Miami Music Matters

LA Band Glitch Mob turns electronic music inside out tonight at Revolution

 

Four years ago, LA electro band Glitch Mob was a Laptop DJ collective who performed sans instruments, with very little musical ambition beyond rocking the party with the hottest beats they could find. Other than free mixtapes which they put up on myspace - they had no recorded output - and no original music to speak of.  But thanks to word of mouth those virtual mixtapes, Glitch Mob's reputation began to blow up  via remixing acts like TV On The Radio (their moody remix of TVOTR's "Red Dress" was featured in the Tim Burton-produced thriller "9").

 As their reputation spread, Glitch Mob began bringing live-interfaces onstage with them, and finally electronic drums, synthesizer's and guitars - until a quick glance at their stage show resembled a Devo show more than a laptop convention. While the majority of the Mob's live audio is comprised of triggered samples - their melding of live and electronic music is a giant leap forward for electronic music. Hopefully Glitch Mob will inspire more electronic musicians to come out from behind their laptops and mixing consoles and actually perform, instead of just hitting the enter key or checking their email onstage.

So if you want to see eletronic music move towards live and away from memorex - head on over to The Glitch Mob's gig at Revolution tonight.  It should  make for the most happening Monday Himmershee has seen since Tavern 213 called it quits.

Troubadour Eric Hutchinson Teams Up With Barefoot Wine & The Surfrider Foundation To Clean Up Miami Beach

Sometimes there are exceptions to universal truths. Even the old SST records standby:"Corporate Rock Still Sucks." Sure, car companies have been known to sponsor cool garage rock festivals and underwrite doom metal tours, but usually any corporate influence in a young band spells disaster to their music, or at least their stage patter. Try listening to a jagermeister-sponsored band plug the spirit in the middle of their set without gagging.

But the corporate hookup that goes down this weekend is one that absolutely does not suck. Barefoot Wine is going about raising their brand awareness by co-sponsoring (with the surfrider foundation) beach cleanups around the usa in order to keep them "barefoot-friendly." They are encouraging folks to show up early Saturday morning and help clean up the North Shore Open Space Park on Miami Beach, aka -where 81st street hits the sand.

As a carrot to dangle out to potential do-gooders who ned a push to wake up early - troubadour Eric Hutchinson is playing a free show Saturday night for the clean up crew at Ocean Auditorium on 10th & Ocean. Hutchinson is best known for his ska-inflected tune "Rock and Roll" which hit top 10 in Australia. His other claim to fame is being virally spread across the globe by gossip maven Perez Hilton, who linked Hutchinson's myspace page on his site. After being anointed by Perez -  Hutchinson suddenly had the #5 record on Itunes' album chart - unheard of by an unsigned artist - and was quickly snapped up by Warner Brothers.

Hutchinson may be a freshly scrubbed face worthy of representing corporate do-gooderism - and that isn't very "rock and roll" per se, But his Tony Bennett-like, been-there-and-done-that-with-a-smile  vibe and masterful song craft absolutely does not suck. 

What also doesn't suck is that entrance to the free gig is on the honor system. You aren't going risk losing your Hutchinson ticket after  boiling in the sun all day picking up coney island whitefish. All you need to do to get in (space willing) is RSVP to  beachrescue@barefootwinerepublic.com  

How's that for an offer you can't refuse? After all, only you, you conscience, santa claus and your sunburn will know if you were naughty and slept in instead of doing your civic duty. But then again there are possible rewards for showing up early Saturday morning to North Shore Open Space Park beyond seeing Eric Hutchinson or having a clean beach. You might meet Mr. or Mrs. Right at the clean-up. After all,anyone willing to pick up after strangers - might be willing to deal with your garbage.
 

Troubadour Eric Hutchinson Teams Up With Barefoot Wine & The Surfrider Foundation To Clean Up Miami Beach

Sometimes there are exceptions to universal truths. Even the old SST records standby:"Corporate Rock Still Sucks." Sure, car companies have been known to sponsor cool garage rock festivals and underwrite doom metal tours, but usually any corporate influence in a young band spells disaster to their music, or at least their stage patter. Try listening to a jagermeister-sponsored band plug the spirit in the middle of their set without gagging.

But the corporate hookup that goes down this weekend is one that absolutely does not suck. Barefoot Wine is going about raising their brand awareness by co-sponsoring (with the surfrider foundation) beach cleanups around the usa in order to keep them "barefoot-friendly." They are encouraging folks to show up early Saturday morning and help clean up the North Shore Open Space Park on Miami Beach, aka -where 81st street hits the sand.

As a carrot to dangle out to potential do-gooders who ned a push to wake up early - troubadour Eric Hutchinson is playing a free show Saturday night for the clean up crew at Ocean Auditorium on 10th & Ocean. Hutchinson is best known for his ska-inflected tune "Rock and Roll" which hit top 10 in Australia. His other claim to fame is being virally spread across the globe by gossip maven Perez Hilton, who linked Hutchinson's myspace page on his site. After being anointed by Perez -  Hutchinson suddenly had the #5 record on Itunes' album chart - unheard of by an unsigned artist - and was quickly snapped up by Warner Brothers.

Hutchinson may be a freshly scrubbed face worthy of representing corporate do-gooderism - and that isn't very "rock and roll" per se, But his Tony Bennett-like, been-there-and-done-that-with-a-smile  vibe and masterful song craft absolutely does not suck. 

What also doesn't suck is that entrance to the free gig is on the honor system. You aren't going risk losing your Hutchinson ticket after  boiling in the sun all day picking up coney island whitefish. All you need to do to get in (space willing) is RSVP to  nfishgold@hunterpr.com. 

How's that for an offer you can't refuse? After all, only you, you conscience, santa claus and your sunburn will know if you were naughty and slept in instead of doing your civic duty. But then again there are possible rewards for showing up early Saturday morning to North Shore Open Space Park beyond seeing Eric Hutchinson or having a clean beach. You might meet Mr. or Mrs. Right at the clean-up. After all,anyone willing to pick up after strangers - might be willing to deal with your garbage.
 

Movie Star/Rock Chanteuse Juliette Lewis Hits Bardot Thursday Night

Once you've been a Natural Born Killer for Oliver Stone, it's easy to imagine the next rush being hard to find. So rather than work her rightful heritage as a movie star, Juliette Lewis globe trotted for several years singing with her pop-punk band the Licks. Sometimes she appeared a little silly, attempting to belt fire-breathing tunes like Iggy & The Stooges' "Search & Destroy."  Mallory Knox,  Lewis' character from NBK, may have a "heart full of napalm" - but Juliette Lewis'  the singer gives off a friendly vibe  - as opposed to a manic one.

So last year, Lewis ramped up her filming schedule, disbanded the Licks, and hired the '"New Romantiques" to back up a new musical direction that finds her singing bluesy torch songs like "Hard Loving Woman" which are a little more believable coming out of her on-stage persona. And her old tunes that still fit, like the Wire-esque "Got Love To Kill" will be given a workout  at Bardot Thursday night.

Here's a clip of Lewis & The New Romantiques getting down in Rome:

 

 

Up & Coming Metalheads Baroness Upstage The Deftones Wednesday Night

 
It's good to be Baroness in 2010. Despite being the only band in the history of the world to move to Savannah, Georgia to make it big - the boys from Nowheresville, Virginia are carving out a big niche for themselves in the metal world.

Baroness' second album "Blue Record" came out earlier this year to critical huzzahs declaring it a headbanger's masterpiece. One listen reveals that the band has spent a lot of time absorbing musical cues from their recent tourmates Torche and Mastodon. Torche's brand of vocal melody is infused in jams like "The Sweetest Curse." Mastodon's recent foray into classic rock is echoed in Baroness' evoking Iron Maiden and Hawkwind at the same time in the intro to "Jake Leg." When combined with Baroness' hardcore metal roots - those influences result in a powerful musical alloy that could very well be the next big thing amongst the jean jacket crowd.

To promote "Blue Record"  Baroness is opening stateside for  alt-metal troublemakers the Deftones Wednesday night at The Fillmore. After their run with The Deftones - Baroness head down under with Metallica for an arena run that's sure to have them both winning fans and dodging the occasional beer bottle shower.

So if you make it down to the Fillmore at 8:30 sharp, you may very well hear the sound of the future. But if you're late, you may be stuck in a 90 minute nu metal nightmare. And be sure to wear some protective clothing, as in their younger days the Deftones were known to be a riot onstage.

The Holy Terrors 20th Anniversary Show - Be There Or Be Square

(photo: mindy hertzon)

The 20th anniversary original lineup reunion of South Florida post-punk royals The Holy Terrors may be billed as the "Interpol after party"  on Churchill's website, but The Terrors famous ex-drummer's early-night gig at the Fillmore is the musical afterthought to a celebration of all that does not suck in South Florida Rock.

Some 20 years ago, Rob Elba and Dan Hosker came back to South Florida from Boston and started a racket that never ceased. The rhythm section first changed in 1993 when bassist Frank Labrador split.  Then in 1996, Fogarino left South Florida for Chicago, taking the roundabout way to fame and fortune with the nattily attired Interpol, whom he joined up with in 2000. While Fogarino has sat in with the band a handful of times since then, most recently being in January, 2009 - this is Labrador's first appearance with the band since 1993.  While many prefer thump of Will Trev, the bassist who took Labrador's place back in the first Clinton administration - the novelty of having the original band back together is enough to pack out Churchill's. Which is pretty amusing, seeing how they were lucky to have 80 people see them in their prime.

Describing the Pixies-meets-H.L. Mencken style of The Holy Terrors almost seems silly seeing how the group has played at least 400 local shows in their 20 years. If you like rock and roll and live in the tri-county area, you should know if you dig the Terrors or not. But for those who are recent arrivals to the magic city, or have recently been released from an institutional learning facility - it's well worth the $10 at the door to see the Terrors. And compared to $33 + ticketmaster fees for Interpol tonight, it's a bargain.

 

Big Fun 3 transmit live on WDNA Tonight & Jam For Free at Sweat Records Saturday

Back in the early 1980s, Philadelphia-based keyboardist Bruce Cohen recorded for major labels as part of the avant garde duo "The Reds." They caught the ear of film director Michael Mann and soon the pair were scoring episodes of "Miami Vice" and the set-in-miami action film "Band Of The Hand."

Cohen has since moved to Miami and started the trippy jazz act "Big Fun 3." Named after a collection of misunderstood electric-era  Miles Davis sides - the trio stretches all the way out into the LSD-tinged excesses that Miles reveled in 30 years ago - and emerges with a sound so similar that the Miles might've demanded he pay them royalties had he lived to hear it.

Listening to the Big Fun 3's self-titled new album- which is available for download here for a mere $5 -   is like playing "Miles Davis: Rock Band.'  The mind bending-grooves found on it are so inviting they  make you want to pick up an instrument and start playing along. So tune in to WDNA (88.9 FM) tonight at 7pm on  "Sound Theory Live" and  transport yourself mentally. Then on Saturday, you can transport yourself physically  to Sweat Records at 8pm and see Big Fun 3  get down live. Neither option will cost you a dime Consider it a back-to(music)- school special.. 

Outkast's Big Boi plays free show tonight at Sobe Live

It's been a busy 21st century for  Antwan Patton aka Big Boi. His group Outkast conquered the pop chars in 2003 with their 2003 double album Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below and milked it for all it was worth, all the way down to starring in their own feature film "Idlewild."

2010 finds Patton hitting miami , the town where his new single "shutterbug" was born (via a beat from Scott Storch) in support of his long-awaited solo album "Sir Lucious Big Foot: The Son Of Chico Dusty." Big Boi's  love of  electro funk ala Kleeer and Cameo bangs through "Shutterbug" and upon listening it may inspire booty shaking. Tonight's free gig at Sobelive is quite a treat for any hip hop head or 80s funk fan - so get your recession busting party shoes and get your groove on.

 

 

Miami-Bred Progressive Metal Act Cynic Plays First South Florida Gig in 16 years Friday Night @ Culture Room

 Back in 1987, high school death metal act Cynic made their debut at the Cameo Theater on "Miami Metal Night" - sharing the bill with 10 other head-banging acts determined to out-slayer Slayer. Cynic, led by shredder guitarist Paul Masvidal and drummer Sean Reinert had the hair, but were more interested in chops than Satan. The pair were inseparable, joining forces  backing up metal legend Chuck Schuldiner on Death's "Human" Lp when they were only 19, and then joining every jazz ensemble at Miami-Dade College's South Campus - wood-shedding and preparing for their own star turn.

That came about with the release of 1993's "Focus" Lp - which came out out on Roadrunner Records right when the band was losing interest in growling like cookie monster. So they hired a series of vocalists to do the death metal growls on their older material, while their newer songs employed a vocoder. Cynic did a few tours around the world, established themselves as prog-rock up-and-comers and recorded a demo which was rejected by Roadrunner  for not being metal enough - which effectively killed the band.

Fast forward to 2006, Reinert and Masvidal  - now living in Los Angeles - got the call to reform, and suddenly Cynic began playing sold-out festival dates in Eastern Europe. In 2008, the second Cynic Lp, "Traced In Air,"  was released in France and an improbable career was officially reborn hard. Critics tripped over themselves to declare the record a masterpiece, and with 15 years of  Dream Theater being popular the pressure to be harder than the next band was off.  Cynic were 21st century darlings.

This year, Cynic dropped "Retraced" an EP of reinterpreted material from "Traced In Air" and are winding up their first ever headlining US tour in Fort Lauderdale at The Culture Room Friday night. Allegedly, this will be the last show that Cynic will perform the material from "Focus.". Considering the last time Cynic played a gig in South Florida was in 1994 at the Plus 5 in Davie - you'd better get your fix this week. These boys know how to take their time.

Miami Sludge Kings Torche Play Homecoming Gig Tonight At Churchills, Reveal Secret Of The "Bomb String."

It's been a bizzare 2010 for local-sludge-metal-heroes-gone-worldwide Torche. They landed a major tour with emo kings Coheed & Cambria, only to have their gear stolen outside the Congress Theater in Chicago this past May. An outpouring of support in both contributions and corporate sponsorship made Torche functional again, and they have been busy slogging away on a summer tour in support of the  recently released, 8 song, "Songs For Singles"EP.

While getting your equipment stolen is a soul-sucking experience, Torche guitarist Steve Brooks seems to have recovered with his smirk intact, as evidenced by the following video on playthisriff.com. Brooks, who invented the "bomb string" back in the early 90s when he started local legends FLOOR , reveals the methoed to his musical madness. While it's long been known that Brooks detunes his top E string, in the video, he admits he uses two bass strings, and three tunings to create the earth-shaking riffs he's famous for.  So jam along with "Tar Pit Carnivore" and then show up tonight and show Brooks what you've learned. Who knows? Perhaps you can be the first contestant on "America's Got The Bomb (String)!"