If you’ve tuned in to Fox News lately — or its regularly scheduled skewering via the Daily Show — you may have heard that there’s a war on Christmas. Apparently, what the liberal pagans who secretly run this country from a clandestine bunker under New York City really want is…
We’ve all been there: There are a dozen good concerts taking place in the same month, each with a hefty $50+ price tag, and you’re not balling enough to pay for all of them. Unless you’re a music writer that rarely gets to review shows for concert tickets, that turns…
Music vet and New Times scribe Lee Zimmerman shares stories of memorable rock ‘n’ roll encounters that took place in our local environs. This week: Lee looks back on his most memorable musical conversations. One of the best perks about being a music journalist — aside from all the free music…
It’s a sign the South Florida bass scene has finally arrived (again!) that a once-fringe dubstep act now promises to fill Revolution on December 30 — and with only local supporting acts to boot. Frequent attendees of parties like Get Low in Miami will recognize recurring favorite Borgore. But this gig…
Port St. Lucie/St. Petersburg pop-punk act VersaEmerge just released its first full-length album, Fixed at Zero, this summer. “I’m still young at heart and in my head — we all are,” singer Sierra Kusterbeck says of the self-reflecting album about going through so much at a young age. “Half the…
Diplo has a lot to be grateful for this year. The Mad Decent label head’s career is in full swing. His Major Lazer side project with Switch recently released a new EP, Lazers Never Die, and a mixtape with La Roux. Even frequent collaborator M.I.A.’s self-implosion this year didn’t affect…
Based upon its fiery live act, Lavola was picked from a slew of equally great local bands to open for Silversun Pickups earlier this year. This feat earned the West Palm Beach trio even more of the attention it so deserves — but singer-guitarist Julian Cires, bassist Matt Hanser, and…
Judson Rodgers, mastermind behind the spacy swirl of West Palm Beach electro act Sumsun, leads a new night of experimental dance music at Lake Worth’s Propaganda. Beginning Wednesday, December 29, Rodgers will take time out of his busy schedule to launch the Lush Haus residency, a monthly event where nebulous,…
Intergalactic surf rockers the Gutter Queens ensure that every willing participant can have a very retro and ribald Christmas this year at the Monterey Club. Led by guitarist-vocalist Ryan Black, the Coconut Creek natives (currently students at USF in Tampa) do a mean rendition of Dick Dale’s “Misirlou” dubbed “Gutterlou.”…
No, County Grind is not a consistent source of couture commentary, but everyone needs a clean T-shirt or a ready-made gift idea from time to time. Since this one comes courtesy of a brick-and-mortar music purveyor, we’ll bite. Add that Radio-Active Records’ line of T’s is not emblazoned with the…
Music vet and New Times scribe Lee Zimmerman shares stories of memorable rock ‘n’ roll encounters that took place in our local environs. This week: UM’s glorious past In past columns, I’ve touched on my musical encounters while attending the University of Miami from 1969 to 1973. And in fact, much…
The live-performance trend of artists playing their most popular albums start to finish continues to go strong. But is it a great thing? The earliest iterations of this made sense. Usually, it was a band or artist that had recently reunited, appearing on a festival stage to the largest audience it…
Matisyahu At Fedstock Mizner Park Amphitheatre, Boca Raton Saturday, December 18, 2010 “Matisyahu is an amazing artist with traits and talents that no other singer has today. That is why I think he is amazing.” These words came from the mouth of a 9 year-old fan with one of the…
Zitfest Day 2With Sumsun, the Dewars, Plains, the Monster, This Heart Electric, LLLR, Little Beard, Teepee, Go Ghosts, Band in Heaven, Guy Harvey, the Jameses, and Love Handles.The Orange Door, Lake ParkSaturday, December 18, 2010Read Day 1 coverage here.The seriously anticipated second day of Zitfest lived up to all the…
Zitfest Day 1With Snakehole, Partial People, Nerve City, Slippery Slopes, Jacuzzi Boys, and Cop City/Chill PillarsThe Orange Door, Lake ParkFriday, December 17, 2010Read a review of Day 2 here.Better than: The satisfaction one feels when popping a gigantic puss filled pimple that ejects its white gooey innards all over the mirror. The review:…
So who is Yanni, really? Is he merely a pin-up and a poser, some sort of schlock jock, a kitschy crusader like those who are unmoved by his grandiose symphonic hyperbole tend to suspect he is? Or is there something more to his New Age manipulation, something so compelling, it’s…
Happy Holidays from the Jameses, who have been instrumental in getting the inaugural Zitfest together. Although the guys are generally reluctant to be photographed, as was made clear in my interview with them this week, there are always exceptions.On to their gift to you: tonight and tomorrow’s schedule for Zitfest…
EpicaWith Scar Symmetry, Blackguard, and the AgonistCulture Room, Fort LauderdaleWednesday, December 15, 2010 In the world of metal, Epica frontwoman Simone Simmons is a queen, and these black-clad, mostly unwashed, tattooed, and pierced folk are her loyal subjects…
Big Sean might have jumped the gun a little bit when he titled his first official mixtape Finally Famous in 2007. And then again in 2009 with Finally Famous Vol. 2 and yet again with Vol. 3 in 2010. But judging by collaborations with Drake, Eminem, Rick Ross, Kanye West,…
Ben Prestage boasts no shortage of musical talents. The Vero Beach-based one-man band is proficient with acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lap steel guitar, banjo, fiddle, diddley bow, and foot pedals he manipulates with his toes and heels. A nimble picker, he specializes in a folky form of blues shaded by…
Justin Bieber has a classic coming-of-the-digital-age story, and his YouTube-abetted rising star became an easy target: Facebook groups rallied against him, Twitter rebelled against his trending-topic stranglehold, and a prank internet campaign was waged to “help” the kid “tour” North Korea. His greatest offenses seem to involve his gender, his…
Although it has long been trendy to have a laugh at pint-sized wailer Ronnie James Dio’s expense, it’s actually not as popular now that he’s dead. Dio and his devil horns passed into the next realm last May. His brand of mythic metal both parodied and revered by Tenacious D…
