Victor Wainwright & The Wildroots Victor Wainwright, singer, pianist, and self-described “hepcat” from Memphis, Tennessee (by way of Savannah, Georgia), is a raucous, high-octane performer and crowd pleaser with soul to spare. After earning what he calls a “double major in Boogie, a Ph.D. in Swing, and a Master’s in Rhythm,” the “Piana’ from Savannah” is making a name for himself in a big way. Wainwright, along with collaborator and bassist/producer... [Read more...]
AMBROSIA In 1970, four young musicians from the South Bay of Los Angeles came together to create a new, invigorating style of music. Exploring the possibilities of progressive classical and world influences, yet rooted with the soul of the blues and R&B, Joseph Puerta, Christopher North, David Pack, and Burleigh Drummond formed Ambrosia in pursuit of that goal. Originally labeled as America’s answer to the progressive invasion of such English acts as Yes and King Crimson, the group quickly... [Read more...]
Southern Fried Genocide Southern Fried Genocide Self-released; 2012 Cars, liquor, and being gainfully employed by the cloven-hoofed boss of the underworld are all topics that get equal air time on this self-titled release by the Melbourne-based Southern Fried Genocide. Formed from the still smoldering ashes of the now-defunct Zombie Jesus, Southern Fried Genocide ups the ante with solid slabs of suvern blacktop boogie served white hot. With buzzy, volatile guitars that sound as though they might... [Read more...]
The Hunger Games In the distant future, a dystopian government has taken over the United States, now separated into 12 “districts.” Every year, as part of a punitive tribute, each district must “reap” a boy and a girl to fight in a lethal game, televised live, where the only way out is to kill or be killed. When little Primrose is chosen for the reaping in the poor, outlying 12th District, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to go in her stead. Based on the book by Suzanne Collins,... [Read more...]
CD Reviews: April 2012 Paul McCartney Kisses on the Bottom Capitol Records; 2012 With this latest album, Sir Paul has made good on an old promise to “Get up and dance to a song that was a hit before your mother was born.” Kisses on the Bottom is largely a collection of standard covers with two new McCartney-penned tunes. As such, it’s in the vein of Rod Stewart’s Great American Songbook albums, but most of the songs here are less well known. The first thing you’ll notice... [Read more...]
Paddy Cassidy’s Irish Pub St. Patrick’s Day festivities and a great lineup of Irish music start here at Noon with musician Mike Dunn, the Myra Watters Irish Dancers, Men of the House, and a special performance by Zac O’Potatoes, led by Paddy’s favorite Zac Sullivan. Also scheduled to appear are the Molly Maguires, a four-piece from Chattanooga, TN, comprised of Marc Michael, Michael Walters, Julie Kunesh, and Sarah Wituki. With banjo, guitar, bodhran, mandolin, and fiddle,... [Read more...]
The Spring Breakdown Tour On March 15, Surfer’s Sports Pub will play host to five metal bands for the local stop on the Spring Breakdown Tour. Performing for the free heavy metal extravaganza are two Brevard bands: Shattering Silence, a local favorite influenced by groups like Slipknot, Born of Osiris, and Trivium, and Evryth, who specialize in melodic speed and death genres. Chicago’s Elysion Fields are one of the three touring bands, a quintet known for their commanding stage presence,... [Read more...]
The Nighthawks The Nighthawks had its genesis when lead singer/harmonica player extraordinaire Mark Wenner returned to his native Washington, D.C., after six years in New York City, lured back by the success of his friend Bobby Radcliff’s local acclaim with a blues band. Mark joined forces with a very young Jimmy Thackery and formed The Nighthawks in 1972. They spent a couple of years building The Nighthawks’ reputation with a revolving cast of characters until, in 1974, they decided... [Read more...]
Tobin Bennison
Article Category: Local Amp
Toots And The Maytals By Tobin Bennison Toots and the Maytals, originally called simply The Maytals, are considered legends of ska and reggae music. Their sound is a unique, original combination of gospel, ska, soul, reggae and rock. Frederick “Toots” Hibbert, the leader of the group, was born in May Pen in the Parish of Clarendon, Jamaica. He grew up singing gospel music in a church choir, but moved to Kingston in 1961 at sixteen. It was here that Hibbert met Henry “Raleigh”... [Read more...]
M.A. Rivera
Article Category: Local Amp
The Dull Blades Less Production, More Seduction Dull Records; 2012 Two-man bands have been fashionable as of late, and the Dull Blades are the most recent to crop up in Brevard. But the austerity you may see on stage doesn’t translate into a thin wash of music. Rather, Nik Talbot (guitars and vocals) and Anthony Fata (drums, percussion, and organ) create a churning sound that’s equal parts thick, muscular blues and amped-up garage rock. Throughout it all, the Melbourne-based duo play... [Read more...]
