Kubiat Nnamdie on Photographing SpaceGhostPurrp: “Great Vibes All Around”

More on SpaceGhostPurrpPart two of this article. It seems Kubiat Nnamdie knows no creative boundaries. It’s like he’s in a persistent state of focused productivity, working in photography or sculpture, performing, writing music, or singing. The 21-year-old began both singing and photographing at age 13. He’s basically self-taught, but his…

Backstage in South Florida: Jennings and Keller and Good Folk at Home

Music vet and New Times scribe Lee Zimmerman shares observations, insights and updates relating to South Florida’s musical environs. This week: Jennings, Keller and other members of the folk faithful. I admit that I never really think of South Florida as a harbinger of folk music. Granted, there’s an active…

DMX – Revolution Live, Fort Lauderdale – July 6

Photos: DMX at Revolution Live.DMXFeaturing Quest, Alligator City, and RabbitRevolution Live, Fort LauderdaleFriday, July 6Better than: An episode of Celebrity Couples Therapy.”DMX! DMX! DMX,” a more than patient crowd of fans chanted. After the opening acts fell short of remembering lyrics to a certain rap classic “Sabotage” and female rapper…

White Ring, Deathface – Green Room, Fort Lauderdale – July 6

White Ringwith DeathfaceGreen Room, Fort LauderdaleJuly 6, 2012Better than: Waiting for DMX to show up next door at RevolutionBrooklyn based “witch house” duo White Ring brought their crucible of darkness to Fort Lauderdale’s Green Room on Friday night. The group’s sound is one of effected and distant sounding vocals layered…

Reel Big Fish – Revolution Live – July 4, 2012

Photos: Reel Big Fish at Revolution LiveReel Big FishWith Suburban LegendsRevolution Live, Fort LauderdaleWednesday, July 4, 2012Better than: Badfish.Reel Big Fish has been around since dinosaurs roamed the Earth. There are stone tablets dating back to 2,000,000 B.C. depicting the band’s first concert. And as much as you’d like to…

Todd Rundgren’s Summer Camp in the Catskills

This year, I’ll be going to summer camp. Not just any summer camp, mind you. Rock ‘n’ Roll summer camp. No, this isn’t some kind of hokey day camp filled with hootenannies, hoedowns, and ad hoc jam sessions. I’m talking about a real camp-like experience — the kind you might…

Alligator City Brings a New Flow to DMX Show

What happens when two of South Florida’s best MCs combine forces to bring the best of what the Miami and Fort Lauderdale hip hop scene has to offer? For those of you who were stumped, the answer is Alligator City.An undeniable reference to the notoriously aggressive predator of the ‘Glades…

DMX at Revolution Live on July 6

Success in boxing isn’t strictly measured in power punches and knockouts. A fighter must prove that he’s resilient in the ring by overcoming seemingly certain defeat to rally back and go the distance. Similarly, successful rappers have to rise above adversity, often tackling both professional and personal hurdles to stay…

Don McLean at Hard Rock Live on July 5

In 2005’s Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story, Chuck Klosterman writes, “There are only two really long songs that get played on classic-rock radio every single day,” Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” and Don McLean’s “American Pie.” “I’ve noticed that nobody changes the station when ‘American Pie’…

White Ring at Green Room on July 6

Indie-music subgenres exist arbitrarily. One critic’s characterization of “witch house” may be another’s description of “electro no-wave” or “fuzz grime,” both a synonym of “ghost house” and “drag,” depending on whom you ask. In an era when the brick-and-mortar record-store industry’s doing all it can to stay afloat, the subjective…

A Little VJ Set in Honor of this Weekend’s 305 Fest

Read interview with 305 Fest organizer and Speedfreek’s Roger Forbes 305 FEST is rapidly gaining status across the land (and in the international underground) as the hallmark festival of all things heavy. With big thanks to the savvy promoters behind Speedfreek productions, this weekend’s going down in the history books. It’s…

Al Green – Hard Rock Live, Hollywood – July 2

Like all good men who show up late, Al Green brought flowers.With his concert starting almost thirty minutes late, and the audience growing restless, the infinitely stylish Al Green walked onto the stage at Hard Rock Live last night carrying a bouquet of red roses. Dressed in a black suit,…

Sounduo – Green Room, Fort Lauderdale – June 30

Interview with SounduoSounduoGreen Room, Fort LauderdaleJune 30, 2012Better than: Any regular ol’ dubstep DJ.Seeing one party bleed over into another is a pretty common thing these days. When a 50th birthday party rental runs late (happy birthday, by the way, Brian), and some stragglers linger while the room fills with…

Earth, Wind and Fire – Hard Rock Live, Hollywood – July 1

Music review of 2010 Earth, Wind and Fire show at Hard Rock LiveEarth, Wind and FireHard Rock Live, HollywoodJuly 1Better than: Being alive elsewhereLet’s not pussyfoot here, why should we? It would be counterproductive. I’ll say it time and time again: EW&F are bar none the best live act I’ve…

Eric Johnson – Culture Room, Fort Lauderdale – June 29

Eric JohnsonCulture Room, Fort LauderdaleJune 29In the realm of modern guitar heroes, few people have enjoyed careers as successful as Eric Johnson’s. Though Johnson happens to be a singer and a songwriter, his unbelievably deft prowess as a guitarist is what has earned him an undyingly loyal group of fans…