Friday Forecast: Heatwave Heatwave Heatwave

Photo from triumphant cover of the Austin Chronicle when Bright Light Social Hour cleaned up the awards last year
[Charles] If you have talked to me in the last few weeks, I've probably mentioned Heatwave. I go on and on about it but it hasn't disappointed me yet. 50 plus bands, outside and inside, tons of people that really love music, awesome food, and just the best hang out vibe around. I love this festival! They have so many great bands this year and I always miss many more than I can see. One way to catch more is to pay attention to the surrounding dates and some of the bands play other shows the day before or after...

Friday night you can hopefully catch me checking in on Jubal's Kin up at Ella's Folk Art Cafe in Seminole Heights. This is a really awesome family folk band from Florida. Tons of buzz around this crew at Heatwave and if you see them Friday night you can see somebody else at Heatwave yeah!

Saturday is the main event. Get there at 4:30 and you can stay until something like 2 am. There are so many bands - Carolina Chocolate Drops and Cracker are the headliners. I am even more excited for bands like The Bright Light Social Hour, Two Man Gentleman Band, Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade, The Only Sons, Alias Punch, Those Darlins, Hymn For Her, and well I could go on and on. Get to the website wmnf.org/heatwave - download a schedule, and get a freakin ticket. You won't be disappointed and if you don't like a band or it gets too crowded just walk five steps and the entire thing changes. They bring in so many different types of music it will blow your mind - folk, rock, americana, bluegrass, big band, latin, african, soul, blues, and even zydeco. I'll definitely see you there... Oh yeah and The Lambasters have just been added to the schedule!!! See our favorite front man Ernie Locke in his new rawkin band!

St. Pete Times Guide

CL Tampa Guide

Sunday you can catch The Flat Earth Society from Belgium over at the Palladium. I've heard all sorts of cool things about this 15 piece improvisational jazz band. It might be worth checking them out at Heatwave and then maybe heading over to see them for the cooldown on Sunday.

Getting Ready for Heatwave : The Only Sons

Really digging this alt country band from Tennessee. Check em out this Saturday at Heatwave! Can you tell I'm excited?

Getting Ready for Heatwave

One band I'm excited about seeing at Tropical Heatwave this year is Bright Light Social Hour. Check em out if you get a chance. Get all the details at wmnf.org/heatwave

Friday Forecast: Will Worms Record? Post #200!!!

[Charles] Looks like the weekend is going to cool off and chase the rain away just in time for some outdoor fun. I'm looking forward to awesome local music at New World, WMNF's record sale, and... learning how to make my own worm bin!

Tonight if you don't have cash or tickets for the Drive By Truckers show at the Ritz, you might be better off to head to New World for a really solid bill of local music. The headliner is the local band that gets a lot of well-deserved hype here but still hasn't quite blown up nationwide yet - Have Gun Will Travel. They just put out a video from their recent release - Postcards From the Friendly City. Check it out and head out there tonight. Will Quinlan is opening and Devon Vlasin from The Takers so definitely catch the whole show!

Forecast: 70% chance you'll drink up the money you saved from avoiding the DBT show in awesome craft beers.

After that, hop up early Saturday morning and head over to the Seminole Heights Community Garden on Violet Street to learn how to make your own worm bin composter! Exciting right?! I know, but seriously, I have a composter without worms and it stinks! Seriously stinks! Think rotting veggie matter or that smell of the dumpster behind the Winn Dixie... Anyway, the folks that use worms swear by them and they make nice clean fertile soil that you wouldn't mind picking up and getting your hands and plants into. Starts at 9:30 so bring coffee!

Forecast: 35% that you're gonna have to pick up a worm...

Also on Saturday, looks like WMNF has put together another version of their super popular Record and Book Sale. This one also has instruments and audio equipment for sale as well. This used to happen before Christmas with live bands and other vendors but this year it's gonna be a little different. Sounds like they will be live on the radio from the event from 10 to 5. Don't miss this event, I always score some fantastic vinyl and cd's from the station and its donors. They also have tons of books and you can probably pick up 100 Years of Solitude if you're lucky...

Forecast: 95% chance there will be a Herb Alpert album sold just based on its album cover tomorrow.

Double Down Friday - WMNF's All Commercial / Non Commercial Show

Photo from tampabay.com
[Charles] Okay, so I was out this last week and missed a couple of posts, so to make it up to you fine folks, I'm dropping an extra post today. What would drive me to such extremes? Only my favorite show of the season on WMNF - Flee's "All Commercial/Non Commercial" Post Black Friday show on Monday.

I can't help that I find myself looking up music from commercials if a song catches my attention. This is what bands have to do now to get attention and I'm not judging. I knew Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes song "Janglin" before I knew who they were. I got The Heavy's "How You Like Me Now?" stuck in my head after the Super Bowl. I've seen some good bands get grabbed and ruined by overplay as well so I know it's a tricky game. You've got to find something that will help your music advance while not alienating new fans with associating your new jam with an annoying commercial about air fresheners or how friendly banks are. So anyway, Flee knows I love this show and I always send him a list of songs that I get into during the year. It's fun for me and if you've never listened to WMNF on the archives while you're working or cleaning the house, then head over and give it a try.

If you take the link, you can check out the playlist and play the show in your computer's music player. Don't wait though, it's already Friday and the shows only stay up for a week. After next Monday, they'll be on to the next show...

Are you sure you've never heard of Solomon Burke?

[Charles] I mentioned the death of soul legend Solomon Burke to a few people since Sunday and not many people seem to know him without some prodding. Unfortunately he never received the same name recognition as guys like Otis Redding or Marvin Gaye, but he was definitely a legend. It was interesting that because he outlived so many of those singers, he went on to have a real job and brought something like 19 children into the world. If you still can't place him, then here's a couple of things to help you remember. Let's start with the Dirty Dancing movie - you'll have to follow the link to see this one, but it's worth it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pouIFiaIig&feature=related

That was one of his biggest hits released back in 1962 and revived in the 80's.

Next off, remember the Blues Brothers? They covered one of his biggest hits from 1964. "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" You might remember the band here that also covered the song and made a huge hit of it on tour.

If you happened to read Nick Hornby's High Fidelity then you probably caught on that he's a bit of a fan of Solomon too. Here's the song that he said was "responsible for Rob and Laura's whole relationship" in the book because Rob would play it as a DJ and only Laura could dance to it.

I remember one day I was driving home from work and heard Jeff Stewart from WMNF 88.5 interviewing Solomon Burke on the radio - I almost wrecked the car. It was fantastic, and he sounded like such a nice guy and really cool. He'll definitely be missed and hopefully with a little help from all of his fans, he'll be remembered as the amazing man he was.

Here's a song from the last big album that resurrected his career and even won him a Grammy. It was an all-star album with many people writing songs for him to perform. My favorite is the most amazing and soulful track on the album- the title track "Don't Give Up On Me" - Enjoy

Friday Forecast: WMNF Fund Drive, 9Bullets Anniversary Show, Sunday Market

[Charles] A couple of quick things to check out this weekend. First off, this week was the WMNF fund drive and if you didn't chip in then let me remind you of the vast wasteland of other music that awaits us if you don't. Just get off your wallet and send em $10 or whatever. Find your favorite show and put money in the tip jar so they know what you like. They are stopping the drive today and they are still really short. If you need a show to check out, then go to the archives and see either Saturday Asylum, Grand National Championships, or Artful Dodgings. There are lots of great shows, but these to me are the never miss, indie shows that always introduce me to new music. They definitely deserve some love.

On Saturday, over in St. Pete is the 9Bullets Anniversary show with a lot of cool bands and one of my favorites - Will Quinlan and the Diviners. Show these guys some love and enjoy some nice rock and alt-country in the process. This blog puts out consistent reviews on albums and shows that don't get much press here or anywhere else. I can't go, so buy Brian a drink for me. If you really want a taste, then go to the pre-show at Ella's tonight to see The Only Sons. They are a solid alt-country band in the Lucero family of bands that should get the place rockin.

On Sunday, hit up the Sunday Morning Market at Hillsborough High School. It is the first market of the season and should be a great one with lots of vendors and amazing weather. It sounds like Greg and Tiffany have some more surprises this year with lots of fresh local produce and even more prepared food vendors. I'll be there loading up on some awesome coffee and hopefully the gumbo that got me hooked last season. We aren't setting up this time around as we are still getting our act together on what we are making these days, but it will be nice to just enjoy the crowd and actually enjoy hanging out with our neighbors. See you there.

Friday Music Forecast: So much music!

[Charles] This weekend has lots of good musical options for you. The best deal has to be WMNF's birthday bash for an awesome array of bands at the Ritz Ybor. Read on to hear the whole forecast:

Friday night: If you just want to walk in Seminole Heights then you have a few choices...

My top pic tonight is a band of young musicians called The Sun Society - a four piece band led by a pair of sisters with one on keys and the other on bass. They sound to me a little like Florence and the Machine with a really strong Regina Spektorish vocal. They start at 9 pm so forecast is... 90% that this show will be the best show you've seen by people young enough to be your kids that doesn't suck in some Jonas Brothers/Miley Cyrus kind of way.

Also, check out Ted Lukas and the Misled over at Ella's tonight if you want something rockin with your award-winning Best New Restaurant dinner!

If you're up for a drive then you couldn't do much better than heading to Skipper's to see Paul Thorn tonight in a solo acoustic show. I've heard his live stuff on the radio and he is hilarious and quite a rocker. Also, Rebekah Pulley and Ronnie Elliott are opening so ya know it's good.

Saturday night: 85% chance of your head exploding by the diverse group of musicians that WMNF has amassed at the Ritz. Paul Thorn with his full band. Suenalo jamming out and the Hip Abduction which packed the Orpheum at Heatwave will be great. The band you should be watching for is Sleepy Vikings. They sprung from the break up of one of my previous favorite rockers Giddy Up Helicopter. Check em out before they hit it big and you can't see em here any more. Hit the link below to check em out on Paste.

http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/av/2010/08/live-at-paste-sleepy-vikings.html

Also, if you're in Ybor, sneak over to New World Brewery and check out a really cool florida band that reminds a little of the Avett Brothers - Greenland is Melting - this is definitely the "Nicole's Pic" of the weekend so don't miss out!

Sunday's forecast includes a 50% chance of sleeping in late and needing something a little light to keep you going through the day like the Independent's bluegrass Sunday School for Sinners from 4:30 to 7:30. If you didn't overdo it on Saturday then you should probably grab some barbecue or chicken and waffles at Ella's and check out blues rocker Kaleigh Baker.

How's that? Pretty awesome right?! No excuses folks so have some fun out there and congratulate all those Best of the Bay winners!

Here's your homework to get you going for the weekend...

Friday's Forecast - Weekend Music Planner

Well here you go - I got nothing better to do than try and talk you into seeing some live music this weekend. Don't miss out kids. I'll post some links and stop rambling on...

Friday - El Ten Eleven at Orpheum - Forecast 30% chance I'll actually get out to Ybor and go

Saturday - Legendary JC's at Skipper's - Forecast 90% chance of smoking funk and blues

Sunday - Cristabel and the Jons @ Ella's - Forecast 75% chance of tasty barbecue and beer accompaniment

WMNF Peace Awards This Saturday Aug 28th

Photo from Jeff Wignall on Flickr

[Charles] It's easy to get hung up on the big names that get attached to causes like Wyclef in Haiti or Brad Pitt in New Orleans. Sometimes the people doing the hardest and most important work get lost in the shadows of those celebrities. I noticed that most of the promos for the Peace Awards this weekend on WMNF center around the celebrities Amy Goodman and Eliza Gilkyson attending. I think that both of them are amazing people that really deserve recognition and I'm glad they are rubbing elbows with our little radio station. I'll never forget watching Amy Goodman getting arrested and hauled in during the overzealous policing at the Denver National Convention and I get chills every time I hear Eliza push back at "the cowboy" W. with her song "Man of God".

This event is about the other people though - the ones that don't make the news. There are plenty of behind the scenes, hard-working folks that are pulling more than their weight in our world's endless tug-of-war between the warmongers and the peace makers. Recognition of those quiet and not-so-quiet fighters for the disenfranchised is the whole point of the event. The other reason for the event is to raise money for the station so that it can keep doing its part in the struggle. Without 88.5 there would be a complete lack of coverage for events that the major media avoids while covering the same awful stuff they cover every night. If you want to hear about the protests of St. Pete For Peace or the Immokalee Workers, don't bother tuning in to the major media. Most radio stations don't bother with news at all anymore. I can't remember the last time I heard news at the top of the hour on a mainstream station.

They nominate people like Faith Fippinger who has worked as a human shield in Iraq and Rev. Bruce Wright who works with the homeless. They also nominate groups like Equality Florida that works tirelessly for those whose orientation or gender are discriminated against. They also present Legacy Awards to people who've been involved with numerous causes - I sort of think of it as the equivalent of a Lifetime Achievement Award.

So if you've got the cash to blow ($60 a non-vip ticket), want a great way to support WMNF, or just want to rub elbows with one of the best singer-songwriters ever to come out of Austin, Saturday is your night. It will be held down at the newly renamed Straz Center and the party kicks off at 6:00.

Here's a couple of links about the event:

WMNF

Link to the event info

WMNF Fund Drive - Give Now or Don't Complain When It's Gone

[Charles]
Reach over to your radio and tune in to 88.5 or go to wmnf.org and hit Listen Now. I know, it's way down there on the dial. No, it's not a religious station unless of course awesome music is your religion. If it is then I'll see you on Sunday. If you haven't heard of WMNF yet then I probably can't say anything in this blog that will convince you to unlock your piggy bank and send them your hard earned pennies but I will try. WMNF is the only, I repeat, ONLY radio station in the entire Tampa Bay area that plays independent music, local music, and indie music from bands that will never ever make it to commercial radio. They play genres of music that corporate radio like ClearEverythingElseOffTheDialChannel can't even pronounce. Not only do they represent small genres of music like Native American music, Jewish music, Polka music, and World music but they also play acid jazz to zouk and afrobeat to zydeco. If you love music and have an open mind for new genres then there really is nowhere else to go. I think that a lot of people here don't get how rare it is to have a station like this. If you grew up in a wasteland of commercial radio like say East Texas then you might never have heard of this music. Robert Earl Keen is from Texas and I never heard him on the radio before I moved here.

On top of that, WMNF goes out of their way to have talk programming that serves the people of our community. I want to take it down now and talk about one particular show and how you can support the station and the arts at the same time. If you have heard of WMNF and haven't sent them your hard-earned pennies then you are exactly who I want to talk to.

Have you paid $5-$10 to get into an art show or a concert this year? Do you drop $12 for a couple of beers at the Independent on Saturday night? Well then, I need you to pony up and pay the cover charge for Art In Your Ear today at 1:30. This show is the only place that actually takes the time to bring artists on the radio and talk and interview them here. JoEllen is an engaging and quite often hilarious interviewer who brings on people from the visual arts, stage, and music every week to discuss what is happening and get people involved in the arts discussion here. You can hear about what's going on at Tempus Projects, TMA, the Museum of Fine Arts, or maybe Jobsite Theater or the Silver Meteor or in Ybor. I hear the complaints, nobody supports the arts here, heck I do a lot of complaining myself but trust me, she supports the arts and believes in it! You need to put your money where your mouth is and send her $5 or $10 today. There are 476 fans of Art In Your Ear on Facebook and if each of those sent $5 that would be $2380. I'm pretty sure that would open some eyes to the amount of support that she gets from us in the community.

If every person that ever whined about the lack of arts support sent her $10 then there would be no talk of layoffs. You know who was the first to call volunteers to action after the layoffs? You guessed it... JoEllen, and she didn't rest until they made it right! With the money that we send WMNF, they would be able to do more shows and more music and get larger live acts! So get off your wallet and spend the first round of drink money on Art In Your Ear today. You don't even have to wait until 1:30 to do it. They make it so easy that you just drop it in the tip jar. Here's the link. Tell JoEllen that I sent you. Did I mention that she's also the owner of the Globe Coffee Lounge in St. Pete?! That's right, and you know how busy indie owners are because you listen to me whine about it. So she takes time out her week to inform us slackers who don't want to scour the internet for shows on the best arts happenings! Okay, I'm done, if that doesn't convince you then nothing will. But just in case you're on the fence let me list a few of the bands that you will never hear anywhere besides WMNF 88.5.

MGMT, Robert Earl Keen, Avett Brothers, Mumford and Sons, The National, The Beauvilles, Okkervil River, Rebekah Pulley, Nervous Turkey, Gorillaz, Frightened Rabbit, The Flaming Lips, Wilco, Sons of Hippies, Richard Thompson, The Watson Twins, Gotan Project, Candy Bars, Tokyo Police Club, Refugee All-Stars of Sierra Leone, Patty Griffin, Lucinda Williams, Ryan Bingham, Of Montreal, Light Yourself On Fire, Ratatat, The Black Keys, Rogue Wave, Band of Horses, Grizzly Bear, Sparklehorse

My Plan for Tropical Heatwave this Saturday

Ella is in for it this weekend... My daughter doesn't know it yet, but I'm dragging her and her mom to one of my favorite events of the year.

WMNF's Tropical Heatwave is our community radio station's big fundraiser/concert/block party in Ybor City. This is something that is well covered by the official media with lists of bands not to miss and all that.

Some of the things that they don't talk about in all of the news coverage is the unpredictable and outlandish fun that is inherent to this show. The volunteers at WMNF are really dedicated folks who pour their hearts into this event with decorations and details to handle for months in advance. The funny thing is that all of that love and good spirit flows over to the crowd and for the most part, this will be one of the nicest blend of crowds all year. Parents with kids stand shoulder to shoulder with old hippies and young rockers in a real testament to the way this music overlaps and influences each genre.

Also, don't forget the food! Vegetarian options are usually well represented at WMNF shows. I remember crouching down on the sidewalk last year and sopping up tibs from the Queen of Sheba restaurant with some of their world class injera bread.

For me, I want to see lots of bands, but also, I realize that you don't want to spend the whole show just juggling for position and running up and down stairs at the Cuban Club. My plan (which will definitely fall apart by Saturday) consists of catching a few bands I want to see and not running around too much because I'll be wearing a backpack with our little Ella in it and she'll be wearing the adorable pink ear protection seen above.

My Heatwave plans basically consist of deciding where I want to be and who I really don't want to miss. My personal preference is to stay near the Cuban Club and not slog too far afield.

Here's my plan so far:

5:00 -- 5:55

Tomas Delamnoy & Somos Musica

Salsa and merengue - Cuban Club Bandshell

(catch the first part of this set, I hear they are amazing)

5:25 -- 6:25

Nervous Turkey

Raucous blues - around the back at El Pasaje Plaza

(we'll get here in time to catch all of Ernie's fun and full on harmonica action )

6:20 -- 7:35

Mark Levine and the Latin Tinge

Latin jazz - Cuban Club Bandshell (top notch latin jazz and representative of the Saturday Latin Jazz and Salsa show on WMNF - one of the best shows on the radio anywhere)

(I'm already in too many places at once!!!)

6:00 -- 6:55

GreyMarket

Electronic rock - at Crowbar

(hope to catch them although Crowbar might be too much of a haul and it'll be time for a beverage...)

6:50 -- 8:10

Ruthie Foster

Blues, folk & R&B - Back at El Pasaje Plaza

(I saw Ruthie back in the day in Texas when I was in college - she was awesome then and she has only gotten better, this is one of my do not miss shows of the day)

8:00 -- 9:05

Rachel Goodrich

Quirky folk-pop - down in the Cuban Club Cantina

(this looks like a fun show and I've heard good things about her - check out her Youtube videos from her New World Brewery shows)

8:10 -- 9:15

Lumiscent Orchestrii

Romanian Gypsy punks from New York City - Cuban Club Ballroom

(there will be dancing and this is one of the best rooms for dancing in the city, honestly this room always makes me happy I came to the show - it just sends your mind spinning to ballroom dances of a bygone era)

After that it is useless to plan. We might be worn out by then, or we might go on to see something at a far flung venue. I have never made it to the end of the night at Heatwave and that always means I miss someone I would love to see. This year with my new daughter I don' t expect to make it much past 9:00. That's okay though, the music is contagious and I know that these are the experiences that will shape her mind and tastes whether she remembers it or not.

With such a great selection of bands and the friendliest concert goers in town, I wouldn't have her first real concert be anywhere else... See ya Saturday!!!

http://wmnf.org/heatwave/

Photo from the amazing local photographer Elawgrrl who will most definitely be at Heatwave...

Check her out at Flickr -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/elawgrrl/2435053879/in/set-72157623530835658/

Take Me to the River

[Charles] On the way in this morning, Marcie at WMNF 88.5 reminded me that today is Al Green's birthday (64 if you're counting). That's all the reason I needed to post this -

Aside from being one of my favorite singers - Al also was covered by The Talking Heads with Take Me to the River. That song got David Byrne on the radio and into my permanent rotation. I'll play both versions for my daughter and probably some young singer will cover Al Green for her and her generation. I hope that someday she remembers me spinning this album.

If there was a "Soul School" like the post says, then Reverend Al was definitely at the head of the class.

Enjoy the tunes.