Formed in Austin in 2004, Ghostland Observatory has evolved its sound from the raw, noisy electro-funk of its earlier releases into something more danceable. Equal parts electro, psychedelia, and glam-rock, the group’s songs pivot on Aaron Behrens’ signature vocals, which resemble Freddie Mercury’s voice fused with Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s, and the…
The things that have kept Usher in the firmament of safe, dependable R&B stars are not strictly musical — that smile, those abs, and his slick dance moves are pretty irresistible no matter your persuasion. Although he’s never been much for innovation, last year’s Raymond v. Raymond proves that even…
When Sublime leader Bradley Nowell tragically passed in 1996, a new generation of reggae music was just germinating. Now, 15 years later, the seeds have matured into a field of sun-drenched, sticky-icky, party-happy bands based mostly in Southern California and Hawaii. “Bradley was like the Elvis of reggae,” says Ron…
Early Sunday morning, the South Florida live music scene suffered a major loss after the tragic and untimely death of promoter/drummer Jimmy Pagano. Around 3:30 a.m., a fight broke out at Fishtales Bar & Grill in Fort Lauderdale when a customer got into an argument over his bill. Pagano stepped…
In the blaze of the midafternoon sun of April 20, let’s point your eyes to the Ughmerica’s “P.O.S.” video. The Los Angeles-based trio basically re-creates Entourage in which every character is that Turtle dude. Jacob Kasher, Bolooki, and Phil “Phever” Shaouy (who hails from South Florida) have created a meta,…
To Be Hated Dance of Doom IV (Sour Grapes Records) myspace.com/tobehated To Be Hated is a band of hardworking punk rockers, and to a certain degree, I’ve been exalting them like some newfound cancer-curing elixir or something to combat my rapidly balding pate. I slipped this CD into the player…
This week’s cover story is about the Flagler Arts & Technology Village in Fort Lauderdale is a must-read for anyone who sees the promise (and fears the challenges) of building a creative future in South Florida. Stefan Kamph effectively captures the dissonance between a collective of local artists trying to…
Most rappers who got their start in their youth have to worry about changing their image at a certain point, and the easiest way to do that is to drop the “Young” or the “Lil” from the beginning of their stage name. Yet another reason why Lil Wayne is a…
Not terribly long ago, we stumbled upon Plantation’s Cardiothief, some young purveyors of lo-fi rock that follows the fuzzy lineage of many early-’90s acts (and lives on in bands like Surfer Blood, Yuck, and the Pains of Being Pure at Heart).”Youth Tapers” is more about a feeling than a specific…
New Times has diligently followed the progress of our little “baby metalhead” Harrison Daum Snow. Readers might remember our prenatal celebrity who struck the most rocking pose known to ultrasound? Well since his premature birth in November 1, 2010, the little son of local musician Jeff Snow and his wife…
Exciting news for Animal Collective die-hards. Panda Bear, Avey Tare, Geologist and Deakin (!) have announced a string of U.S. tour dates leading up to the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago.Now, part of the reason this announcement is strictly for the gonzo AC devotees is that the shows aren’t until…
As the release date for Lady Gaga’s highly anticipated album Born This Way approaches, the pop star has been giving fans a little taste of what they should expect. Two tracks, “Born This Way” and “Judas,” have already hit the airwaves, and on Saturday, Gaga tweeted the cover art for…
Sometimes a hint of magic is all it takes to woo an entire audience. That’s what local band Behold the Wolf had at Saturday’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Shootout. Hollywood Lovescene, Bobby and the Renegades, and Small Town Gypsys all left their hearts on the stage, but the Wolf persevered. In…
By now, Sumsun has a reputation for transforming songs by digging the jewel out of every track remixed and stretching it over the entire length of the new version. When he’s not working on his own stuff (check out the new “Lulla Drone” demo just posted) Judson Rogers has been…
Music vet and New Times scribe Lee Zimmerman shares stories of memorable rock ‘n’ roll encounters that took place in our local environs. This week, Rocking on the road.”Now we got country and western on the bus/ R and B, we got disco in 8-tracks and cassettes in stereo/ We’ve…
As grief sweeps through the South Florida live music scene with the news of promoter-drummer Jimmy Pagano’s death, a man accused of fatally stabbing him early Sunday morning is hospitalized at Broward General Medical Center. Find more details of the altercation here.Police haven’t released many details on the accused attacker,…
Those who knew or just knew of celebrated area promoter and drummer Jimmy Pagano, who was killed Sunday morning in a violent brawl at Fishtales Bar & Grill in Fort Lauderdale, can pay respects at an online forum created by his longtime friend Judy Blem.The In Honor & Remembrance of…
It has a been a fun ride sharing with you my inner-most fantasies of local musicians covering some sick-ass songs. I’m not just a cultural savant — I’m a benevolent one. But just like the limited quantities of, say, Cavity 7-inch platters, this column has its limits as well. (At…
Local drummer Jimmy Pagano died early Sunday morning at Fishtales Bar & Grill in Fort Lauderdale. He was 54. He was trying to break up a fight on a night that he was playing at the venue. Tributes are currently pouring in on his Facebook page, and a special tribute…
Iron Maiden BankAtlantic Center, Sunrise Saturday, April 16, 2011 More Metal Than: Everything. Maiden all but created heavy metal. A humongous banner decorated with the Final Frontier cover art — futuristic and ghoulish and perfectly metal — loomed behind the stage, colored lights ripped in every direction, and fans of…
Record Store DayWith Blank Dogs, Merchandise, Axe and the Oak, Jacuzzi BoysRadio-Active Records, Fort LauderdaleSaturday April 16, 2011View our full slide show from Record Store Day here.Better than: Any other free show at a Fort Lauderdale record store featuring world-renowned bands. Wait…Radio-Active Records’ Record Store Day 2011 took four months to…
Dr. DogWith Floating ActionCulture Room, Fort LauderdaleFriday, April 15, 2011Better than: Asking for an extension on your taxes.It could be a new batch of stimulants, a sudden rush of endorphins, or a compelling late-night engagement that was running through Dr. Dog’s mind during Friday’s Culture Room performance, but the result…
