We asked another South Florida SXSW warrior, the proprietor of the illustrious Churchill’s, to weigh in on his musical discoveries here so far. Pedal to the metal. Well, not just metal, but in fact all genres from alt-country to zydeco…. (Actually that’s a lie; I haven’t seen any zydeco bands…
The Cool Kids hanging with the next president. Well, it’s another HOT day in Texas and the music is as hot as the temperatures. Some parts of the metro area hit 96 degrees and Austin proper was at 93 degrees today. That’s a record for March 14th btw. Anyway, the…
Reporting in from SXSW in Austin, where the proliferation of barbecue, noise, and way too much free booze is starting to severely hamper my ability to take notes. It’s now day three of the music marathon, and over the last couple of days I’ve caught a few legends, maybe a…
Are the bomb! For numerous reasons. A) the singers are all talking in funny accents. Love it. And B) The food. OMG. British showcase. Hipsters and free bbq+brisket! Canadian showcase. Yup, Canunks and free brisket! Simple but appreciated. But the Spanish showcase…papo! Listen. Free San Miguel cerveza. Sangria. Paella. Chorizo…
The world has no clue how he pulled this off. I’m wide awake. Hungover. Woozy. But I can still see straight and that’s all that counts. Day one of SXSW went by like a blur. Canadian showcases with incredible Texas brisket were a personal favorite. Caught the Black Angels yesterday…
Longtime blues man James Cotton cut his teeth playing mouth harp with Sonny Boy Williamson at the tender age of 9 in the Mississippi Delta. His blues harmonica has influenced rock legends such as Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead. He was the main harmonica player for Howlin’ Wolf and…
Life is good when an artist experiences a few career highlights during a slow period. Such is the life of Detroit-based Motown recording artist KEM, who brings his brand of well-received, intimate soul to Miami this weekend. His sophomore album, Album II, enjoyed great success, nearly going platinum in a…
When it comes to what goes into my mouth, I’m pretty discriminating. (I’m a vegetarian; what did you think I was talking about?) I also staunchly oppose the “five second” rule, thoroughly inspect cutlery, own a toothbrush sanitizer, and carry antibacterial gel in my purse. But on a Friday night…
If there’s one thing you can count on from the good folks at Radio-Active Records, it’s their unwavering ability to provide a sense of community. Every time you walk in the friendly record store/hipster enclave, it feels more like a community center than just a place to buy CDs and…
To his champions, Gram Parsons was a cult hero, musical genius, and the primary inventor of “country rock.” But he was also a tragic figure who died prematurely, an artist whose work has never been properly appreciated. To his critics, Parsons was a spoiled rich-kid wastrel who rode his good…
Do You Like Rock Music? charts another step in the evolution that took British Sea Power from post-punk-flavored debut The Decline of British Sea Power to slicker sophomore disc Open Season. For record number three, BSP enlisted three producers, including former Arcade Fire drummer Howard Bilerman — notable because this…
The Bonzo Dog Band, an eccentric ’60s British band with a penchant for silliness and satire, once released a song whose title begged the theoretical question: “Can blue men sing the whites?” That is, of course, a twist on the age-old argument about whether white musicians have suffered enough to…
It seems strange to say this as a point of differentiation, but Webb Wilder plays rock ‘n’ roll. Not a hyphenated form of rock ‘n’ roll, not an ironically rendered reconfiguration of rock ‘n’ roll… just good ol’ rock. In fact, Wilder’s roots-based approach is so basic that his latest…
With another Saint Patrick’s Day almost upon us, we’ll once again don the green, approximate some lame Irish accents, and prepare to ingest massive amounts of oddly tinted beer. They’re all worthy pursuits, but why not add some music to the mayhem? We’re not talking about sentimental sludge like “When…
Geronimo’s 3528 S. University Dr. Davie 954-474-9998 It’s not uncommon to find Geronimo’s packed at the end of the workweek. You’ll find the same crowd during happy hour as you’ll find stumbling out at 2 in the morning. Geronimo’s is one of those rare neighborhood bars whose regulars aren’t crusty,…
It would be only natural to surmise that this North Carolina combo called Chatham County Line has returned to its roots, given the fact that it’s reunited with former producer Chris Stamey and that its aptly named fourth album recaptures the essence of its original back-porch motif. This is, after…
The first thing one notices about Live at Newport ’58 is the sound quality. In a jazz world defined at the fidelity extremes by pristine Rudy Van Gelder remasters of legendary studio sessions and near-bootleg-sounding live performances listenable due only to their rarity, this previously unreleased concert from the 1958…
How is it that of nearly all the progressive rock combos of the 1970s, King Crimson sounds today the least dated and most relevant (aside from the fact it’s still around off and on these days, albeit with a different lineup)? Unlike, say, the Moody Blues or Genesis, Crimson —…
Southern California’s rock/ska band Sublime was one hell of a music outfit while it lasted. The group, fronted by affable lead singer Bradley Nowell, kicked out funky riffs and dubbed-out ditties about smoking sinsemilla and hardcore substance abuse. Although the band lasted only from 1988 to 1996 (when Nowell died…
Skilled musicians Chick Corea and Gary Burton used to make challenging and experimental jazz albums that verged on the avant-garde. These albums eschewed the spastic joy of the free-jazz movement for a more studied approach, and both artists entered the early days of the fusion game with high-minded artistic ideals…
Since the Bo$$ of the city has a new album out today, it’s only right to show Rick Ross some love on CrossFade. His long-awaited album, Trilla, is in stores now so go get it if supporting local artists is important to you. Sure, that’s a mixed bag cause Ross…
By Andy Vihstadt Jenna Bush loves R.E.M. If you’re bummed about having to sit this year’s SXSW out, NPR’s got you covered. At midnight on Wednesday, you can stream R.E.M.’s performance at Stubbs and on Thursday, tune into Yeasayer at 2:30 pm and Vampire Weekend at 4 p.m. Later that…
