Twenty-One Years Later, Umphrey’s McGee Is Still Going Strong

It’s a point of pride for the jam band Umphrey’s McGee that in this, its 21st year of existence, it released not one, but two new records: It’s Not Us and It’s You. “It’s great we can show people that 20 years into the band, we’re not rehashing old music,” keyboardist and singer Joel Cummins says…

Tritonal Brings Electronic Music With a Cause to LIV

Austin is known for its guitar music. Few people think of the Texas capital as an EDM hot spot, but electronic geniuses Tritonal call it home. “I came from a Texan musical family,” explains one half of the duo, Chad Cisneros. “My grandparents played guitar and piano. They had my mom and her sisters cut records as a family band of gospel and Christian music.”

Miami Could Not Handle Three Hours of the Smashing Pumpkins

It seemed outrageous in 1994 when lead singer Billy Corgan said the Smashing Pumpkins were influenced by ’70s  dinosaur rock like Boston and Electric Light Orchestra. His most faithful fans figured he was being ironic. Those were the kind of older acts his alternative-rock peers like Nirvana and Radiohead openly mocked…

Beach Day Plays Its First Local Show in Two Years

A lot has happened in the past two years. In 2016, Barack Obama was president, fake news was an oxymoron, and the South Florida rock ‘n’ rollers of Beach Day played their most recent hometown show. “I moved to Detroit,” singer/guitarist Kimmy Drake explains. For someone who grew up in Kendall…

Will Spanish-Language Rock Ever Break Through in the U.S.?

When Luis Fonsi’s song “Despacito” topped the U.S. singles charts for a significant part of 2017, there was talk it might lead to a multicultural epiphany — that America was finally ready to open its ears to Spanish language songs. But though the success of “Despacito” might turn out to…

Pixies Power Through 41 Songs at Secret Show

Last month, when a band named after the Pixies song “Debaser” was announced the night before the Pixies were in town to coheadline a tour with Weezer, the hint seemed pretty clear: The Pixies were using an alias, which happened to be the name of one of their most popular songs. Although there was no official confirmation, enough people took a leap of faith to sell out the room. They were amply rewarded with an action-packed set that was almost like a riddle or an SAT math question. How can a rock band play 41 songs in two hours?

How Not to Interpret the Pixies

I got into the indie-rock legends not long after they had broken up in 1993. It took a couple listens for me to fall into their spell of the dynamic that inspired Nirvana, Radiohead, and every other band of the era. Their music had no dead spots. It was all energy and drive. The lyrics, though, were what kept me coming back. They were mysterious enough that it was hard to know what singer Black Francis was hollering about.

Las Rosas Celebrates First Anniversary as a Live Music Venue

Las Rosas is celebrating its first anniversary. Kind of. “What gave us the name,” the Allapattah bar’s owner, Cesar Morales, says, “was there was a Central American bar at the same location called Las Rosas. It was a true dive bar. It was really worn-down. But the sign was there, and something about it worked.”

Black Tide Reunites at Churchill’s Headbanger’s Ball 2018

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of Black Tide’s debut album, Kendall’s biggest metal band will reunite June 2 at Churchill’s Pub. For now, it’s a one-time gig, bassist Zakk Sandler explains. “People keep asking if we’re going to play more shows or if we’re going to do a record. No. We’re going to play this show, and then we’ll go from there.”

Are the Pixies Playing a Secret Show at Revolution Live?

Yesterday the Fort Lauderdale music venue Revolution Live issued a news release announcing an act called Debaser will play there Thursday, June 21. Ever heard of Debaser? Me neither. But because “Debaser” is the name of one of my favorite songs by the Pixies, I scrolled down the screen, eager for more info. Under the “who” subheading of the news release, where normally every facet of a band’s existence is usually recounted, all it said was: “DEBASER – A CULT BAND!”