Crüe Fest 2 invading South Florida on August 27th

In case you’ve missed the last 38 chances this year to see Motley Crüe, don’t fret. The band has announced plans for the second Crüe Fest on August 27 at Cruzan Amphitheater. Nikki Six and pals will be bringing Godsmack, Theory of A Deadman, Drowning Pool, and Charm City Devils…

The Original Wailers

With Bob Marley at the helm, in the late 1970s, the Wailers re-engineered the reggae blueprint on Exodus by embracing pop, funk, and R&B, and by teasing out multiple layers of riffs, melodies, and harmonies on each song. But even following Marley’s death, the band continued in various forms over…

Old Wives’ Tale

The Weston-based indie up-and-comers Old Wives’ Tale are nothing if not professional — the band’s entire existence argues further for the end of record labels. Its website and debut disc are snappily designed and art-directed by the band itself, with a high-gloss New Wave style much like the band’s music…

George Benson

As an ace jazz guitarist with a husky syncopated voice, George Benson straddled the line between Quiet Storm R&B and adult contemporary during the mid-1970s and early 1980s. His singles from that era sound both of the time and utterly ageless: “Turn Your Love Around” predated the Police’s “Roxanne,” with…

Todd Rundgren

With his soaring voice and arena-rock fluency, Todd Rundgren seemed destined for hit-after-hit superstardom when he released his third album, the entirely self-recorded Something/Anything, in 1972. Looking back, though, it was clear that Rundgren had too many experimental itches to scratch — and the progression of his career has arguably…

Afro-Cuban All Stars Announce Miami Date

Even if you’re neither Cuban nor into Cuban music, you’ve no doubt heard of the Buena Vista Social Club, originally a members club where musicians would meet in Cuba during the 40’s, but better known for the rediscovery in the 90’s, championed in large part by American guitarist/producer Ry Cooder. …

Locals Only! Pre-WMC Show at Black Sheep Bar

EDM Productions and Gooshie House (from House 101 Sundays) will be hosting the 5th annual Locals Only! show at Black Sheep Bar on Sunday, March 22. This special pre-Conference gathering will feature a dozen-plus local DJs in an impressive 15-hour spinning marathon, and includes an exclusive live performance by soulful…

WMC Preview: Andy Butler of Hercules and Love Affair

Andy Butler, the cunning mind behind Hercules and Love Affair, is a champion of saucy, sweaty disco and house, and his DJ sets reflect this focused style. The group’s self-titled record was easily one of the biggest exclamation points in dance music’s lexicon last year. Alongside singers Nomi and Kim…

WMC Preview: Q&A with Late of the Pier

The English quartet Late of the Pier are among their homeland’s best, brightest young hopes, with all the high cheekbones and music press praise that usually entails. But don’t mistake them for one of the dour, fedora-ed Brit indie groups of recent years. This band makes fun music for the…

WMC Preview: Alex From Tokyo

Working in both New York and, well, Tokyo, the artist known as Alex from Tokyo has shifted from an experimenting house dabbler to a member of the lauded Berlin Innervisions label. Tokyo Black Star, his production group with Tokyo-based producer and engineer Isao Kumano, released their latest studio effort on…

Coldplay announces May 15th date with Cruzan Amphitheater

Hold on to your heartstrings boys and girls: Radiohead Travis Coldplay is coming to Cruzan Amphitheater on May 15, bringing its signature brand of rock and roll to lucky South Floridians. Chris Martin and company just expanded their tour, and chose West Palm Beach to kick off their U.S. leg…

Friday Night: Spam Allstars at Bayfront Park

Spam AllstarsFriday, March 13, 2009Bayfront Park, MiamiBetter than: Pirate’s treasure.The Miami Downtown Development Authority, with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Rhythm Foundation delivered the goods yet again Friday night, at its third free Bayfront Park concert in a series of four, this time…

Saturday Afterhours: Guti at Eden Terrace Garden

GutiEden Terrace Garden at NocturnalSunday, March 15th, 2009Better than: all of the crap commercial Latin house clogging Miami’s ears.    With its latest slew of notable underground techno bookings, Eden Terrace Garden at Nocturnal has garnered lots of press, so I figured I should take a crack at reviewing at…

EOTO tonight at City Limits

It’s time to get your jam on tonight. Well, sorta… EOTO is made up of former members of String Cheese Incident, but people who are expecting to hear versions of that group’s songs will most likely be disappointed. EOTO is much more of an improvisational dance collective than a jam…

Willie Colon Pays Tribute to El Cantante Hector Lavoe

Hector Lavoe wasn’t just a Puerto Rican singer with giant funky gold-rimmed glasses, a violent marriage to a crazy woman named “Puchi”, and more money in coke than Neville Isdell (he’s the CEO of Coca Cola, in case your subscription to Forbes is on hold for non-payment). He was a…

Last Night: Joaquin Phoenix’s Trainwreck Performance at LIV

Joaquin Phoenix with Klever and CrazeWednesday, March 12, 2009LIV, Miami BeachJoaquin Phoenix, Worse Than: The stench of budussy on a Sunday morning.Oh, how the mighty tables do turn. Next stop on the mocumentary train: Miami Beach. A sea of night owls stuck it out at LIV Wednesday night, curious to…

Willie Nelson at Hard Rock Live Tonight

The godfather of hippies is officially here! Tonight at Hard Rock Live, Willie Nelson brings his original outlaw country ways to South Florida, and he’s sure to leave thousands of fans in his biodiesel/pot fueled wake. If we’re being honest with ourselves, there just aren’t many opportunities left for us…

Monte*Rosa

Monte*Rosa was born a long way from his current home in Miami — in Baranquilla, Colombia, to be exact. Though his life and career have set him on a long road with many miles behind him, he hasn’t lost touch with his roots. The sound of his native country is…

Jaguares

Jaguares are no less than rock royalty in their native Mexico, as well as throughout Latin America. Lead singer Saul Hernandez and drummer Alonso Andre formed the group in 1995 after their band, Caifanes, a late-’80s outfit credited with pioneering Latin rock, broke up. A few cast changes in their…