, Gainesville Time: 9:30 p.m. TGL, The Fear of Falling, Temporary Taboo Backstage Lounge, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

WED MARCH 18 Drifters on Nitrous, Marion Crane Backstage Lounge, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m. Lost Apparitions, Giuseppe, Turn Thieves, Isabella The Kickstand, Gainesville Mindrise, Made of Hemp, Spiritual Rez Market Street Pub, Gainesville Cost: $6 Time: 9 p.m.

XOXO, Slow Claw The Kickstand, Gainesville

THU MARCH 19

FRI MARCH 13

Altamira, Antarctic The Kickstand, Gainesville

Casper & The Cookies, Oh Casper, Oh, Fortuna Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $7 Time: 9 p.m.

Ars Phoenix, Rabbit Punch, Tealights Orange and Brew Cost: FREE Time 8 p.m.

Pedal Printing Art Show Feat. Live Music The Kickstand, Gainesville

The Manor, Andrea Friedlander, Bo Coker, Special Guests TBA 1982, Gainesville Cost: $6/8 Time: 9 p.m.

Preschool, No More Analog, Greenland Is Melting, The Epicureans Wayward Council, Gainesville Cost: $5 Time: 9 p.m.

FRI MARCH 20

Towers of Hanoi, Children’s Children, Chill Wizard, We Moderns The Atlantic, Gainesville Time: 9:30 p.m.

Umoja Orchestra The Atlantic, Gainesville Time: 10 p.m.

Giuseppe, 8-Track Automatic, Ampline, (Schwa)Ray, Turn Thieves 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

After The Crash, Evolucid, Science Hill Backstage Lounge, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

Stephen Pearcy (Ratt), Blacksnake Backstage Lounge, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

SAT MARCH 28

Chupaskabra CD Release Party 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m. Just A Scientist, Quadrophones, The Early Twenties The Kickstand, Gainesville Laserhead, The Righteous Kind Common Grounds, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

PAGE 58 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

Mannequin Made, Benny Cannon, TJ Kelly Band, Butterﬂy Theory Backstage Lounge, Gainesville Time: 10 p.m. Pseudo-Kids (fka The Dead Songwriters) CD Release Party 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m. The Black Lips, Gentlemen Jesse & His Men Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $12 Time: 9 p.m. Towers of Hanoi, All Night Drug Prowling Wolves, Grabass Charlestons, Apeshit The Atlantic, Gainesville Time: 9:30 p.m.

SUN MARCH 29 Let Me Run, Dirty Money, Giuseppe The Kickstand, Gainesville The Presets, Golden Filter Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $12/14 Time: 6 p.m.

SUN MARCH 22

MON MARCH 30

Deserter, Lil Daggers, Owl of Minerva, Former Humans The Atlantic, Gainesville Time: 7 p.m.

Fighting Kangaroos, Temporary Taboo Backstage Lounge, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

TUE MARCH 24

TUE MARCH 31

Sinaloa The Kickstand, Gainesville

WED MARCH 25 Amanda Palmer (Dresden Dolls), Vermillion Lies Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $12 Time: 7 p.m. Katsumoto, No Bragging Rights, Passing in Dreams Backstage Lounge, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m. Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m. Toubab Krewe, Jar-E Market Street Pub, Gainesville Cost: $10 adv / $12 dos Time: 10 p.m.

THU MARCH 26 North Mississippi All Stars, Hill Country Revue Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $14 Time: 9 p.m. The Deep Sea Goes, Nomenclature The Kickstand, Gainesville

Matt & Kim Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $10 Time: 9 p.m. The Stick Martin Show The Kickstand, Gainesville

WED APRIL 01 Away With You, Unchained Chaos Backstage Lounge, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

THU APRIL 02 Crisis In Hollywood, Victim of Circumstance, Benjamin Del Shreve Backstage Lounge, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

FRI APRIL 03 A Beneﬁt for Finnegan Garity & Autism Research Feat. Grabass Charlestons, Whiskey & Co., Children’s Children Common Grounds, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m. Millions, Light Yourself On Fire The Kickstand, Gainesville

Used Blues, Jeff Todd Blues Band, A to Z Backstage Lounge, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

The Northernness, Paxico Via Mexico, Maida Vale, Chelsea Carnes 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

FRI MARCH 27

SAT APRIL 04

D.P. CD Release Party 1982, Gainesville Time: 9 p.m.

Bryan Malpass w/ Special Guests TBA Backstage Lounge, Gainesville Cost: $5 Time: 10 p.m.

Saint Diablo, Flexplate, Trumpswig Backstage Lounge, Gainesville Time: 10 p.m. Spam Allstars The Atlantic, Gainesville Time: 10 p.m. The Duppies, Magadog, Brentford Sound Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $6 Time: 9 p.m. The Pauses, Attachedhands, Quadrophones, TV Club, Moon Climb The Wall The Kickstand, Gainesville

Maria Taylor, The Whispertown 2000 Common Grounds, Gainesville Cost: $8 Time: 8 p.m.

SUN APRIL 05 Coliseum, Young Livers, Cutman, Virgins w/ Special Guests TBA The Atlantic, Gainesville Cost: $8/10 Time: 6 p.m. The Besties, Waylon Thorton and The Heavy Hands, Special Guests TBA Wayward Council, Gainesville

MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC Magazine • PAGE 59

YOU ARE HERE ISSUE 34

A GUIDE TO NE FLORIDA

HOTSPOTS: VENUES/BARS FREEBIRD LIVE The area’s most well-known concert

venue. Lots of touring acts and bigger local stuff. 200 North 1st St., Jacksonville Beach freebirdlive.com

FUEL COFFEE HOUSE This venue/hangout in Jacksonville’s Five Points district has nearly a decade’s worth of pedigree. 1037 Park St., Jacksonville myspace.com/fuelin5pts

JACK RABBITS Another local legend of a spot geared

toward original music, with an alwayseclectic slate featuring both local and national acts. 1528 Hendricks Ave., Jacksonville jackrabbitsonline.com

THE PEARL Very cool bar/venue complete with oak trees and an old-time phone booth. Being inside kind of makes you feel like you’re outside. We hosted our ﬁrst Jacksonville show there and fun times were had. 1101 N. Main St., Jacksonville myspace.com/thepearlofspringﬁeld

SHANTY TOWN PUB Bar, live music and themed DJ nights,

along w/ a cool outdoor area for hangin’. 22 W. 6th St., Jacksonville myspace.com/shantytownpub

ST. AUGUSTINE AMPHITHEATRE This large outdoor shed hosts everything from new jam and indie sounds to classic country and rock. 1340 A1A South, St. Augustine staugamphitheatre.com

HOTSPOTS: RETAIL GROOVE CITY RECORD SHOP One of the southeast’s biggest vinyl

stockpiles, and one of its best kept secrets. 939 University Blvd. N., Jacksonville 904-743-1900 myspace.com/groovecitydjs

ZOMBIE BIKES A bike co-op run by a group of volunteer

enthusiasts. Find unique bikes for sale or even have your perfect dream bike built out for you. Funded completely by donations. 1520 N. Main St., Jacksonville zombiecoop.blogspot.com

HOTSPOTS: LIFESTYLE MS. DEBORAH’S FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH Well-known tattoo studio with a very talented staff. 78 Lemon Street, St. Augustine 904-825-0108 msdeborahtattoo.com

SQUARE ONE 100% skate since 2000. Plus, they have a rad skate team. 1019 S. 3rd St., Jacksonville Beach 904-241-7667 squareonejax.com

HOTSPOTS: EATS CAFÉ ELEVEN Outstanding eats. Impressive beer/wine

selection. Extraordinary music calendar. What else could you possibly ask for? 501 A1A Bch Blvd., St. Aug. Beach

RAGLAND’S The restaurant yin to Fuel Coffee House’s venue yang. Full menu, taproom and some eclectic music events on the patio. 1023 Park St., Jacksonville 904-598-5271

HOTSPOTS: WEARABLES THE CLOSET From their site: “dedicated to consciously

bringing our customers greener, one-of-akind, and unique choices” 51 Cordova St., St Augustine

EVENT SPOTLIGHT

EDGE CITY A funky vibe and cutting-edge women’s fashions for more than 30 years. 1017 Park St., Jacksonville gunnel.com

PAGE 60 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

HELPING VETS HEAL

he Wounded Warrior Project is

a non-profit organization dedicated to improving awareness of the problems our wounded military veterans face in healing - both physically and mentally - and re-integrating themselves into society, and providing assistance to them during the most difficult period of their lives, lives that have been changed irrevocably in the course of their service to their country. The WWP depends mightily on contributions from any and all entities interested in helping, and is the beneficiary of events held every month all over the country. For March, Jacksonville bar and rock venue Brewster’s Pub/Brewster’s Pit

has stepped forward to help organize and host a fundraiser in the form of Warriorfest, a motorcycle poker run and concert on Sunday, March 29. Registration for the bike run starts at 8:30 a.m., with the run itself beginning at 10. That’ll go until 2, when everybody will reconvene at Brewster’s Pit for a massive 12-band afternoon and evening mini-fest headlined by none other than legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle. Brewster’s Pit is located at 14003 Beach Blvd. in Jacksonville. For tickets and more information, call 904-223-9850.

WOUNDEDWARRIORPROJECT.ORG MYSPACE.COM/BREWSTERSPIT

ALBUM SPOTLIGHT MR. AL PETE TALK ABOUT IT (GROWN FOLK ENT.)

Reminiscent of old-school crews like Boogie Down Productions and Gang Starr while simultaneously light and soulful in its own original way, Mr. Al Pete’s full-length is a thoughtful, refreshing, substantial listen. It all starts with Pete’s voice, a perfect balance of orator and MC, charismatic but not soft, recalling Guru at times, and matched well with beds of music that crib equally from jazz, R&B and the sort of pop-soul that ruled the airwaves before people started calling it “urban.” The whole thing is just busy enough to impress, but never steals focus from the deft wordplay of Pete and his guests (harder-voiced rapper Tough Junkie stands way out on “It’s Whatever”), while the socially aware lyrics never weigh down the grooves. There are skits here, something I’ve come to loathe about hip-hop full-lengths, but Mr. Al Pete gets a pass because the pop/club/gangsta rap-skewering “Goon Skit” is absolutely freakin’ hilarious. This is up there with the best rap from indie Florida artists we’ve heard so far this year. - Scott Harrell

A GUIDE TO JACKSONVILLE & NORTHEAST FLORIDA YOU ARE HERE ISSUE 34

NE FLA EVENTS FRI MARCH 06 Bulletproof Your Limousine, Ammo Nation, Chester The Molester And The Burnouts Doozers Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m. Folio Weekly’s Martini Fest East Touchdown Club (Jacksonvile Municipal Stadium), Jacksonville Cost: $25/30 Time: 7 p.m. Harvest of Hope Festival St. Johns County Fairgrounds, Elkton Cost: $39.50 (3-day pass) Time: 12 p.m.

Willie Nelson & Family, Jamey Johnson St. Augustine Amphitheatre, St. Augustine Cost: $35-85 Time: 6 p.m.

Vienna Teng Florida Theatre, Jacksonville Cost: $20/25 Time: 8 p.m.

MON MARCH 09 Ryan Adams & The Cardinals Florida Theatre, Jacksonville Cost: $28.50 Time: 8:30 p.m.

WED MARCH 11 Badﬁsh (Sublime Tribute) Freebird Live, Jacksonville Beach Cost: $12/15 Time: 8 p.m.

Von Barlow’s Jazz Journey Shantytown Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m. Wish You Were Here Feat. Split*Tone LandShark Cafe, Jacksonville Beach Cost: $5 Time: 8 p.m.

SUN MARCH 15 Andy McKee Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $10/13 Time: 8 p.m.

SUN MARCH 22 Coco Montoya Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine Time: 8:30 p.m. O.P.S., F.T.N., Downtown Brown Doozers Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m.

MON MARCH 23 Vetiver, Larkin Grimm Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine Cost: $8 Time: 8:30 p.m.

TUE MARCH 24

The Stick Martin Show Doozers Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m.

Late of the Pier Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $10/15 Time: 8 p.m.

Sleep Crimes Shantytown Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m.

Casper & The Cookies Club TSI, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m.

MON MARCH 16

THU MARCH 26

Southern Fried Funk LandShark Cafe, Jacksonville Beach Time: 10 p.m.

Mason Jennings Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine Cost: $15 Time: 8:30 p.m.

A Slight Breeze, Ivory Intentions Cafe Eleven, St. Augustine Cost: $5 Time: 8:30 p.m.

The Ting Tings Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $15 Time: 8 p.m.

Umphrey’s McGee Freebird Live, Jacksonville Beach Cost: $20 Time: 8 p.m.

The Secret State Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $8/10 Time: 8 p.m.

Ampline, Cody Vann Doozers Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m.

FRI MARCH 27

Valient Thorr Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $8/10 Time: 8 p.m.

THU MARCH 12

Bobaﬂex, Sacred Ground, Karma for Liars, Rock N Roll Chrome, Automation Brewster’s Pit, Jacksonville Time: 7 p.m.

SAT MARCH 07

Cypher 16, Glorious Gunner Doozers Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m.

Annual Crawﬁsh Boil Feat. Pawn Takes King Shantytown Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m.

FRI MARCH 13

Buff Clout, Altamira, Attachedhands, Bermuda, Antarctic Nobby’s, St. Augustine Time: 8 p.m.

Art Is Alive Music & Arts Showcase Freebird Live, Jacksonville Beach Cost: $10 Time: 8 p.m.

TUE MARCH 17

Fluoro Party Club TSI, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m. Harvest of Hope Festival St. Johns County Fairgrounds, Elkton Cost: $39.50 (3-day pass) Time: 12 p.m. Husky Brunette Doozers Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m. Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $10/15 Time: 8 p.m. Saltwater Grass CD Release Party Feat. Cornmeal, Greenhouse Lounge Freebird Live, Jacksonville Beach Cost: $8/10 Time: 8 p.m.

SUN MARCH 08 Harvest of Hope Festival St. Johns County Fairgrounds, Elkton Cost: $39.50 (3-day pass) Time: 12 p.m. Joe Buck Yourself, Just Call Me John, Johnny Apple Eyes Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $8/10 Time: 8 p.m.

Signal 20 LandShark Cafe, Jacksonville Beach Time: 10 p.m. Unit Shifters, LowKey, Unlicensed, Morgan Knockers Doozers Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m. Wrong Way (Sublime Tribute) Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $10/15 Time: 8 p.m.

SAT MARCH 14 Bloodkin Freebird Live, Jacksonville Beach Cost: $10/15 Time: 8 p.m. His Name Was Iron, Sent By Ravens, Lookalive!, We Still Dream, Perfect Measure Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $8/10 Time: 8 p.m. Stephen Pearcy (Ratt), A Fall to Rise Brewster’s Pit, Jacksonville Time: 7 p.m.

ALBUM SPOTLIGHT LISSAJOU BLIPDOOLPOOLP (SELF RELEASED)

Twenty minutes of mesmerizing glitch ‘n’ game electronica that sounds a lot like its name. Originally released as a limited-edition micro-CD and now widely available online, this single track starts with a clacky 8-bit groove, and proceeds to move various sounds in and out of the mix so deftly that it takes several seconds for the listener to realize that something has changed. I’m not gonna lie - if you’re not into electro or video game-esque sounds, you’re gonna think this is boring as hell. But it showcases an admirable sense of craft, subtlety, and humor; just when you think it’s hypnotized you into barely hearing it, Blipdoolpoolp changes it up a bit. It’s pretty cool how the whole thing nearly seems alive in the way it grows and evolves. Nicely done. - Colin Kincaid

Ani DiFranco Florida Theatre, Jacksonville Cost: $35.50/38.50 Time: 8 p.m.

Colin Hay (Men At Work) Freebird Live, Jacksonville Beach Cost: $15/20 Time: 8 p.m. Elevated Hip-Hop Experience, D.A.R.Y.L. Club TSI, Jacksonville Time; 9 p.m. Hello Danger CD Release Show Feat. My Getaway, Sent By Ravens, Hillvalley Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $7/10 Time: 8 p.m. The Petaﬁles, R.S.O. Doozers Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m.

WED MARCH 18

Waylon Thorton & The Heavy Hands Shantytown Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m.

Lost Apparitions, Buff Clout Club TSI, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m.

SAT MARCH 28

THU MARCH 19 The Living Wreck, Mirrors And Wires Doozers Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m. Toubab Krewe Freebird Live, Jacksonville Beach Cost: $10/15 Time: 8 p.m.

FRI MARCH 20 Simplex 1, 1987, Badweed Doozers Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m. The Bastard Suns, Forced Culture, Name:Bran, Dive Plane, Sangria Brewster’s Pit, Jacksonville Time: 7 p.m. Tres Bien Club TSI, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m.

Big Engine CD Release Party Brewster’s Pit, Jacksonville Cost: $5 Time: 7:30 Bob Wayne & The Outlaw Carnies, Ghostwitch, The Hollowbody Hellraisers LandShark Cafe, Jacksonville Beach Time: 10 p.m. Josh Gracin Freebird Live, Jacksonville Cost: $25/30 Time: 8 p.m. Straight Up Jackin’ Feat. DJ Caulder, DJ Nelson Shantytown Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m.

SUN MARCH 29 Hollow Leg, Hull, Staring Daggers Doozers Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m. The Black Lips, Gentleman Jesse & His Men Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $13/15 Time: 8 p.m.

Tropic of Cancer, Trapbomb! Shantytown Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m.

SAT MARCH 21 The Assassins, Robin Bankz, Tough Junkie Shantytown Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m. Club TSI’s Third Annual Black & White Ball Club TSI, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m. G-Hive Party Feat. Freedomhawk LandShark Cafe, Jacksonville Beach Time: 9 p.m. Rehab Freebird Live, Jacksonville Beach Cost: $18/20 Time: 8 p.m. Singod, Altar of Flesh, Infernal Propaganda, Bloodcraft Doozers Pub, Jacksonville Time: 9 p.m.

Wounded Warrior Beneﬁt Concert Feat. Artimus Pyle Brewster’s Pit, Jacksonville Time: 2 p.m.

MON MARCH 30 Jimmie’s Chicken Shack, Does It Matter, Running Rampant, Joe Everitt Brewster’s Pit, Jacksonville Time: 7 p.m. Kenny G Florida Theatre, Jacksonville Cost: $41-71 Time: 8 p.m. That One Guy Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville Cost: $10/15 Time: 8 p.m.

TUE MARCH 31 North Mississippi Allstars Freebird Live, Jacksonville Beach Cost: $15/20 Time: 8 p.m.

MARCH 2009 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • PAGE 61

PAGE 62 • REAX MUSIC MAgAzInE • MARCH 2009

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