When you think of local music, you can't help but imagine a group of session musicians banging out watered-down Matchbox 20 covers to a crowd of indifferent onlookers and one drunk guy who can't stop howling and raising his Budweiser in a perennial toast. But a rebirth of sorts in South Florida's music scene in the past year has washed over the C-list pap with a potent combination of tight musicianship and pure rock 'n' roll swagger. It's only fitting that a band like AC Cobra would be one of the glaring few on a short list that has raised eyebrows in recent months. Even though it has no recorded material to its credit, the band has garnered a rabid, devoted fan base in a short span of time built solely on its quick, no-frills live shows.
Think Stooges and AC/DC in a head-on collision, bandaged in T-Rex glam and punk vitriol, and perhaps you've nailed AC Cobra's tunes on the proverbial head. The quartet keeps an ever-expanding set list, even though the shows still last barely a half hour, and it's the presentation that promises continued success. These guys have matured from doing Ramones covers to creating uncompromising balls-to-the-wall rock you rarely witness in our humid neck of the woods. Tim, Rus, Tyson, and Chris (vocals, guitar, bass, and drums, respectively -- no surnames necessary) thrive on inciting rowdiness for the sake of a good time, which usually includes most of the band ending up rolling on the floor with its equally raucous audience. "The more people move, the better," lead screamer Tim explains. "I can't stand it when people just stand there and look at their shoes. Rock 'n' roll is a contact sport." They've already shared bills with such national notables as L.A.'s The Bronx and various local heroes including the Heatseekers, Trapped by Mormons, and the Creepy T's. Beware of flying singers and wet floors when AC Cobra plays the Poor House (110 SW Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale) with Another Day Ruined. Show starts at 11 p.m. Call 954-522-5145. -- Kiran Aditham
SAT 8/2 Android Lust
Because Robot Sex Rules!
Where have all the gothics gone? There was a time, many moons ago, when a handful of clubs catering solely to the goth/fetish crowd dotted the landscape of South Florida's clubland. The Kitchen Club, perhaps the most famous of these, moved from Miami Beach to Coral Cables in a desperate bid to stay alive that ended in failure. Gotham City enjoyed an extremely brief existence. And Squeeze has now become the gay club the Sea Monster, though a "Squeeze Night" at that locale tries to bring in some of the old faces. With this lack of a sufficiently dark and morbid place to hang out, perhaps Android Lust's gig at Freez (909 E. Cypress Creek Rd., Fort Lauderdale) will be more of a reunion than anything else. Led by gorgeous yet grim singer/songwriter/producer Shikhee, a Bangladesh native who came to America by way of England, Android Lust celebrates the release of its latest CD, a full-length enhanced version of the 2002 record The Dividing, which blended punk and industrial fare to screeching success. Toss on some eyeliner, dye your hair black, and get ready to join in the celebration. Call 954-771-3008. -- Dan Sweeney
SAT 8/2
Gotta Dance It Out
These warriors fight with lifts and high kicks
Dance these days can be a bit pretentious, no? It's full of elaborate costumes and snobbish critics. But what about an interpretive dance piece about eating disorders, oppression, and AIDS? Yes, that is the theme of "Spiritual Warriors," a series of theater and dance pieces presented by the University Center for the Performing Arts (2240 SW 70th Ave., Davie). Sure, people can get on their soapbox and talk about problems affecting society. But in Spiritual Warriors, actions speak louder than words. The event features modern, cultural, and jazz dance, as performed by the university's own dance troupe, TranZenDance. These performances explore the landscape of the cultural and human body in a way that is educational and enlightening. Your inner child will be nurtured; just make sure it doesn't talk during the performance. Tickets are free, and donations benefit cancer research and animal welfare. Show starts at 8 p.m. Spiritual Warriors also happens Sunday at 2 p.m. Call 954-475-3000. -- Audra Schroeder
THU 7/31
Your Banditry Prescription
Another in the long string of emocentric combinations takes to the Factory (2674 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale) stage at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Breaking Pangaea provides an initial dose of emo as it promotes this year's EP release, Phoenix. The genre then bends just slightly as Fairweather performs its brand of emocore material. Although emo was birthed in hardcore punk, the genre got away from hardcore fairly quickly; emotional lyrics eventually slow things down a bit. But bands such as Fairweather have done a lot to pull the gap back together. No Motiv, a band that shares sound and philosophy with Fairweather, takes the stage after that. Lest the whole night be bogged down with incessant whining over ex-girlfriends and not fitting in at school, the final act is Rx Bandits, known more for their ska-punkery than their lyrical content. The Bandits weathered a near breakup in 2001 after losing both their trombonist and bassist. In fact, only two original members of the band are still present in the lineup, though it still has that good emo vibration. Tickets cost $10. Call 954-564-ROCK. -- Dan Sweeney
