Music
Roots Shakedown
Stick toYour Roots: How Roots Shakedown Stay Way Above Water by Dana Krangel Photos: Shaye Babb In an ocean of reggae bands that were born by the ocean and play music on that ocean (when they aren’t surfing on it), it can be hard to stand out. There may be a shortage of perfect days to wear your …
The Helmsmen
Island Indie rock coming to you from Jupiter By Ashley Zimmerman Photos: Jack Bates Named after their high school’s old mascot, The Helmsmen, a group of twentysomething guys from Jupiter are bringing their own brand of what they refer to as Island Indie to the local music scene. Though the band’s inspirations vary across the …
Concert Review: Dave Matthews Band
Rain is No Match for Dave Matthews Band Beats By Giana Pacinelli I was crouched in a corner of a Tiki bar, one of hundreds hiding out as the rain came beating down on the lawn chairs and blankets that were holding our place on the lawn of Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre Saturday night. The show …
Mad Props: Why You Need Lake Worth’s Propaganda In Your Life
By Dana Krangel Photos: Dave Earley If you’re going to bother putting on actual clothes and leaving the house after 7 p.m., well then all be damned if you’re not going to have a good time. The goal, no doubt, is to end up with a smile on your face and a cold beer in …
ARTIKaL Sound System
ARTIKaL Sound System Comes Full Circle In Its Latest Release, Inversion By Alex Rendon Photo: Alex Markow “Our band is a culmination of the epic scene we have in South Florida” In Jamaican Patois the word “artikal” is defined as “top notch;” one must command an understanding of this Jamaican slang word to grasp what …
Tuning Up With Amber Leigh
We hope you enjoy our feature on Amber in our latest edition of The Atlantic Current, which was released on May 1. To pick up your copy see the list of distribution locations on our website. Following is the full interview with Amber, edited only for clarity and brevity….. TAC: We downloaded your new …
The Vintage Tap
Bringing the Juke Back to Delray Beach By Alex Rendon Photos: Joaquin Anico “For being one of the busiest streets in South Florida, Atlantic Avenue really lacked places that offered live music,” explained entertainment entrepreneur Ryan O’Riordan, owner of Delray Beach’s newest live music hot-spot, the Vintage Tap. With this great musical void, O’Riordan, former …
Gravel Kings: Arrows and Maps
By Alex Rendon In the vein of the Avett Brothers, Fort Pierce’s Gravel Kings concoct rootsy folk music with upbeat pop hooks. The lone folk act on West Palm Beach label Decades Records, Gravel Kings certainly stand out. Their debut full length effort, Arrows and Maps, dishes out enough attitude and inward reflection to attract …
The Levels of Lavola
Through thick and thin, musician Julian Cires proves he’s no coward on Lavola’s latest masterful record. By Alex Rendon Photo: The RO Project Chances are, if you are an avid local music fan, you’ll be well-acquainted with the musical bombast that is Lavola. This four-piece has been building a name for itself with its intense …
Gravel Kings
South Florida’s kingdom of folk is being rocked Words by Dana Krangel Photos: Alexis Lawson There aren’t a lot of things that permeate cultures. Variables that for a brief moment, equalize all groups while bringing together friends and strangers. I know what you are thinking and no, we aren’t talking sandwiches. We are talking …
Interview with Tim Reynolds
When many of us think of rock stars, we think of fame, touring, girls, substances…you know the rest. For Tim Reynolds, it’s all about the music. To take away the fame, well he’d probably prefer it that way. If you granted one wish to the soft spoken musician, it would be a few extra lifetimes …
Interview with Michael Franti
Photo: Lauren Dukoff Interviewed by Dustin Wright Q: What can we expect from your Soulshine concert tour? How did the concept of mixing yoga with one of your live shows come to be? Michael Franti: I started doing yoga on tour and would go to a different studio in each town and I …
Spred The Dub
Photo: Dana Drolet Spred The Vibes Local favorites Spred The Dub are poised to take over the world Words By Dana Krangel Looking for a good time? How about a band that wants to serve one to you on a silver platter spilling over with whiskey and sweet reggae tunes? The fine, …
the band in Heaven
By Dana Krangel Photo: Abigail Rose Marsicano Florida is so Flori-duh sometimes that it can be difficult convincing an outsider we have talented artists, let alone full-fledged live music scenes and successful bands who have spread their wings and flown to major labels. Over-the-top news stories, senior citizen migration, and alligator parties might overshadow our loud …
Jacuzzi Boys
Jacuzzi Boys to Men The rise of Miami’s chillest crew By Dana Krangel @DowntownDana Oh, South Florida and your eternal summer weather. You give us glory and you give us pit stains. It may never dip down cold enough for actual hot tub weather, but it’s always the right temperature for the Jacuzzi Boys. …
Album Review – Uproot Hootenanny
Uproot Hootenanny – Way Out by Dana Krangel The string movement is alive and well in South Florida and Deerfield Beach’s Uproot Hootenanny are one of the biggest bands on the scene. On their latest record, the five-piece folk/bluegrass band stays true to the genre through heavy jam sessions and whiskey dreams. Raucous tracks like …
Album Review – Speaking Volumes
Speaking Volumes- Brass Tacks by Dana Krangel Lake Worth-based Speaking Volumes are stepping it up. Hot off the release of their new EP, the band announced they will be representing all things local on the big stage at this year’s SunFest (their second appearance). The recognition is deserved as just one listen of Brass Tacks …
Album Review – The People Upstairs
The People UpStairs- Take It How You Want by Dana Krangel Florida music vibes are physically embodied in The People UpStairs. Formed over a decade ago while attending Atlantic High School in Delray Beach, the local boys are making good. You have no doubt boogied your booty at one of their funktastic live shows and …
Sunfest Day 5
Ahh, the long awaited Day 5 of Sunfest. The final day is always jammed packed with great acts, and this year did not disappoint. Day 5 played host to SOSOS, Inner Circle, Rusted Root, Streetlight Manifesto, The Wailers, Blues Traveler, Dropkick Murphys, Alice in Chains, and Ellie Goulding. Inner Circle played some good reggae tunes …
Sunfest Day 4
Day 4 of Sunfest brought some great acts including local favorite Spred The Dub, big name acts including Dirty Heads, Rebelution, Pretty Lights, and much more. Spred The Dub is always great, and very cool to see on a stage like that. The Dirty Heads put on a great performance as well with good jams …
Sunfest Day 1-3
Another great 5 days of Sunfest! Day 1 started off with Vegabonds followed by West Palm born Surfer Blood. Next up was some of the great and familiar riffs of Dick Dale. From there it was over to see Cake who put on a solid performance and brought out a big crowd. Last on Day …
Tortuga Music Festival
Tortuga Music Festival played halfsies with rain and shine this year. Day 1 had great performances from Ziggy Marley, Slightly Stoopid, Eric Church, and more. It was definitely a hot one, but the coconut water and Naked Turtle Rum came to the aid of many. That was after waiting in line for 30 minutes or …
Album Review – Ketchy Shuby
Ketchy Shuby- Still Making It Look Easy (S.M.I.L.E.) Five-piece Miami power house Ketchy Shuby knows how to do two things all too well: record fresh music and play irresistible live shows. Stirring up their signature brand of ‘downtown soul,’ Ketchy is back a funk-tastic new record that shows off their unspeakable passion for getting down. …
Album Review – The Hard Richards
The Hard Richards- Nu Derection When it comes to local South Florida bands, few are as legendary as The Hard Richards. Representing Boynton Beach, this ska/punk group has been playing live since 1994– that’s nearly two decades of twisted, mosh worthy jams. Through the years, front man Steve has remained the only constant with a …
Album Review – The Old Fashioned
The Old Fashioned- Urgency By Dana Krangel Writing original songs out of Margate, FL, The Old Fashioned is a post-punk trio doing exactly what everyone should be, making music they love. Fairly new to the scene, The Old Fashioned popped up in 2002 playing as part of stacked lineups at gritty venues. Now signed to …
Album Review – Jacuzzi Boys
Jacuzzi Boys- Jacuzzi Boys By Dana Krangel The new self-titled full length from these Miami wonderboys has been a long two years in the making for Jacuzzi Boys fans everywhere. Album opener Be My Prism is a bouncy but mellow jam with an infectious drum backbeat and longing lyrics: “I breathe, I wanna see the …
Album Review – Phantomime
Phantomime- The Heist By Dana Krangel The second release from five-piece Boca Raton band Phantomime takes the listener on a darker, swirling journey through six tracks of ramped up, Panic! At The Disco inspired sound. Opening song Masquerade officially welcomes the listener The Heist and is also serving as the record’s lead single and Phantomime’s …
Album Review – Stop The Presses
Stop the Presses- Eskandalo by Dana Krangel Who knew that Hialeah, FL could produce such tasty ska tunes? Homegrown four-piece band Stop the Presses show big SoFla pride on Eskandalo, their skank-alicious new 7-song EP that was recorded and pressed in their hometown. While lead singer Ali Culotta’s vocals take you back to the days …
Album Review – Bushwood
Bushwood Tidal Wave By Dana Krangel Let’s be real, there is no shortage of reggae bands making the rounds in South Florida. So what makes Bushwood standout from the rest? They are polished. Their live show is on point, and now their recordings match up. Tidal Wave, the band’s second release, oozes breezy jams worthy …
Album Review – the band in Heaven
the band in Heaven Caught in Summer Swell by Dana Krangel the band in Heaven have long instilled a sense of pride in the hearts of South Florida local music connoisseurs with solid live shows and bi-coastal appeal. So it might seem odd, but Caught in a Summer Swell is the band’s first full length …