Happy Birthday, Lucinda Williams! January 26

​If Emmylou Harris is the undisputed queen of modern country, then Lucinda Williams is the heir apparent. Born January 26, 1953, Williams is feisty, uncompromising, and the closest thing to an Americana insurgent the roots-rock genre has to offer, at least from a female perspective. In addition, she’s managed to meld rock,…

The Bright Light Social Hour Plays the Funky Buddha in Boca

Last year, Texas rockers the Bright Light Social Hour sprang to unprecedented success when they snagged two huge wins at the Austin Music Awards. Lucky for them, the show lands during the empire-building music festival South by Southwest, known for yielding crucial industry buzz. For the Bright Light Social Hour,…

Fed Shutdown of MegaUpload Claims at Least One Local Band Victim, Metal Act Underlined

For local industrial-meets-hardcore troupe Underlined, last Friday’s Department of Justice shutdown of file-sharing website MegaUpload caused it more headaches than merely interrupting a torrent of Oscar-nominated flick Moneyball. The hard-working West Palm Beach neo-metal outfit lost more than 50 unreleased demos, countless artwork files, “and years and years of press…

Happy Birthday, Etta James… and RIP! January 25

Suffice it to say, the world lost one of its great voices when Etta James died last week, only a few days prior to her 74th birthday. Born Etta Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, 1938, she became one of the most influential female performers of all time, a daring diva…

The Band in Heaven Premieres New Video on Brooklyn Vegan

Several of life’s most interesting phenomena — sex, religion, and music — are beautifully composed in the Band in Heaven’s new video for its song “Sludgy Dreams.” The seemingly stop-motion creation premiered this morning on Brooklyn Vegan. Very fancy and well-deserved. The track is stoner fantastic, and the video is…

Pineapple Groove Renamed Hangar 88, Returning With 88’s Dueling Pianos

Delray Beach’s Pineapple Groove finally decided on a new identity. The local musical venue closed its doors back in October and is now redefining itself as Hangar 88 under the ownership of Jim Layson’s 88’s Entertainment. The club is calling itself “the most unique venue in Delray Beach.” According to…

Happy Birthday, Neil Diamond! January 24

​Neil Diamond, born January 24, 1941, has always had a polarizing effect as far as music fans are concerned. One thing that’s fact is that he’s one of the most successful songwriters of the past 50 years. Diamond has sold more than 115 million records, scored eight number-one hits, had…

Luther Campbell Announces 2 Live Crew Reunion at Sundance

Bet you’re wondering what the hell Luther Campbell is doing right now. The busy man is probably lounging, sipping a hot cocoa, in Park City, Utah. The father of booty music announced a 2 Live Crew reunion tour this past Saturday from Sundance. He attended the film festival to promote Life…

Diplo Backs Out of Show at Revolution Live With Sleigh Bells

​You read right. DJ, producer, and active tweeter Diplo is off the bill for the Sleigh Bells show. He was expected to perform alongside the Brooklyn noise-pop duo at Revolution Live this February. Diplo grew up Thomas Wesley Pentz in Florida and hit it superbig collaborating with M.I.A. He’s one-half of dancehall…

MegaUpload Versus the U.S. Government Versus a Girl Crying About Sopa

​If you were trying to watch season one of The Wire yesterday afternoon on MegaUpload, you were probably left with a lot of time on your hands to wonder why the site wasn’t working. The major file-sharing website was shut down this afternoon by the U.S. Department of (in)Justice (we kid, we kid…

Happy Birthday, Paul Stanley!

​He began life as Stanley Harvey Eisen but became famous under the alias Paul Stanley as a founding member of Kiss, easily one of the most successful if somewhat eccentric bands of all time. Certainly, no group has ever mixed comic-book fantasy with hard-rock intent as competently and completely. Born…

Happy Birthday, Dolly Parton!

Call her what you will — a showbiz chanteuse, a down-home diva, or simply the epitome of American superstardom. Dolly Parton is an absolutely brilliant entertainer, as suited to the stage as any icon of the modern era. She turns 66 today, January 18, but she still was able to…

Local MP3: Nick Eberhardt Returns With “Gimmie Love”

Singer/songwriter Nick Eberhardt is one of those talented local musicians who make us scratch our head and wonder, why isn’t anyone handing this guy a big-time, multimillion-dollar recording contract? Seriously, he has the sparkling, intimate chops of a Pete Yorn, the dapper looks of a Jeff Buckley, and the guitar…

Happy Birthday, Joanna Newsom!

​Born January 18, 1982, Joanna Newsom has made her mark in modern music circles as one of the chief proponents of what’s been dubbed the psych-folk, freak folk or nü-folk movement, depending on the pundit. It’s a curious hybrid, a combination of surreal arrangements and back-porch sensibilities. Imagine Joni Mitchell…

Happy Birthday, Steve Earle!

There were those who branded themselves as outlaws way before — Waylon, Willie, Johnny Cash, and David Allan Coe among them. But Steve Earle has lived that legend to the fullest. Born January 17, 1955, Earle’s notoriety has often threatened to overshadow his prodigious musical career, one that’s made him…

Jake Miller Lends Rap to Weston’s Stop Burgers

Stop Burgers, a Weston-based emporium for beef patties, enlisted rapper and our recent interview subject Jake Miller to create a jingle for their 2012 advertising and marketing campaign with local high schools, radio and television.  As a result of their partnership, Miller, a Weston resident, was given the opportunity to…

Travis Newbill Unveils Smoke EP

The last time New Times caught up with charismatically offbeat Fort Lauderdale singer songwriter Travis Newbill, the charming musician was embarking on a career-defining project, which saw the young 29-year-old releasing 11 records in 11 straight days. The prolific project, spanning the length of his entire eclectic career, culminated in…

Happy Birthday, Pat Benatar!

Chances are, if you came of age in the ’80s, you heard the songs of Patricia Mae Andrzejewski on the radio. Only you came to know her by her professional name, Pat Benatar. Born January 10, 1953, she dominated the airwaves throughout much of that decade, scoring a pair of…