Tampa band The Applebutter Express to play Bonnaroo 2012
Over the years, the Tampa music scene has sent a handful of artists to some pretty major music festivals, such as South By Southwest or the CMJ Music Marathon.
Bonnaroo, though? That might be a first.
In a couple of weeks, Seminole Heights jam-bluegrass outfit The Applebutter Express will cross that threshold. The group has been selected for a slot on the opening day of Bonnaroo, one of the largest and most prestigious music festivals in the country. Radiohead, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Phish are the headliners of this year’s festival, set for June 7-10 in Manchester, Tenn.
“It’s like having a Harvard degree on your resume,” said singer and ukulele player Kyle Biss. “We couldn’t be more excited. It’s kind of a game-changer for us.” ... Read more
SoundBytes: DJ Khaled, Katherine Jenkins, moe. and more
-- DJ Khaled just released a new video for his track Take It To The Head, featuring Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne. It was filmed at Universal Studios Orlando's Disaster! ride. Check it out above.
-- Daddy Kool Records is about to host a wickedly awesome in-store event: Lucero's Ben Nichols and Rick Steff, performing an acoustic set this Friday, hours before their band takes the stage at the State Theatre. Click here for details.
-- Fresh off her runner-up finish on Dancing With the Stars, noted popera crossover Katherine Jenkins is coming to the Straz Center in Tampa on March 1, 2013. She'll be joined by Nathan Pacheco. Tickets start at $34.50. Click here for details.
-- Before there was fun., there was moe. The creatively puncutated and capitalized jam band heroes will hit Jannus Live on July 29 -- the same day as the Warped Tour. That shouldn't result in any weird crowd conflicts downtown, should it? Tickets go onsale June 1. Click here.
-- Get ready for Paulapalooza! Ron Paul is planning a three-day festival of "music, entertainment and activism" at the Florida State Fairgrounds from Aug. 24-26, right before the Republican National Convention. Too early to say who might headline, but it does look like noted Paul supporter Kelly Clarkson is already on tour elsewhere that weekend. ... Read more
SoundBytes: Skrillex, Joe Budden, Rebelution and more
-- Bespectacled dubstep icon/headliner of every summer festival Skrillex has announced a show at Miami club Mansion on Sept. 28. Is Sonny planning a tour of the southeast? Who knows, but we'll definitely keep an eye on it.
-- Avicii has announced the opening acts for his upcoming arena tour, which kicks off at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on June 7: Chuckie, Gareth Emery, Arty, Morgan Page, Cazette, Pleasurekraft and Swanky Tunes. Wow, that's like a borderline festival. Tickets are on sale for the show are $22.75-$46.75. Click here.
-- A cool hip-hop show is coming to Jannus Live on June 30: The Wild 94.1 Lyrical Lounge, with Joe Budden, Chiddy Bang and Jon Connor. Tickets are $15-$20, and they go onsale Saturday. Click here. ... Read more
SoundBytes: Citizen Cope, Al Green, Morgan Page and more
-- Funk-folk strummer Citizen Cope is coming back to Jannus Live. According to his website, he'll be there on Sept. 13. Tickets will cost $23-$26, but there's no word yet on an on-sale date. Click here.
-- Universal Orlando has announced three more acts for its Summer Concert Series: Josh Turner on June 23, Al Green on June 30, and Lupe Fiasco on July 7. Click here.
-- The new and improved USF Sun Dome will hold an open house at 10 a.m. Saturday, with tours, giveaways and more. Click here. ... Read more
SoundBytes: 2 Chainz, Dethklok, the Toadies and more
-- Buzzworthy rapper 2 Chainz is coming to the Ritz Ybor on June 10. Tickets are $30-$50. Click here for info.
-- The '90s revival continues! This time, it's the Toadies (Possum Kingdom) and Helmet (Milquetoast) joining forces for a joint tour that'll hit the State Theatre on July 26. Tickets are $23.50. Click here. ... Read more
SoundBytes: Dr. Ralph Stanley, Crocodiles, Lupe Fiasco and more
-- Per I Love the 'Burg: Sheryl Crow made TMZ for forgetting the lyrics to Soak Up The Sun during her recent performance at A Taste of Pinellas. "What do you expect? I'm 50!" she said. Check out the video above.
-- A bluegrass legend in an unconventional space? Sold! Dr. Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys will be at Keel and Curley Winery in Plant City on May 19. Tickets start at $12. Click here for details.
-- The University of Tampa's Minaret newspaper reports on a conflict between a student and police following a recent Lupe Fiasco concert on campus. ... Read more
Against Me!'s Tom Gabel comes out as transgender; will perform at Orlando's House of Blues in June
Tom Gabel, the lead singer of acclaimed Gainesville punk band Against Me!, has a voice made for rock ’n’ roll, a razorwire growl perfectly suited for raucous songs with titles like Piss and Vinegar and I Was a Teenage Anarchist.
So what does it mean that Gabel now plans to start living as a woman?
In a story to be published in Rolling Stone on Friday, Gabel will come out as transgender, saying she’s been living for years with gender dysphoria, and will soon transition to life as a woman through the use of hormones and electrolysis treatment. In becoming the first major transgender rock star, she will take the name Laura Jane Grace and remain married to her wife, Heather.
“For me, the most terrifying thing about this was how she would accept the news,” said Gabel. “But she’s been super-amazing and understanding.” ... Read more
SoundBytes: Bombay Bicycle Club, Big K.R.I.T., Gavin DeGraw and more
-- This is both awesome and a bummer: One of the most intriguing new bands we've heard the last couple of years, Bombay Bicycle Club, is touring in Florida ... but unfortunately, at this point, they're only coming to Orlando. Their website says they'll play the Social on Oct. 5 (the Social's website, meanwhile, says Sept. 5, but we expect that to be remedied soon). Tickets are $17-$20.
-- Buzzworthy rapper Big K.R.I.T. is coming to the Ritz Ybor on Aug. 12, according to his website. No ticket details just yet.
-- Anyone seen Gavin DeGraw around Tampa Bay recently? He's apparently in town rehearsing for a tour, and will be doing a private performance at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on May 17. Mix 107 and 93.3-FLZ are offering listeners a chance to get in on the action. Click here for details. ... Read more
SoundBytes: Rick Ross, Paul van Dyk, Josh Turner and more
-- M-M-M-M-Maybach Music! Rick Ross is on his way back to Tampa. He'll be at the Hawaiian Village at the Stadium Green Iguana on June 1. Tickets start at $30. Click here for info.
-- Dutch trance icon Paul van Dyk may be skipping the local Identity Festival stop, but he WILL be at the Sunset Music Festival on May 26. Also added: Nicky Romero.
-- Country star Josh Turner will sell his latest CD, Punching Bag, live from St. Petersburg during an HSN broadcast at 9 p.m. May 25. Click here for details.
-- Adam Carolla must have had so much fun at the Straz Center last fall that he's decided to come back. The comedy podcaster will team up with veteran broadcaster Dennis Prager for "an evening of funny and thought-provoking conversation." Wonder if the Republican National Convention, which starts the following week, will come up? Tickets start at $26.50. Click here for details. ... Read more
MCA, R.I.P.: Remembering Adam Yauch and the Beastie Boys in Tampa Bay
Talk about crushing news for a Friday: Adam "MCA" Yauch, one of the Beastie Boys, has died at 47.
Though the Beastie Boys haven't performed in Tampa since a 2004 show at the St. Pete Times Forum, their musical connection to the Tampa Bay area does go back well into the '80s.
In 1985, the Beasties opened for Madonna in her only Tampa Bay tour stop ever, at the USF Sun Dome. "Our job was to get the crowd riled up before Madonna went on," Yauch would later recall. "And we did it. And whether we got them happy or got them mad, we definitely didn't leave them bored."
But their most notorious connection to the area came two years later. ... Read more
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