Club Report: Pyramid Club Wednesdays at Mokai

Photo by Anthony VerrilliTo view a slideshow of photos from the Pyramid Club’s opening night last week, click here. ​Not long ago Mokai, the white-brick-walled and coiffed club that appealed to imported models and jet-setting socialites, was on the verge of becoming just another burned-out nightlife staple of yesteryear. Luckily,…

Concert Review: Paleface at the Monterey Club, February 24

Photo by Travis Newbill​Paleface With Black Weather Shaman and EverymenWednesday, February 24, 2010 The Monterey Club, Fort Lauderdale Better Than: Staying inside ’cause it was raining.  The Review:  Perhaps the chilly drizzle kept a lot of people home. Or maybe it had something to do with Black Weather Shaman, and some kind of…

Interview with Keller Williams, Playing Tonight at Revolution

photo by C. Taylor CrothersTouring in support of his 13th album, Odd, Keller Williams is just that. That’s meant in the best way possible. The 40-year-old fits the very definition of unique, having toured almost exclusively as a one-man-band since the early ’90s. (Exceptions include short stints with String Cheese…

Random Album Review: Ike Reilly – Hard Luck Stories

​Ike ReillyHard Luck Stories (Rock Ridge Music)If you took the Pogues and multiplied them by the Clash, then divided by Dylan the result would be Ike Reilly. Over the past decade, he’s quietly amassed one of the most raucous and literate catalogues in rock and roll. His peculiar genius is…

Concert Review: State Radio at Culture Room, February 11

​State Radio With Big D and the Kids’ TableCulture Room, Fort LauderdaleWednesday, February 10, 2010 
  Better Than: Watching your live Dispatch: Zimbabwe DVD for the 12th time. State Radio plays smart rock.More specifically, it’s educated, punk-infused alt-reggae with socially conscious lyrics. And the band plays it damn well. The trio — Chad…

Concert Review: Yonder Mountain String Band at Revolution, February 12

Photo by Tobin Voggesser​Yonder Mountain String BandRevolution, Fort LauderdaleFebruary 12, 2010 
 The Review: If there’s one thing that hippies love more than bluegrass, it’s far-out bluegrass played by hippies, for hippies. That’s why Yonder Mountain String Band is as precious as a magic topaz crystal mined from the caverns of Tim…

Concert Review: Furthur at Bayfront Park Amphitheater, February 5

via furthur.net​Furthur Bayfront Park Amphitheater, MiamiFriday, February 5, 2010Better Than: [Insert clever Grateful Dead song title] cover bandThe Review:With weather on my mind and 50 miles of Super Bowl-enhanced traffic in front of me, I departed home this past Friday with anticipation of what the Grateful Dead’s newest incarnation would…

Concert Review: B.B. King at Hard Rock Live, February 2

Photo by Bernard Hacker​B.B. King & Buddy GuyHard Rock Live, HollywoodTuesday, February 2, 2010 
 Better Than: Hearing hip-hop and electronic music all Super Bowl week The Review: The collective age of the two performers at Hard Rock Live on Tuesday Night was 157 years.  So you might think this concert was better…

Night Watch: Mickey’s 19th Hole, a Comfy Fort Lauderdale Dive

NightWatch is a regular feature about bars and clubs by nightlife columnist Tara Nieuwesteeg.​Mickey’s 19th Hole Bar & Grill2739 E Oakland Park Blvd, Fort LauderdaleCall 954-561-1911Mickey’s is the kind of place that doesn’t change much. Regulars are so comfortable, they’ll interrogate anyone whose face they don’t recognize. It’s nothing personal;…

Night Watch: Mugs, a New Fort Lauderdale Sports Bar

​Night Watch is a regular feature about bars and clubs by nightlife columnist Tara Nieuwesteeg. Mugs2671 E Oakland Park Blvd, Fort LauderdaleCall 954-566-7782 or visit mugsbar.comI got a clear sense of déjà vu at Mugs, but only, as I realized, because I’d been taken there for dinner once by a lovely…

Night Watch: Shooters Waterfront Cafe, Where the Wet T-Shirt Contest Once Reigned

​Night Watch is a recurring feature about bars and clubs by nightlife columnist Tara Nieuwesteeg. Shooters Waterfront Café3033 NE 32nd Ave, Fort LauderdaleCall 954-566-2855, or visit shooterscafe.com”I thought you were really… different. That was the first thing about you that really caught my attention,” he was saying. His clean sweatshirt was…

Concert Review: Totally Nebular at Radio-Active Records, January 22

Image via myspace.com/totallynebularTotally NebularTotally NebularWith Milk Spot and Ice CreamRadio-Active Records, Fort LauderdaleFriday, January 22, 2010Better Than: Chugging Mad Dog 20/20s from a brown paper bag in a parking lot.The Review:Underage bands have the toughest time finding places to play around town; they’re often relegated to performing at warehouses or…

Night Watch: JByrd’s Muddy Waters Restaurant and Raw Bar in Deerfield

​Night Watch is a regular feature about bars and clubs by nightlife columnist Tara Nieuwesteeg. JByrd’s Muddy Waters Restaurant and Raw Bar (2237 W Hillsboro Blvd, Deerfield Beach Call 954-428-6577, or visit muddywaters.biz)Out front, the patio area is replete with glider booths, palm trees, and parrot cages. A small island-like…

Concert Review: Stonefox’s Last Show at 1921, January 22

Photo by Ian Witlen​To view a full slideshow of photos from the event, click here. Stonefox 1921, Fort LauderdaleFriday, January 22, 2010 Better Than: Having someone say, “It’s not you, it’s me” through a medium other than rock music.The Review:Have we just been dumped? There have been so many hot, sweaty nights that…

Concert Review: Gov’t Mule at Revolution, January 20

photo via Shorefire Media​Gov’t MuleRevolution, Fort LauderdaleJanuary 20, 2010Better Than: Paying to be crammed in a container with 1000 old, loud, smelly people and then shipped from Haiti during a earthquake with nothing but Gov’t Mule on my MP3 player. The Review:I am guessing that since Revolution Live has an average…