Big Bang Radio

Every few years, South Florida seems to cough up a rock band with superior pop talent that's capable of becoming the next big thing. Although some rock fans might argue about what band currently occupies this spot, it's undeniable that Big Bang Radio has all the makings of a local-meets-global pop-rock sensation. It's got the hearthrobability of a group like Maroon 5 and the intricate songwriting skills of Ryan Adams and the Cardinals. The group's already had its share of big accomplishments, including playing the past two Bang Music Festivals in Miami and opening for acts like Duran Duran, Ashlee Simpson (don't laugh), and the Strokes. For an upstart band, at least two of those opening gigs were impressive, and it's all helped get the name out there as a band to watch. The group has a new, nine-song digital release that's dropping this week and it's also been killing it for the past few months on Bodog's Battle of the Bands competition as the television show searches for America's top unsigned band. A recent phone call to the band revealed that Big Bang Radio made it all the way to the top three out of 7,300 bands before getting disqualified for — get this — kicking out its lead singer and replacing him with Mike Sanchez, formerly of the Curve. Re-forming a band midcompetition is against the rules, so BBR got the ax, but it's a much stronger unit because of it. If you want to see the band in its new format rocking songs off its self-titled new album, you can check it out two days in a row.