The Beat

Where to hear blues in South Florida this weekend

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:31:26 -0500

This weekend offers the opportunity to see some of the local favorites who have been traveling recently.

Joey Gilmore is back from the road and IBC winner JP Soars and the Red Hots will be in town another two weeks before hitting the festival circuit again. The Albert Castiglia Band is on tour in the Midwest and should be back in South Florida at the end of the month.

TONIGHT
JP Soars & The Red Hots, The Back Room Blues Bar & Grill, 7200 N. Dixie Hwy., Boca Raton. 9 p.m. No cover.

FRIDAY
JP Soars & The Red Hots w/ Nico Wayne Toussaint, Alligator Alley, 1321 N. Commercial Blvd., Oakland Park. 9:30 p.m. Admission: $7

The Joey Gilmore Band, Holiday Park, 1300 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. 7-10 p.m. Free (chairs & coolers OK, no pets).

Hep Cat Boo Daddies, Dive, 3233 N. Ocean Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. 10 p.m.-2:30 a.m. No cover.

JULY 18

Shack Daddys, Alligator Alley, Oakland Park. 9:30 p.m. Admission: $7.

Darrell Raines Band, The Downtown Saloon, 408 S Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale. 9 p.m. No cover.

Blue House, Hollywood Beach Bandshell, Johnson St. and A1A. 7-9 p.m. Free

Iko Iko, Titanic Brewery, 5813 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Coral Gables. (Next to the University of Miami Basebal Field), 10 p.m.

JP Soars & The Red Hots, 8pm Cigar Connoiseur, 202 NE 6th Ave., Delray Beach.

JULY 19
JP Soars solo gypsy jazz, Downtowner Saloon, Fort Lauderdale. 1-3 p.m. No cover.

JP Soars & The Red Hots, Alligator Alley, Oakland Park. Doors 5 p.m., music 7-11 p.m. Admission: $5.

Coming up:

MONDAY

July 20, Blue Dragon, Upstairs at the Van Dyke Cafe, 846 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach. 9 p.m. No cover

TUESDAY
Famous Frank w/ special guest Raiford Starke, Boston's on the Beach, 40 S. Ocean Blvd. (A1A). Blue Tuesdays: 8:30-11:30 p.m. No cover.

WEDNESDAY
Blues Jam w/ JP Soars & The Red Hots, Back Room Blues Bar, Boca Raton. No cover.

Darrell Raines & special guest, Bourbon Steak at Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort, 19999 W. Country Club Dr., Aventura. 7:30 p.m. No cover.

For more showtime listings, check the South Florida Blues Society calendar.

Is Live Nation's "No-Fee Wednesday" promotion really saving people money?

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:27:00 -0500

Another week, another one-day sale ... Live Nation is continuing its summer "No-Fee Wednesday" promotion, this time by expanding it to include "select" reserved seats as well as festival lawn seats at a flat, "all-in" price stripped of those much-hated add-ons: The Fees.

On No-Fee Wednesday, July 15, It's $29.99 for unreserved lawn tickets and $49.99 for a limited number of reserved seats. As with last week's sale, the price includes parking, a hot dog and a soda.

The impulse seems like the right one, to make concert tickets more affordable to all. Live Nation also wants to create some fresh excitement around concertgoing at a bad time for the U.S. economy. Maybe it's working: More than 500,000 tickets have been sold on Wednesdays since the promotion debuted June 3, says Live Nation spokesman John Vlautin.

But No-Fee Wednesday has also caused headaches, with Live Nation plugging the weekly deal into a complicated grid of tiered prices and pre-existing promotions.

Some consumers are confused, and wary, and they're approaching the sale skeptically, or not at all. Some entertainment writers, self included, are confused. And not without reason. Live Nation could have come with a lot more clarity and detail when they rolled this program out.

Allman Brothers at Hard Rock Live October 20

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:13:16 -0500

We've got a local date for the Southern rock tribe led by Gregg Allman, who Rolling Stone calls "the last redneck hippie soulman" in its July 2009 issue.

Tickets for the Allmans' concert, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, are $50 - $110, on sale at noon this Friday, July 17, at ticketmaster.com, 1-800,745-3000 and the Hard Rock box office, 954-797-5531. (Venue presale is 11 a.m. Wednesday through 11 p.m. Thursday.)

Blazed and Confused ... and canceled.

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:09:59 -0500

Snoop Dogg is 0 for 2 in local concert bookings this year.

He was going to perform at the Langerado festival in March. It was canceled amid poor ticket sales. Then he hooked up with the "Blazed and Confused" festival, slated for August 1 at Miami's Bicentennial Park. Now that's been canceled, too.

A rep for promoter AEG Live cited "scheduling conflicts."

Refunds available at the point of purchase.

Bruce Springsteen to play BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise Sept. 13

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0500

Tickets for Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Sunday, Sept. 13 at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, go on sale Friday, July 24, says the tour's publicist. More details as I get them.

Press release below the fold.

Buika in Miami: Concert review by David Cazares

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:00:00 -0500

Concha Buika's performance in Miami, reviewed by arts writer David Cazares:

The Spanish singer and songwriter mesmerized her audience at Miami’s Gusman Center on Thursday with powerful songs of love and desire, heartbreak and longing. Accompanied by Cuban pianist Ivan “Melon” Lewis, Buika shared her unique interpretations of Spanish copla and Mexican ranchera set to flamenco, Afro-Cuban music and jazz.

Buika tonight at Gusman Center

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:59:45 -0500

Every now and then, an entertainer comes along who pushes the boundaries of pop music and exposes listeners to exciting, new sounds. One such person is Spanish singer and songwriter Buika, who performs tonight at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Miami, courtesy of the Rhythm Foundation. The singer whose full name is Maria Concepcion Balboa Buika defies genres and stereotypes; she is a black Spaniard, born in the island of Mallorca to exiles parents from Equatorial Guinea. Buika combines flamenco, Mexican rancheras, Spanish ballads and American R&B in her singing. Colleague David Cazares interviewed Buika and blogged this story in the Miami New Times.

Below, a 2008 clip of Buika performing the Spanish torch song "Miénteme bien" at Madrid's Lope de Vega Theater.

Weekend Blues

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 05:00:17 -0500

PBS is coming to town this weekend — that’s Porter Batiste Stoltz, a New Orleans funk-jam band that boast three of the city’s finest musicians: bassist George Porter Jr, an original member of the Meters; drummer Russell Batiste Jr., and guitarist and vocalist Brian Stoltz, both formerly with the Funky Meters.

Stoltz, who also played with the Neville Brothers, is rooted in the blues. In 2003, Stoltz was nominated for a Grammy in the “Best Traditional Blues” category for his contribution of “You Gotta Move” on the 2002 release Preachin’ The Blues: The Music Of Mississippi Fred McDowell. He’s also a frequent visitor to the Oakland Park pub Alligator Alley, where he recorded “Up All Night” with South Florida musicians Kilmo, Jeff Renza and Bob Taylor. Stoltz returns to the Alligator Alley for a July 25 performance.

PBS appears this Saturday (July 11) at Revolution, 200 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. 954-727-0950. 8:30 p.m. Admission: $15

Other Highlights

TONIGHT
King muDDfish, ArtsPark, Young Circle, Hollywood. 7-9 p.m. Free

FRIDAY
Nico Wayne Toussaint with Iko-Iko, Back Room Blues Bar & Grill, 7200 N. Dixie Hwy., Boca Raton. 561-988-8929, 9:30 p.m. $10 (Toussaint is a blues harmonica player/singer from France)

King muDDfish, South Shores Tavern, 502 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth. 7-11 p.m. 561-547-7656. 8 p.m.-midnight. No cover.

Spam Allstars, Respectable Street, 518 Clematis St., West Palm Beach. Cover $9.

Crazy Fingers, celebrating music of The Grateful Dead, Upstairs at the Van Dyke, 846 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach. 9 p.m. No cover.

SATURDAY
3 Guitars XXXV: Mario LaCasse, Phill Fest & Mike Serafim at The Orange Door, 798 10th St., Lake Park. 561-842-7949. 8 p.m. $5

SUNDAY
Spencer Garn (groovy jazz-funk organ trio from Atlanta), Alligator Alley, 1321 E. Commercial Blvd., Oakland Park. Doors open at 5 p.m., music 7-11 p.m. Cover: $5.

HEADSUP
TUESDAY
"Famous Frank" Ward w/ special guest Ben Prestage, 8:30-11:30 p.m., Boston’s on the Beach, 40 S Ocean Blvd. (A1A). 561-278-3364. Blue Tuesdays: 8:30-11:30 p.m. No cover.

WEDNESDAY
Darrell Raines w/ Clay Goldstein on harp, Bourbon Steak at Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort, 19999 W. Country Club Dr., Aventura. 786-279-6600. 7:30 p.m. No cover.

For more showtime listings, click here for the South Florida Blues Society calendar.

Hoodoo Voodoo Halloween Blues Ball 10th anniversary

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:18:28 -0500

I confess that I haven’t been to a Halloween costume party since the 8th grade, but this year I am very tempted to show up for the 10th annual Hoodoo Voodoo Halloween Blues Ball hosted by DJ Darlene Lopez (Sunday Blues With Dar, 88.5 FM, WKPX). Hmmm, already thinking about my costume and dancing to the Jon Justice Band. The blurb below is from Dar, who is now planning the 10th anniversary of her Halloween bash:

ONLY 115 DAYS UNTIL HALLOWEEN
To celebrate the 10th year of the Hoodoo Voodoo Halloween Blues Ball, Dar and G are working extra hard to make this the best Halloween Celebration so far! Mark your calendars, October 31st, 2009 8pm! The Maxwell Room and surrounding courtyard at the Downtowner on the Riverwalk in Ft. Lauderdale will transform into Hoodoo Voodoo - Ville! The Jon Justice Band from Ohio have been confirmed as well as The Nucklebusters who have played at each Hoodoo Voodoo since it’s inception, and Albert Castiglia will make a special guest appearance! More acts to be confirmed!

Tommy Castro to release "Hard Believer"

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:54:56 -0500

I've never had the chance to see Tommy Castro perform live, but listening to him on XM radio has made a true believer out of me. I am in good company. Carlos Santana has declared "the blues is in good hands" with singer, songwriter, guitarist and bandleader Castro. The West Coast bluesman now has a new label, Alligator Records, and a new CD "Hard Believer," coming out on Aug. 11.

Castro is not scheduled to perform in Florida this year, but he will be on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Caribbean Cruise, Jan. 23-30, which leaves from Fort Lauderdale. He's the 2008 recipient of the Blues Music Award BB King Entertainer of the Year and his previous release "Painkiller" won a BMA for Contemporary Blues Album of the Year.

Read more about Castro and his new release on Alligator Record's press release below the fold.

Antibullying at the Downtowner

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:45:16 -0500

You may remember youngsters, teachers and parents marching in Broward this past May with a simple but strong message: Stop bullying in our schools. That march was organized by the Humanity Project, a local, non-profit group, that works with Broward schools to raise awareness about bullying and its consequences -- sometimes fatal -- on children and teenagers.

You can support the cause by showing up at Fort Lauderdale's Downtowner Saloon Tuesday evening (July 7) and donating $10 to the mission. The event includes good company, good food and drinks (available for purchase) and good music by Survivors, a local quartet fronted by Sun-Sentinel health reporter Bob LaMendola.

The Humanity Project, led by LaMendola's buddy, former Sun-Sentinel reporter Bob Knotts, is raising funds to continue its 'Anti-bullying" program in Broward schools. The fundraiser runs from 6-9 p.m.at the Downtowner, 10 South New River Drive East, Fort Lauderdale. 954-463-9800

Directions: Take Andrews Ave to SE 5th St., left on SE 1st Ave. The Downtowner is on the South side of the New River east of the Andrews Avenue Bridge, behind the Courthouse.

Live Nation adds a meal to No-Fee Wednesday ticket promotion

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:10:00 -0500

LiveNation is describing this week's edition of No-Fee Wednesday as "all-in," meaning all fees and parking are included in the $29.99 price for any lawn ticket at Cruzan Amphitheatre west of West Palm Beach.

And you get a free hot dog and soda as part of the deal. The sale starts 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, only at livenation.com.

The country's biggest concert promoter caught some flak when it debuted the Wednesday specials last month. Some consumers were surprised to find that No-Fee deals couldn't be combined with other discounts such as lawn-ticket 4-packs. I was a bit confused, myself, since single lawn tickets for some Cruzan events - like the Mayhem Festival in August - were actually cheaper without a no-fee or flat-rate discount.

The company has responded to these concerns either by combining some of the incentives or offering more streamlined promotions such as this week's "all-in" deal. There's still room for head scratching, but the bottom line is, Wednesday's a good day to find discounts on many Live Nation tickets.

With all-in pricing, Live Nation takes a page from the pro sports playbook. Extras such as food and parking are a staple of ticket specials among teams looking to drum up attendance and build customer good will and loyalty. I've seen many such promotions advertised for Marlins and Panthers games.

The Marlins, in particular, with 81 home games a season at Land Shark Stadium (whose advertised baseball-game capacity is 38,560), have to be inventive to keep people coming back to the same venue and the same team at the same price range. So they do all-ins, they give away trinkets and they put on post-game concerts at the ballpark.

Full-time concert promoters face a different challenge - only the venue stays the same - but there's no reason for them not to try some of what's worked in sports marketing. A lot of people might cringe at the thought of, say, "Dave Matthews Bobblehead Night" at Cruzan Amphitheatre. But hey, when you're as big as Dave Matthews, you're practically a sports franchise. (Ask Mr. Land Shark himself, Jimmy Buffett.)

Plus, acts including Prince, Coldplay and No Doubt have given away CDs or downloads along with concert tickets, so the idea of tossing in some product with the live entertainment is already in use. Free concert t-shirts, anyone?

Orange Blossom Blues Society, blues oasis in Orlando

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:50:04 -0500

When visiting another city, it's always good to know who has the goods on the local blues scene. Thanks to Leo Gale from Bluzpik Records (a South Florida-based indie label), I've discovered Orlando's Orange Blossom Blues Society. If you're headed that way with the family and kids this summer and need a break from overpriced theme parks and tacky souvenir shops, check out the Orange Blossom Blues Society's July-September newsletter, which has several write-ups on local blues musicians.

In this issue, Gale profiles the Nouveaux Honkies and their latest CD "Live at Sun" and Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro chronicles his May 7 journey to Memphis to attend the Blues Music Awards and, among other things, describes performances by South Florida blues musicians and nominees Albert Castiglia and Terry Hanck . And check the ad for Orlando's McWells Restaurant and Bar: Joey Gilmore plays there July 17, JP Soars and The Red Hots on July 31 and King MuDDfish on Aug. 29.

Weekend Blues

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:00:35 -0500

Along with fireworks and barbecues, you can find the blues this Fourth of July holiday at North Bryant Park in Lake Worth. The city’s Chamber of Commerce is hosting TropicFest, a free, mini-festival with some of the best in local talent. The lineup: Albert Castilgia and Graham Wood Drout, noon-3:30 p.m.; Nouveaux Honkies, 3:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m., Darrell Raines Band with harpist Clayton Goldstein, 7-10 p.m. Fireworks at 9 p.m. North Bryant Park is located at 30 S. Golfview Rd.

More weekend highlights:

TONIGHT
Albert Castilgia and Graham Wood Drout, Downtowner Saloon, 408 S Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale, 954-463-9800. 9 p.m. No cover

FRIDAY
Ike & Val Woods Revue (soul and blues), Upstairs at The Van Dyke Cafe, 846 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. No cover

SATURDAY
Fusik (funk) noon, Robbie Hazen (rock), Electirc Arrow (rock), Salzon Jazz (Latin), Fabulons (variety oldies), 7:30 p.m., fireworks 9 p.m., Hollywood Beach Theater, Johnson Street and Broadwalk.

Hep Cat Boo Daddies, American Rock Bar, 1600 E. Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield Beach. 954-428-4539

Jeff Prine B-3 Trio, Downtowner, Fort Lauderdale. 8 p.m. No cover.

SUNDAY
Poppa E Band, Tryst, 4 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. 3:30-7:30 p.m. No cover.

MONDAY
Jazz vocalist Debbie Orta, Upstairs at the Van Dyke Cafe, Miami Beach. 9 p.m. No cover.

TUESDAY
Famous Frank Ward with special guest Motor City Josh; SFBS meeting. Blue Tuesday at Boston’s on the Beach, 40 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach. 561-278-3364, 8:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m. No cover.

WEDNESDAY
Darrell Raines with Clay Goldstein on harp, Bourbon Steak at Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort, 19999 W. Country Club Dr., Aventura. 786-279-6600. 7:30 p.m. No cover.

Michael Jackson: Wither Bubbles the Chimp?

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:00:05 -0500

Right here in Florida, turns out. My colleagues at FloriDUH have more details onthe late pop king's erstwhile pet primate.