SunFest's Here! Time To Find A New Band

The roadies are here.  They are setting up the multiple stages as there are only a few hours left until SunFest begins on Wednesday night.  

While most of the well-meaning music fans have mapped out their headliners (After Hours will be visiting The Avett Brothers, Cee-Lo and Gregg Allman), there a multitude of up-and-coming bands and regional acts to check out.  Hell, that is the beauty of a music festival - to blithely stumble upon a band that becomes a favorite. 

During a sugar-like craving for sweet, pop music, two, early opening acts - both based in South Florida - have piqued the interests here at AF HQ.  

The product of an Irish schoolteacher and her musician father from India, Sarah Packiam plays a sultry acoustic pop that includes flourishes of Irish folk and Indian music.  Now based in Miami Beach, Packiam is now recording her debut album of indie world folk in Miami's Cutting Cane Studio.  Packiam is opening the show Thursday night (5:15 p.m.) at the main Bank of America stage. 

The southern-infused pop rock of The Gallery is as catchy as one of their hook-laden songs. Formed in Massachusetts, the quartet has been based in West Palm Beach for the past three years.  The unsigned band just released their first EP and continues to tour around the country.  The band has the unenviable slot of 12:15 p.m. Saturday as the first band of the day at the Tire Kingdom Stage.