By: Kate Flack
Article Category: Pet of the Month
Grouper is a Ham! When Justin DeBree heard he that had five degrees of separation from a small pig in need of a home, he knew what he had to do. It’s only been a month, but Grouper, a 5-lb. 18-inch pig, is hamming it up in his own little two-room house in Justin’s back yard. Contrary to popular belief, Grouper is a rather fastidious young fellow who makes sure that his wood chips are in a neat pile in his sleep area and keeps the rest of his living quarters tidier than most people. His favorite... [Read more...]
A continual high level of performance over the last 25 years has rightly earned Bad Manners their reputation as a magnificent live band. From their beginnings as a school group in 1976, throughout their chart success of the ’80s (11 Top 20 hits), and up to the present day, this merry troupe of ska troubadours have maintained a punishing live schedule and deserve their billing as “the hardest working band on the planet.” They’ve been fronted from day one by Buster Bloodvessel,... [Read more...]
Michael Malone has been called one of the most creative comics working today with his captivatingly edgy outlook on life and world issues. Jumping from high school straight to the stage, Malone has been performing since he was 19. His first time on stage he took home second place at the local comedy club and from there he was asked to be in one of Ohio’s most elite comedy improv groups. “The Boss Players” had him touring with headlining and veteran comedians all over the Midwest. He was let... [Read more...]
Hailing from working-class Birmingham, England, frontman Dave Wakeling and The English Beat entered the music scene in 1979, a time of social, political and musical upheaval. Into this storm came they came, trying to calm the waters with their simple message of love and unity set to a great dance beat. The six-member band, comprised of singer/songwriter Dave Wakeling )vocals and guitar), Andy Cox (guitar), David Steele (bass), Everett Morton (drums), Saxa (saxophone) and Ranking Roger (toasting),... [Read more...]
Ben Wilson Songs for Naked People Self-released; 2005 Originally from the small hamlet of Elkton, KY, Palm Bay musician Ben Wilson has been playing music since the age of 14. It certainly shows on the impressive Songs for Naked People, a highly accomplished 13-track album of original material he released in 2005. On it, Wilson, who provides vocals, guitar and bass, blends traditional acoustic singer/songwriter fare with upbeat, almost childlike folk inflections, matter-of-fact delivery, and a love... [Read more...]
CD Reviews Monkey Journey To The West XL Recordings/Beggar’s Group; 2008 A modern-tinged opera based on a 16th-century Chinese tale about a monkey and his pig sidekick who set out to find the secret of immortality sung entirely in Mandarin? It’s hard to imagine a project more fraught with hazards than “Monkey: Journey to the West.” And it’s even harder to think of a more capable musician than Damon Albarn to tackle the project , much less pull it off successfully. Albarn (Blur;... [Read more...]
By: Kimberly Stone
Article Category: Entertainment, Local Amp
It doesn’t take much to find a Jimmy Buffet cover band in this area, but when you mix six musicians together with varying vocals, guitar, steel drums, congas and keyboards, you have a sound that takes you on an island vacation. With a song list to impress anyone and everyone, Cocolocos create a Caribbean feel with music they have made their own while still staying true the original artists’ aims. The lineup includes all six members on vocals in different ranges and degrees while also allowing... [Read more...]
By: Kimberly Stone
Article Category: Entertainment, Local Amp
When Cocoa Beach native, CBHS class member, drummer and Saddleband manager Thad LaPorte turned three, his mom gave him a drum set and an Elvis guitar. He promptly broke the guitar but kept playing drums throughout his rock/country musical career which has spanned more than 30 years. On his own, Thad is an in-demand manager who has musicians calling from all over for a chance to jam, anywhere anytime, simply based on his reputation as a professional musician. Saddleband has been the house entertainment... [Read more...]
By: Paddy McDrinksey
Article Category: Bartender of the Month
January always sets my nerves on edge. When all about me is fraught with flux and upheaval, I seek the calming confines of the nearest bar, the better to ease my nerves back into some semblance of reasonable order. Come to think of it, all the other 11 months of the calendar set me on edge for one reason or other… But January is particularly disheartening, with its pressure to shed off old habits and don shiny new ones in preparation for one less year on this wonderful earth. As soon as I wake... [Read more...]
By: Lee Clymer
Article Category: Boat Wiser, Sea Level
I always find it interesting how much I learn each time I work on my boat. I can start out fixing something in a forward locker and the next thing I know, I’m working in the steering quadrant area. Thus is the fate of a diligent boat owner. For the past two weeks I’ve been working hard on the hull where there’s been a blister problem I’ve ignored for some time. I’m now paying the price. I would like to tell you that I was addressing all my boat issues at once, but the... [Read more...]
