Saturday, February 11, 2012

Avett's New "Aggressive" Approach Merely Hinted

Rumors of a new "aggressive" Avett Brothers were greatly exaggerated.

Last night at the intimate Sunset Cove amphitheater under unexpected clear skies, The Avett Brothers opened their 2012 tour in one of the few outdoor arenas the boys will being seeing during the next several months. 

A new album, under the long-distance tutelage of Music Buddha Rick Rubin, is due at any minute, but no date has been set.  The new songs, in particular "The Once and Future Carpenter,"  adds to the boys' quality repertoire.  

However, there seems little evidence of a harder sound from Rubin's influence other than a heavier bass and lower harmonies on some of the new songs.  The Brothers have successfully melded folk, pop punk and Americana into an entertaining formula and, at last night's show, the band displayed why their are becoming a touring favorite.  There was plenty of energy (almost to the point of perkiness) and communal sing alongs for the faithful.

But a My Morning Jacket or R.E.M-shift along the rock slide rule is not in the making.  Maybe the album is different. 

Still, a good time was had by all.  They are nice boys and are quite likable.  

Monday, January 30, 2012

Eddie Vedder Brings His Uke To Florida



Once Eddie Vedder gets off this Hawaiian outcropping, he will be hitting the road this spring for a solo tour with his trusty ukulele.  Avoiding the clubs and the arenas, the laser-eyed Vedder will be playing the pricier "performing arts centers."  


Eddie will hit Florida in May after the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.  Closer to home, Vedder and his uke will be playing the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.  Tickets go sale this Friday, February 3rd, for a cool $80 a head. 


April 11 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Pearl
April 13 - Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theater
April 16 - Albuquerque, NM @ Kiva Audotorium
April 19 - Tulsa, OK @ Brady Theater
April 22 - Houston, TX @ Jones Hall for the Performing Arts
April 25 - San Antonio, TX @ Lila Cockrell Theatre
April 27 - Austin, TX @ Bass Concert Hall
April 30 - Dallas, TX @ The Music Hall at Fair Park
May 3 - New Orleans, LA @ New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
May 8 - Jacksonville, FL @ Moran Theater
May 10 - Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall
May 13 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Broward Center for the Performing Arts
May 16 - Orlando, FL @ Bob Carr Performing Arts Center

Monday, January 23, 2012

Miami Finds Its Grassroots and a Growing Music Festival





For the 6 million-plus folks living in South Florida, finding a music festival to call one's own has been a losing proposition.  The ill-fated Langerado bounced around to several locations before succumbing to the Great Recession. Repeated attempts to bring Langerado back have languished


However, a new festival is making a strong bid to correct all that.  The Virginia Key Grassroots Festival features an eclectic, foot-stomping lineup for February 9th through the 12th on Virginia Key in south Miami.  Music varies from roots rock, bluegrass, hip hop, blues, zydeco, funk, world and just about everything in between.  Headliners include: Chaka Khan, The Del McCoury Band, Arrested Development, Fishbone, Jim Lauderdale, Beausoleil and Donna the Buffalo.  


The festival location, on an island in Biscayne Bay, is damn near perfect for its beauty.  The festival will also feature camping on site for those wishing for the true grungy festival experience. 


For the denizens at After Hours headquarters, Del McCoury really caught our eye along with the scheduled Saturday performance of the sacred steel aficionados The Lee Boys.  Several years ago, The Lee Boys filled in for Robert Randolph at Langerado and blew the flaps off the tent. 


Four-day tickets will set you back set you back a Benjamin while single-day tickets run $30 to $35.  

Monday, January 9, 2012

Black Keys, Radiohead To Headline Coachella


Stellar lineup for the just-leaked Coachella lineup. In addition to Radiohead and Black Keys, Bon Iver, St. Vincent, Mazzy Star, Jimmy Cliff, Cat Power, Shins, and Feist round out what looks to be a terrific festival.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

You Don't Need a Weatherman - just Jeff Tweedy


"You don’t need a weatherman
To know which way the wind blows"



Wilco's Jeff Tweedy stops by the hometown television station to talk a little hirsute weather. 

Monday, December 12, 2011

MMJ Melts Faces, Warms Hearts, Saves Souls

Jim James, photo by pbpulse.com
Rock and roll has always been about salvation. 

It has always been about redemption, deliverance from the mundane, the oppression, and the repetitiveness of the daily grind.  It is a release and an escape.  

My Morning Jacket's Saturday night show at the Boca Raton's cozy Sunset Cove Amphitheater was all this and more.  Jim James and Carl Broemel's twin guitar attack created a pure rock and roll moment.  There were more than a few times where all one could do was thrown your hands to the heavens and bask in the music's glory. 

The publicly-owned amphitheater, which is one of the more obscure and quirky venues in South Florida, was populated with a small (think large private party) but appreciatively hazy crowd.  The small attendance did not affect the band's stellar performance.  It was an arena show and we all had floor seats. 

The Louisville-based group featured cuts from each of their six albums during the past dozen years.  The majority of the songs came from the band's excellent spring release "Circuital."  The band was tight and funky, but, James, the charismatic frontman, was the focus.  From his searing guitar licks to his penchant for wearing capes, James demanded your attention. 

Opening the night was Delta Spirit who will most likely be headlining these types of shows next year after their new album is released in March. 

Rarely has South Florida seen two strong bands play on the same bill.  For those willing to venture out to west Boca, their efforts were greatly rewarded. 




Friday, December 9, 2011

It Is Time To Start The Top Ten Season


Tis the season for your Top Ten albums, songs, concerts and whatnot. After Hours favorite Tristan Clopet jumps out of the gate with a quality album list.  Above is his cover from The Black Keys' "El Camino" album from his renowned Living Room sessions.  "El Camino" will camp out on most lists this year including Tristan's and the After Hours HQ.  Lykke Li's spring release "Wounded Rhymes" is Clopet's intriguing top pick

Sunday, December 4, 2011

MMJ, Radiohead, Avetts, Elvis Headline SoFla Concert Season



With a break in the weather here, the world's itinerant musicians are headed to South Florida and we are the beneficiaries. Two of the best live bands going, My Morning Jacket and Radiohead, will be visiting and providing must-see shows on the peninsula during the next several months. 


There are several "wild-card" shows on the agenda - with Dan Hicks at the intimate Bamboo Room and the Nashville duo, The Civil Wars, - that deserve the discerning music fans attention.  



Dec. 5th - Daryl Hall & John Oates - Hard Rock Live
Dec. 6th - Paul Simon - Hard Rock Live 
Dec. 9th - Jimmy Thackery & The Drivers - Bamboo Room 
Dec 10th - My Morning Jacket w/ Delta Spirit - Sunset Cove Amphitheater 

Dec. 15th - John Ralston - Bamboo Room 
Dec. 15th - Dar Williams - Lyric Theater 
Dec. 15th - Alice Cooper - Hard Rock Live 
Dec. 17th - Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks - Bamboo Room 
Dec. 29th - Matisyahu - Kravis Center 
Dec. 30th - Jan. 1 - Cee-Lo Green, Boys II Men, Pete Wentz - Orange Drive Miami Beach Music Festival
Jan. 2nd - B.B. King - Kravis Center 
Jan. 6th - Donna the Buffalo - Revolution Live
Jan. 12th - Bob Seger - Bank Atlantic Center 
Jan. 14th - Galactic - Revolution Live 

Jan. 18th - Gregg Allman - Hard Rock Live 
Jan. 26th - G Love and Special Sauce - The Culture Room 
Jan. 28th - Jimmy Buffett and The Coral Reefer Band - American Airlines Arena 

Jan. 28th - The Kills - Revolution Live 
Feb. 2nd - Keb' Mo - Lyric Theater 
Feb. 3rd - John Prine & Sara Watkins - Coral Springs Center for the Arts 
Feb. 4th - Patti LaBelle - Kravis Center 
Feb. 4th - The Civil Wars - The Culture Room
Feb. 23th - The Saw Doctors - Revolution Live 
Feb. 10th - The Avett Brothers - Sunset Cove Amphitheater 
Feb. 24th - Doobie Brothers - Hard Rock Live
Feb. 27th - Radiohead - American Airlines Arena
Mar. 3rd - Dropkick Murphys - Pompano Beach Amphitheater
Mar. 9th - Henry Rollins - Spoken Word - Revolution Live 

Mar. 10th - Big Head Todd & the Monsters - The Culture Room
Mar. 16th - MuteMath - Revolution Live 
April 25th - Elvis Costello and The Imposters - Hard Rock Live 
June 15th - Roger Waters: The Wall Live - BankAtlantic Center



Friday, September 23, 2011

Taking The Tumblr - After Hours On The Move


After a long respite and finding the Blogger format unforgiving, I am shifting After Hours to Tumblr.  Hope to see you there