We know it can get tough navigating the choppy, oft-unpredictable waters of our South Florida music scene.
Besides this blog, (your ultimate source for the local lowdown and breaking music news, obvs), how else can a native keep an ear to the ground and an eye out for the next big thing? After all, for a region dominated by high-end nightclubs and Top 40 dive bars, digging into the underground can sometimes seem daunting.
We've compiled 10 of the best online sources for local music and arts coverage -- from blogs and magazines to YouTube channels and Twitter accounts -- run by individuals and collectives of some of our scene's most actively out-there and musically-obsessed creatives. Check it out and feel free to weigh in on some of your own secret internet spots in the comments.
10. PureHoney
If you've ever visited a local coffee shop, record store, or alternative bar, you've probably noticed a stack of PureHoney magazines by the door or resting on the counter with all the other locally-focused literature. If you ask us, PureHoney is one of the most thorough sources for local event and concert listings and preview band interviews ever. Creator Steve Rullman truly brings together the tri-county music scene with his incredible print and newly revamped online periodical. PureHoney is entirely sweet.
9. Salty Eggs
Salty Eggs recently won a Green Eyeshade award for being the third best blog in the region. Apart from their hilariously satirical and hard-hitting coverage on everything from politics to art, the team, comprised of twenty-some-odd contributors, really have a finger on the pulse of the South Florida music scene.
Peruse the blog's music archives to get to know some of the areas most interesting, up-and-coming, and influential bands and artists. In-depth feature stories, artist Q&As, and reviews give a little taste of everything our humble scene has to offer at the moment.
Ashley Ocampo, better known by her alias Ashley Outrageous, has been covering South Florida sounds, fashions, and lifestyle with a hip-hop slant since 2008. Her simply-designed and stylish website features a music blog with updates on the music world at large, along with features, mixtapes, reviews, and event announcements.
The Fort Lauderdale-based music aficionado has been featured in The Source magazine and is also pretty active on Twitter, so be sure to follow her (@AshleyOutrageous) to keep up with all her tuned-in music tips.
See also
- Best Blog 2013: Ashley Outrageous
7. South Florida Music Obsessed
South Florida Music Obsessed is a handy little website (they're also linked into all the major social media portals, including YouTube, where they upload clips from local live shows) for staying abreast of shows in the area. A blog keeps readers informed on weekly releases, while a calendar summarizes all the cool stuff goin' down around town in a nice weekly round-up. Festival guides and ticket giveaways make this site especially bookmark-worthy.
South Florida blog the Heat Lightning may have seen more active days, but in 2011, CBS Miami awarded the website with its "Most Valuable Blogger" title, praising it for its "witty and engaging" writing, as well as its "great eye for up-and-coming artists." Today, contributor John Spain holds down THL with semi-regular updates on music and arts in the 305 and surrounding regions.
The real goldmine here is in the archives. Spend a while exploring past posts and give yourself a history lesson on some of the most interesting stories and characters from South Florida's musical past and present. You'll learn things most have already forgotten, or perhaps an old FM flyer will foster flashbacks of your first nightlife experience.
Non-Florida features, like the ongoing list of very longtime New Times contributor Abel Folgar's "Abel's 4,000 Albums That Matter," broaden our local sonic perspective, and educate SoFla on what's awesome in music.
Bleeding Palm is a Miami-based photo fuck-fest that masterfully constructs psychedelic animated GIFs, websites, and photography mashups that blow the mind. (Their video collaboration with Borscht Corp spawned Adventures of Christopher Bosh in the Multiverse, an animated short that went viral earlier this year.)
Besides being generally super cool, they have a website that features a gallery of photos, GIFs, and experimental collages that create a unique, neon-tinged visual narrative of the South Florida scene. We promise you won't see coverage of the annual International Noise Conference or Art Basel like this anywhere else.
If high-brow is more your style, you might already know about Beached Miami, a comprehensive South Florida blog covering everything from art and design to politics and the local bike scene. Its music blog offers thoughtful interviews with local artists, as well as regular ticket giveaways, album and event reviews, music videos, best-of lists, announcements, and even op-ed pieces on various topics related to the scene.
The accompanying "Music Guide" section offers a well-organized outline and previews of upcoming music events by date. As a one-stop-shop, complete with an Instagram account and links to just about every other social media portal, Beached Miami ranks high as a source for everything South Florida "scene."
3. Jolt Radio
Jolt Radio is an open-format online radio station based out of Miami. Relatively young, its weekly programming and overall identity are still works in progress. But one thing is clear: Founder John Caignet wanted to create a space to acknowledge emerging independent artists from the local, national, and international scene while offering an interactive platform for discussion -- and he's definitely succeeding.
With a collective of contributors from around the area and a network of promoters and industry insiders, Jolt has quickly become a hub for the local music community, supporting our scene by offering coverage of artists and live-streaming from some of the coolest events around town. With internet radio stations popping up all over the place, it's great to see new ones who're learning by trial and error and staying true to their overall mission. Jolt, we salute you.
2. Tropicult
Tropicult is another site providing regular coverage of some of the region's most exciting artists and events. The writing is insightful without being dull, and the clean design aesthetic with splashes of color fits nicely with the title, and of course our tropical home. A regular "Behind the Music" blog feature highlights upcoming events while providing useful context, and even the occasional ticket giveaway.
The events section includes useful details, like drink specials, and unlike some of the other websites with events listings, this one arranges events in a tiled photo format, giving readers a more visual guide to party options.
1. Audio Junkie
Audio Junkie is a DIY video journal chronicling the South Florida music scene. A collaborative project by a handful of local music enthusiasts, Audio Junkie aims to "capture a culture immersed and obsessed with audio." Each "episode" highlights a different band, usually from Florida (sometimes visiting South Florida), performing live on set and edited with cool, trippy visuals to add another dimension to the music.
Bands that have been featured so far include bluesy Deaf Poets, experimental indie rockers This Heart Electric, Broward saxophonist Kenny Millions with Miami noise guru Rat Bastard, tropi-rockers Animal Tropical, and the metal masters Shroud Eater.
Subscribe to the Audio Junkie YouTube channel to see what these dedicated audiophiles are up to next.
See also
- Audio Junkie Starts New Music-Focused Zine; Florida Rejoices
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