DJs

DJ Sandman
James Sandman (his real last name, he says) has been a leader in the local hip-hop scene since the '80s, when he hosted a radio show at USF and booked hip-hop shows around Tampa Bay. “Back then, when we started DJ’ing clubs in Ybor, there were only a couple of clubs trying to do hip-hop,” he says. Now he hosts a late-night Saturday show on 98.7 The Beat, and along with his MC partner, Deacon, stages a weekly old-school hip-hop bowling night at Pin Chasers on North Armenia Avenue in Tampa. Musically, Sandman opens for national acts like DMX, the Wu-Tang Clan and KRS-One, whom he’s been bringing to Tampa since the early '90s. And he’s continuing to build TampaHipHop.com, the local online rap community he co-founded several years ago. myspace.com/djsandman813.

DJ Smallz
DJ Smallz’ Southern Smoke mix-tape series has made him a major player on the college party circuit — and given him a claim to the national spotlight as one of the top mix-tape DJs around. His tapes have featured artists from Ludacris to Master P to Lil Wayne, and he hosts a weekly Sirius Radio show, Southern Smoke Radio, from midnight to 2 a.m. on Hip-Hop Nation, Channel 40. He’s eyeing a summer release for his full-length compilation album, which will be named — you guessed it — Southern Smoke. www.djsmallz.com.

J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League
This trio of in-demand producers has helmed tracks like Young Jeezy’s Don’t Get Caught, Juelz Santana’s Rumble Young Man Rumble and Mary J. Blige’s No One Will Do, off her Grammy-winning The Breakthrough. Multi-instrumentalists Rook, Colione and Kenny “Barto” Bartolomei are based in Tampa, but their Atlanta ties opened doors with the likes of Young Jeezy and Toni Braxton. They’re currently on the rise thanks to their production work on She’s Got It by 2 Pistols featuring T-Pain. And about that acronym in their name? It stands for “Just Undeniable Songs Tracks Instrumentals Corporate Enterprise.” Flows off the tongue, doesn’t it? myspace.com/officialjustice.

Crate Brothers
To paraphrase their MySpace page, Theo Severson and Chris Wood are neither actually brothers nor brothas, but they are brothers in soul and taste. They share an appreciation for vintage vinyl and eclectic beats that run the gamut from the Smiths to the Clash to De La Soul (for whom they opened last spring). Their left-of-center indie-ness has made them regulars at Czar’s Dirty But Sophisticated art and fashion parties, and their retro record addiction has made them regulars at Vinyl Fever in Tampa. myspace.com/cratebrothers.

Business Casual
Michael “Mr. Attention” Martz and Jesse “P” Poole-VanSwol are proud alumni of the old school, mixing Bootsy Collins and the Four Tops in with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings in their classic soul sets. The pair collects vintage 45s from eBay and other collectors, but isn’t afraid to mix a little Bel Biv Devoe into their set to get the crowd hyped. “What’s the greatest is when people react to it,” Jesse P told tbt* recently. “Especially,” Martz added, “if people don’t know a song; you play something that no one knows and they dance to it.” myspace.com/biznesscasual.

Sam the Pickle
Sam Nagatani used to play drums in the Boats and now provides the beat for the Lake Audition, but he’s been DJ’ing since the mid-’90s. He loves reggae, dub and funk, but in true rock-band fashion, he loves hardcore punk bands like Fugazi, Bad Brains and Operation Ivy, and classic rockers like Creedence and Led Zep. Check him out at 10 p.m. Tuesdays at the Garden, 217 Central Ave. in St. Pete. myspace.com/samthepickle.

DJ Fuego
Graphic artist Jen Saavedra is all over the map — she’s Tampa-raised (and USF-educated), but “flavored by life in Brooklyn,” and her work has been shown in Tokyo, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. But musically, her icy, down-tempo beats are right on point. Like Tricky or Thievery Corporation with a dash of Ladytron splashed in, Fuego’s work is slick, spooky and just a bit sexual. Her next local show is March 27 at Kelly’s Pub in Tampa. www.fuegoart.com.

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HIP-HOP

Blac Soap
Blac Soap MC’s Seif Bushrah and Reginald “Fly Beads” Ferguson met as teens a decade ago, freestyling at University Mall, and have evolved to incorporate elements of funk and rock — guitars, keyboards, etc. — into their catchy, danceable hip-hop. The band’s spaced-out sound and hypercolor style blend together like a fusion of Rick James, Shock G and OutKast. Their long-delayed album, Green Music for Blue People, is due this summer, but they’ve been keeping busy, opening for Talib Kweli last fall. Some of their most acclaimed songs (including the Gnarls Barkley-ish Thug Hippy) are on posted on their MySpace page. myspace.com/blacsoap.

2 Pistols
You know you’ve made it when T-Pain comes to your video shoot. Rising Tarpon Springs rapper 2 Pistols brought everyone’s favorite hip-hop wingman to Matt Geiger’s North Pinellas mansion to film the clip for the underground hit She Got It. A former standout running back at Tarpon Springs High School, 2 Pistols (a.k.a. Jeremy Saunders) has been busted for dealing drugs in the past, and in 2006 was robbed at gun- and machete-point in his Holiday recording studio. But She Got It helped him land a record deal with Universal Republic, the label behind Amy Winehouse, Stephen Marley and Jack Johnson. His work with Tampa production geniuses the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League has made 2 Pistols a name to know. myspace.com/2pistols.

Plies
One of 2007’s biggest breakouts on the local hip-hop scene was Plies. The Fort Myers-born, Tampa-based rapper scored major hits with Shawty, a duet with Tallahassee’s ubiquitous T-Pain, and Hypnotized, with Akon. Recently he announced plans to film a reality dating show, Plies’ Bust It Baby, that he hopes to sell to MTV, VH1 or Fuse. www.pliesworld.com.

Basiqs
Rapper and vocalist Mr. Sin hails from Tampa; his partner in rhyme, MC Gage, is a New Yorker. But the Basiqs bring a hefty funk to the stage no matter where they go. Gage won the prestigious John Lennon Songwriting Contest for amateur musicians for the duo’s track Destiny. If you like Common, you’ll dig the duo’s thoughtful, inspirational rhymes and soulful, old-school vibe on their album Your Life is Calling. Last fall, they shot their first video, for She Won’t. Might these guys be the next big rappers to come out of the Sunshine State? www.basiqs.com.

Gravy Records
Like the Wu-Tang Clan — to whom their music bears more than a slight resemblance — the Gravy crew’s members float back and forth between other projects. Will “Buck Tooth” Mullady, George “Ghost” Stander and Michael “DJMP” Phillips  — all pals of Worldwide Zoo — perform at all the Gravy Records shows, but all three do their solo thing, too. Their most recent group effort, Tuck Your Chain Vol. 1, came out last year, and Ghost and Buck Tooth are releasing an album this year under the moniker Uglikidz, And DJMP is working on a project called the Maestros with local MC’s Spon and Krhyme 9; their album, Culture Weapon, is due soon. myspace.com/gravyrecords.

Jersey
The name says it all: Jersey’s reppin’ the Garden State, which he credits for his “up-north flow.” But as a member of Aych’s hip-hop collective the Umbrella Corporation, he’s now a full-fledged Tampan. He MC’s at Club Empire on Wednesday nights, and his mix tapes have been hot sellers on the streets of Ybor City. With his gravelly voice, Jersey (real name: Brian Hyppolite) sounds a little like DMX, minus the unapproachable edge. “I am the definition of the street dream,” he told tbt* in November. myspace.com/jerseymuzik.

Ryan Kendrick
The young Clearwater singer bills himself as both “The Golden Child” and “The Next King of R&B,” and the hype seems to be working — he recently scored an opening slot at Wild Splash '08 in Tampa. Before going the hip-hop route, Kendrick was an accomplished jazz saxophonist, and he’s a talented enough dancer that he choreographs his own moves. myspace.com/ryankmusic.

N’Finiti
The saucy Virginia Beach native spits like the queen of the 'hood on tracks like She Lyke Dat and Billion Dollar Bitch (“I can be a lady in the streets / I can be a freak in the sheets”). N’Finiti, who also models, likens her style to that of Mary J. Blige, though her raw, passionate flow sounds a lot like Foxy Brown. www.myspace.com/nfinitimusik.

Trinity
Trinity’s witty, exuberant style, especially on the buoyant single Hush, calls to mind Missy Elliott and MC Lyte. A former marching band drummer, Trinity’s work with Tampa DJs Christion and Smallz has made her a mix-tape queen throughout the South, leading to appearances with Flo Rida and Chris Brown last fall in Tampa. www.myspace.com/partylovemoney

Lil Kee
Keith “Lil Kee” Norates had a big 2007. His single, Low to da Flo, got some traction in the clubs — he staged a big video release party in October at Club 112, where he deejays on weekends — and producing and performing songs throughout the state. Last fall, tbt* shadowed Norates for two months to gain insight into the life of an up-and-coming rapper; read the story at tinyurl.com/yt6apg. www.myspace.com/lilkeeonline.

 

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Spring Hill rapper Laws’ album The Funny Pages got a three-star review in Urb magazine, which compared him favorably to Lupe Fiasco and A Tribe Called Quest. myspace.com/lawshiphop.

Tampa-based Celph Titled of the Demigodz collective has a massive resume to go with his massive skills, as evidenced by his 75-song, four-CD set The Gatalog: A Collection of Chaos, featuring collaborations with Juelz Santana and Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda. myspace.com/celphtitled.

Tommy “Urban D” Kyllonen, the founder of Crossover Community Church at 7809 N Orleans Ave. in Tampa, is a pioneer in the field of Christian hip-hop. He calls his blend of street sense and Bible knowledge “Un.orthodox” (which also happens to be the title of his newest book, CD and DVD). He’s traveled the world spreading the gospel in a manner kids can relate to. www.urband.org.

Brandon’s Jakeem “Big Cheese” Johnson has a big sense of humor, but not everyone gets it —YouTube took down his Boondocks-sampling video to F--- Ya Court, a kiss-off to the court system. So of course, Big Cheese made a mock-apology video about the incident ... which he promptly posted to YouTube. You can see more of his work at youtube.com/user/DJchedda727 or myspace.com/bigcheese2008.

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INDIE/EXPERIMENTAL

King of Spain
He’s our favorite comeback kid, probably the Tampa scene’s biggest success story. Multi-instrumentalist Matt Slate says his life almost came to a halt when he divorced in 2000, and his band, the Maccabees, broke up. Five years later, he started putting together a recording studio, composed songs, and ran them by his former bandmates. In a year, he built a following, put on several shows — some of them striking multimedia events — and well-received CD on New Granada called Entropy. It’s delicate, disturbing, atmospheric and melodic. We can’t wait to see else what Slate has planned. www.myspace.com/musicofkingofspain.

Jarvik 7
Scheduled to play WMNF’s Tropical Heatwave this year, Jarvik 7 is a band with heart, even if it’s named after an artificial one. The quartet pumps out visceral rock balanced by atmospheric keyboards. Brad Richardson of Isobella and Pohgoh fame joined this year as the band’s guitarist, and founding member Mat Bowman began singing lead, departing from the band’s instrumentals-only set. Bowman says they “won’t be playing every week like some bands,” but Jarvik 7 will be playing out regularly in 2008 — and with eye candy, too. Filmmaker Mark Thompson provides compelling background imagery for Jarvik 7’s performances. www.jarvik7.com.

Petrograd in Transit
It’s been a slow year for new styles and new bands making an impact. But here we have a fresh, original St. Pete band with a big, sprawling sound. Petrograd in Transit is beauty in motion. www.myspace.com/therealdealarguile.

Flexxehawk
With a name inspired by a bird strutting like a weightlifter, the St. Pete band sports well-respected alumni of bands such as IMA, Vacation Bible School and Dumbwaiters. Trey Conner (guitar and drums), Matt Simmons (guitar), Chris Sturgeon (drums and guitar) and Jeremy King (bass) perform rock that’s unpredictable and powerful. It’ll be interesting to see what they evolve into during the coming months. www.myspace.com/flexxehawk.

Otolathe
Genius tinkerer and multi-instrumentalist K. Paul has gone through several phases. He’s ditched guitars and embraced electronic music, and vice versa. He’s done drum-and-bass. Lately he’s been both rocking and atmospheric, employing all kinds of elements into his compositions. It’s amazing we have someone with his breadth of talent in our midst. We hope Paul plays more venues. www.otolathe.com.

Waterdigger
One can’t help be captivated and at the same time wince at Danny McGuire’s twisted redneck cabaret. He’s part Ween, part Hee Haw, part institution escapee. Vocal distortions and fuzzy guitars weird up some already weird tunes. Some are electronic, some instrumental, courtesy of the Crash Mitchell cohort Don Butler. McGuire writes disturbing lyrics that (quite honestly) could be cleverer, but he delivers some surprisingly inventive melodies and dern catchy grooves. www.myspace.com/waterdigger2.

Grex
Grex plays lo-fi folk punk with pretty vocal harmonies, violin (electric and traditional) and acoustic guitars. Nickole Hanna and Karina Wilder began collaborating a year ago and enlisted Brittany “Babe” Friesen in May. Snow, the oldest at 32, completes the lineup and has more than a decade of experience in local bands. The band’s song topics range from heartbreak to STDs, with some goofy lyrics adding a humorous touch. The girls came up with the name when they fed the word “crow” into a Latin translator. Karina, who has the bird inked on her skin, inspired it.

Super Secret Best Friends
Stephanie Hayes (vocals, keyboard), Alex Zayas (drums) and Emily Nipps (guitar) — all writers for the St. Petersburg Times — have made the most of their brief time together as a band, playing with local faves like Life of Pi and the Beauvilles and national acts like Leslie and the Lys. Their witty sensibilities are endearing, and their catchy, stripped-down sound is raw but sparkly, like Jem fronting Sleater-Kinney. myspace.com/supersecretbestfriends.

Dry County
The name hints at an Americana band that likes to put pictures of toothless geezers in overalls on its cover, but alas, no. This Tampa band is mind-bogglingly eclectic, rife with off-kilter grace. Signed to Kiss of Death records, these dudes sound one second like Pavement, the next like your friend’s hardcore punk band. Either way, Dry County will quench your thirst for originality. myspace.com/thedrycountyfl.

Admirals of the Narrow Sea
These young St. Pete fellas command influences from the indie side of the spectrum — Mogwai, Radiohead, the Appleseed Cast, Minus the Bear and Elliott Smith — to more traditional ones such as the Beatles and Pink Floyd. And that’s along with the punk and hardcore they say they listened to growing up. The result is fairly epic rock sound. myspace.com/admiralsofthenarrowsea.

Uh Oh Spades
One of the more pleasing yet challenging electronic acts to come out in a while. If you like Orlando’s Yip-Yip, this act from Lutz is your thing. They can go from atmospheric to chimey to dancey. Their show features neato lighting displays and film visuals. myspace.com/uhohspades.

Ryan Wendell Bauer
When not playing keyboards for the band Auditorium, Bauer writes his own humorous and creative synth-pop tunes. He performs outlandish dance moves on stage with a modest, unassuming charm and childlike goofiness. His tunes are satirical takes on the mundane, including the future classic, Vacation Beard. myspace.com/ryanwendellbauer.

 

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Insect Joy is Brian Repetto and James Bess of Dumbwaiters, who call their experimental/electronic/noise act “unholy clatter and bloated warblings via nowhere.” myspace.com/insectjoy.

Quasi-improvisational, weirdo-experimental duo Phantom Limb Syndrome puts the mental in experimental. The tunes are fairly catchy, part Nico, part Devo.

Doug Davison, formerly of Strip Club Moms, offers a fresh take on Sonic Youth’s catchy pop blitz. myspace.com/dougdavison

Blast and the Detergents, with members from Pinellas and Hillsborough, is another band that owes nods to Sonic Youth. Their sound is that weird stuff you skip over when you’re in traffic, but it’s catchy in spots, too. myspace.com/blast123.

David Vassalotti is a man of many talents, playing in Tampa thrashers Andros Rex and an electric goof-off act called Sex Clown. But the USF student’s solo stuff is a pure, experimental acoustic jam.

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JAZZ/LATIN/FUNK

Soul 2 Earth
Based on their name, Soul 2 Earth sounds like they should be holding down Track 4 on MTV’s Party to Go Vol. 1. But the silky churchified funk band from Winter Haven brings a foot-stomping blend of guitars, harmonicas and organs whenever and wherever they go. They’ve shared the stage with local fave Damon Fowler and played WMNF’s Birthday Bash in August.

Lounge Cat
You want your party bands to have a sense of humor, and Lounge Cat does it in spades. The Seminole swing band has the traditional big-band chops to play weddings and art shows, but they’re not afraid to throw in a cover of Sex Machine to yank a crowd out of a cocktail-fueled slumber. Singer-guitarist Eddie Rosicky, saxman Marg Gound, banjoist David Crisler, trumpeter Jim Morey, bassist Anne Vanatta and drummer Billy Carr play regular gigs at Pastino’s in Largo, and next month they’ll be at Bern’s Winefest and the Sarasota Film Festival. www.loungecat.net.

Bogus Pomp
To call Bogus Pomp a Frank Zappa cover band would be accurate, but it wouldn’t tell anything close to the whole story of this 10-piece ensemble. Guitarist Jerry Outlaw has led his band of merry Zappaphiles to performances around the globe, including stints with the Zappanale Festival in Germany and gigs with the Florida Orchestra and Buffalo Philharmonic. They often perform with former Zappa vocalist Napoleon Murphy Brock, but Bogus Pomp is perhaps best known for Zappaween, the band’s annual October Zapstravaganza. Last year’s was held at the State Theatre in St. Pete. www.boguspomp.com.

Fiesta
Singers Jorge Laureano and Lee Malavet were part of a salsa collective called ClaraSalsa for more than 10 years, but have recently branched out into their own project, Fiesta. The Tampa group blends English and Spanish lyrics with traditional Latin beats into a celebration of rhythm that’s truly worthy of their name. www.myspace.com/clarasalsa.

Infinite Groove Orchestra
John Richardson (keyboards), Jeremy Powell (sax), Jon Shea (bass) and Adam Volpe (drums) bring this avant-funk-jazz quartet to life. Their influences run the gamut from Herbie Hancock to Funkadelic, and they’ve been known to cover Radiohead, as their satin-smooth, lounge-cat cover of Exit Music (For a Film) proves. www.myspace.com/infinitegrooveorchestra.

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There’s a lot of Tampa blood in Tallahassee’s Soular System, so we’ll give the Rev. Desmond D’Angelo and his eclectic, funk’d-out eight-piece a shout-out here — if for no other reason than for D’Angelo’s soulful, deep-down growl.

Acoustic and electric bassist Philip Booth knows jazz — he’s written about it for the St. Pete Times — and his many projects over the years reflect his expertise. Last year, he performed with Greenwich Blue, Tampa Native, Interlude, the Booth/Koppelman Duo (with Sam Koppelman) and Trio Vibe with fellow scene vets Koppelman and Don Capone. www.triovibe.com.

Another guy familiar to plenty of local artists is Paul Wilborn, Tampa’s former arts czar, now the executive director of St. Pete’s Palladium Theater. He was the longtime frontman of the Pop Tarts; his most recent effort is singing and tinkling the ivories for the Blue Roses, who specialize in standards.

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LOUD & FAST

The Almost
Aaron Gillespie, the drummer for Tampa’s Christian-metal stalwarts Underoath, founded the Almost as a side project, but the melodic punk five-piece has enjoyed national success, touring with Paramore and Jimmy Eat World. The popularity of their debut record, Southern Weather, and the single Say It Sooner, hasn’t been hindered by the band’s Christian values. “I feel like the world sort of wants you to dumb down the fact you’re Christian,” guitarist Jay Vilardi told tbt* before the band’s gig at the 97X Next Big Thing festival. “Even if it hurt us financially, I would rather be considered a Christian band than be the exact opposite, which is ... bands getting loaded and all that.” www.thealmost.com.

Thoreau
The name is a bit of a misnomer, since the rock churned out by New Port Richey’s Thoreau is anything but simple. Signed to Orlando’s Pandora Records, Sean McPhee (vocals), Daniel Miller (guitar), Ricky Carlton (guitar), Shawn Nichols (drums) and Dick Relak (bass) are Florida’s version of a next-gen Thursday — a precociously young, prodigiously talented quintet served perfectly by McPhee’s lyrics and cascading voice. Look for these guys to hit the Warped Tour and beyond in the next few years. myspace.com/thoreau.

A Day to Remember
A Day to Remember is signed to Chicago’s Victory Records alongside Hot Topic heroes Hawthorne Heights, Aiden and Silverstein, for whom the Ocala boys recently opened at Jannus Landing. (They’ll be back here for the Vans Warped Tour in July.) Singer Jeremy McKinnon’s voice veers from a soaring emo wail to a guttural, full-throated growl at the drop of a pick. Their song The Plot to Bomb the Panhandle may not play well in Pensacola, but the video for the song features Ron Jeremy as a judo instructor. Who wouldn’t love that? myspace.com/adaytoremember.

Orchestra of Munitions
Led by then Tim Version’s Shawn Watkins and Dan Padilla, this fortified ensemble lives up to the majesty and menace of its name. You’ll hear the band Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson would form if he were a suburban punk in Valrico. myspace.com/thetimversion.

Arm the Poor
Oldsmar punks Adam O’Leary (vocals and guitar), Aaron Schaub (guitar), Marc Cody (bass) deliver polished, ska-tinged power punk with a subversive bent. In 2007 they released a split LP, We Never Sleep, with Nashville ska outfit Stuck Lucky. “Every song that we have is completely different,” Schaub told tbt* in August. myspace.com/armthepoor.

Select Start
The pop-punks in Tampa’s Select Start — singer-guitarist Joe Guerra, drummer Patrick Guyer, guitarist Matt Reisinger, bassist Adam Loper and guitarist Jason Polo — are gearing up for a tour of the east coast and Midwest. Along the way, they’ll mix their repertoire of catchy, straightforward punk tracks with material from their new EP, The Rotary, whch is full of synths, danceable beats and electronic vocals. myspace.com/selectstart.

Six Feet Under
Nate? Brenda? Nope, but you will find Ice-T on a Six Feet Under album. Guitarist Allen West (formerly of Obituary) and vocalist Chris Barnes (formerly of Cannibal Corpse) formed Six Feet Under in 1993; West left in 1998, but Steve Swanson (guitar), Greg Gall (drums) and Terry Butler (bass) still round out the lineup. The band’s dark-but-crisp sound features Barnes’ bone-scraping growl. And yes, Ice-T does drop in for a verse on 2001’s One Bullet Left. www.sfu420.com.

Zanesville
Dirty, Heineken-fueled garage-glam is what singer-guitarist Jeff Godsell, bassist Jerry Sirois and drummer Sean Doyle are all about. The St. Pete trio’s snotty little ditties about french-kissing girls and hairy-toothed madmen sound like songs the Ramones might have written had they grown up Alabama. www.zanesvillerocks.com.

Denial Fiend
Death metal from the suburbs of Valrico? You bet. Denial Fiend — vocalist Kam Lee, guitarist Sam Williams (of Pseudo Heroes), bassist Terry Butler (also of Six Feet Under) and drummer Curt Beeson — was forged in the ashes of longtime scene heroes Death and Massacre. Denial Fiend has appearances at metal fests in California, Illinois and Florida this spring and summer. www.denialfiend.net, myspace.com/denialfiendband.

Boney Fiend
For much of the past 14 years, Boney Fiend — the excellently named Jonny Fiend (drums/vocals), Jimmy Bone (keyboards), Chad Ghoul’d (keyboards) and Mikey Fiend (bass), make up today’s lineup — have churned out a bubbling stew of Misfits-inspired horror punk that makes you want to reach for the wax fangs. With awesomely spook-tacular song titles — Dracula has Risen! Brain Robbers from Outer Space! Me and My Monsters! I’m Undead & I Like It! — you wonder how Boney Fiend manages to sound so upbeat. www.myspace.com/boneyfiend.

The Absence
Tampa’s the Absence — vocalist Jamie Stewart, guitarist Patrick Pintavalle, guitarist Peter Joseph, bassist Mike Leon and new drummer Justin Reynolds — bring a speed-freak intensity to the area’s thrash-metal scene. Their fret-melting new album, Riders of the Plague, includes a stomping, crunching cover of Testament’s Into the Pit. myspace.com/theabsence.

Mr. Bella
Fronted by scrappy blond bombshell Erin Marie, Mr. Bella performs propulsive hard rock with anthemic choruses, thick rhythms and catchy riffs. The band’s been around since 1997 with changing personnel. One constant’s been a fiendish blend of big-hair genres — old wave and glam metal. www.mrbella.com

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The alt-rockers in Stalling Dawn — singer-guitarist Jesse Morris, guitarists Jim Fall and Nick Stegall, bassist Mitch White and drummer Matt Rollo — are gearing up for a summer tour with Bradenton’s the Prospect. myspace.com/stallingdawn.

Tampa grunge group Broken Self — singer Bonnie Newman, drummer James Ferrell, guitarists Scott Galarza and Will Moore and bassist Gabe Valdivia — have a dark, crunchy sound that’s ripe for modern rock radio. myspace.com/acoolband.

Formerly known as TransEra, the female-fronted Evanescence-esque rockers Surviving the Siren have scored a handful of gigs opening for Godsmack, Flyleaf and Saliva. myspace.com/survivingthesirenband.

Christian screamo outfit Burden of a Day may be from Sarasota, but they’ve attained a national following with passionate songs like Cupid Missed His Mark and — seriously — Sorry Seacrest It’s Casey’s Countdown. myspace.com/burdenofaday.

The Rest of Us is Florida-core — anthemic stuff that has a little Southern rock and snarly Gainesville aggression. myspace.com/restofus.

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REGGAE/SKA/JAM

Magadog
They were missed. They came back. Now, it looks like Magadog is here to stay — thank Jah! Having reunited three of its founding members — dapper and personable front man Ed Lowery, the eerily but beautifully voiced singer/keyboardist Jim Pedigo and downright squirrelly bassist Dave Akright — the guys haven’t missed a beat after being away from the limelight nearly a decade. In September, the ska-reggae boys played a reunion show with friends and former members, and since then, the gigs have been jam-packed wall-to-stage with fans who could be parents or children of one another. The older folks dance and sway; teenage ska punks skank in circles. Lowery and the horn players even jump down in the fray. The whole scene climaxes into a reverie of mad joy — a sunny and positive vibe with a little grit and smart-ass mischief keeping it real. Crowd pleasers include Hearts on Fire and Don’t Talk to Me, tunes that sport the catchy, tight and energetic appeal that earned Magadog opening slots with the Toasters, the Pietasters and the Skatalites. They even appeared on 120 Minutes and Seaquest DSV. myspace.com/magadogtampa.

Badda Skat
Badda Skat, a.k.a. St. Petersburg’s Aaron Smith, spits a trancelike haze of dancehall reggae that belies an activist message. Skat, who has opened for 311 and Matisyahu, raps about Iraq, the environment and immigration on the not-so-subtly titled BUSHel a Bulls---. And on Deh Music, he gives Northwest Hillsborough its most Jamaicafied shout-out ever: “Never we forget the family a Tampa / Town 'N’ Country a check the Rasta.” Check out his newest CD, Grass Roots. www.baddaskat.com.

Variety Workshop
Oldsmar’s Variety Workshop — vocalist Evan Brenner, bassist Ryan Reilly, guitarist Robbie Pereira and drummer Brad Whitsett — is more than just a jammy ska-punk outfit. They’re skateboarders, video producers, graphic designers and recording engineers — and they’re still tireless devotees to their craft. In their earliest days, “We just devoted the whole summer to sweating in no air conditioning and intense practicing seven days a week,” Brenner told tbt* last fall. They’re still hard at work on their debut CD. myspace.com/varietyworkshop.

The Pants!
More than half of the Pants! — singer-guitarist Jeremy Willis, guitarist Matt Bartholomay, trombonist Dan Mitchell, drummer Woody Bond, bassist Mike Bartholomay, trumpeter Dan Smyth and saxman Mike Petresky — are teenagers, so it makes sense that their bratty ska-punk prodigies are faves at the Skatepark of Tampa’s Transitions Art Gallery. They’re good kids, though, really: Their most popular song, April 20, from their EP Brian Smells!, is about not giving in to peer pressure to smoke pot. myspace.com/thepantsband.

Rude Squad
The St. Petersburg ska vets have supreme musical chops and have been a part of the Tampa Bay musical landscape for more than a decade. Singer-guitarist Eric Best, saxman Lee McElhaney, trumpeter Rusch Young, bassist Kyle Sokol and drummer Adrian Baptist have played with Rancid and the Voodoo Glow Skulls, among others. Their relentlessly catchy new CD, On The Edge Of Failure, was released at the end of December. myspace.com/rudesquad.

Elevated
It’s tough to put a label on St. Pete’s Elevated — they mix slick samples, catchy rock riffs, reggae rhythms and 311ish thrash-rock. Vocalist Josh Magwood, bassist Shawn Carson, drummer Mike Warren, guitarist Derek Potts and turntablist DJ Suess know how to rock, but in a laid-back way, like Sublime, Incubus and even the Red Hot Chili Peppers. myspace.com/elevated.

The Hip Abduction
The acoustic reggae jammers in the Hip Abduction sound like they just walked into a bar off the beach. Singer-guitarist David New, bassist Chris Powers, multi-instrumentalist Matt Gawlik and percussionists Andrew Kilmartin and Patrick Hernley — all of whom have spent some time jamming in the Caribbean — bring a real Jack Johnson/G. Love vibe to the party, but they’ve got a soulful side, too — the bongo-banger Gringo sounds like a Corona-fueled smash waiting to happen. myspace.com/thehipabduction.

Matthew Bistok
Do-everything entertainer Matthew Bistok of St. Pete really shouldn’t be confined to any one category ... but we plopped him here due to the strength of his band Fall On Purpose, a wildly eclectic collective of funk, ska and world-beat jam-banders. When he’s not singing and strumming for Fall On Purpose, Bistok — or rather, his alter ego, Rooked McLellen Bistokovich — fronts the “Russian polka metal band” the Polka Cowboyz. Then there’s his standup comedy musical revue, his solo acoustic gigs, his children’s music (Coach Matt’s Kid’s Songs), or the February 2007 concert he organized to help benefit the local homeless. (Fall On Purpose once wrote a song called Tent City.) Oh, and did we mention he’s also an actor? www.myspace.com/matthewbistok.

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ROCK

The Ditchflowers
When the Ditchflowers bloomed last year, they offered hope for a scene increasingly lacking in upbeat pop. Led by Ed Woltil and Brian Merrill, with Mike Hoag, Stan Arthur and Steve Connelly, the Pinellas band didn’t waste time, brandishing a sparkly CD called Carried Away and putting on spirited performances. The former members of local acts like the Headlights, Delores Telescope, Mad for Elektra and Barely Pink capitalize on decades of experience, performing heartfelt tunes that are deceptively dazzling in their arrangements. Fans of Wilco, Elliott Smith, Badfinger and Crowded House should especially dig ’em. www.theditchflowers.com, myspace.com/theditchflowers. 

Life of Pi
If you’ve spent a day in the company of Life of Pi, you know it’s been a good year for the ultra-dynamic pop group. Highlights include opening for Scissors for Lefty and Riddle of Steel. Musically, the act has gone from really good to great, with Mark Bustin (Pagan Saints, Vera Violets), Alastair St. Hill (Incredible Crisis) and Christian Ripoll (the Semis) joining genius musician Stephen Hammill’s bestseller-to-be. With a sound that’s chunky, tight, light and bright, Life of Pi is one band to watch this year. myspace.com/lifeofpi.

Guiltmaker
It’s a shame not to hear Guiltmaker play at least once. The forceful, majestic rockers unleash a sound that hits you in that small sensitive spot at the pit of your tummy, delivered with staggering highs and lows and jocktacular tightness. Recently joined by Dave Teten of Red Room Cinema (yes, this is the all-star-lineup year!) Guiltmaker is on the brink of a major breakthrough in ’08 — that is, if we can get the St. Pete-Tampa fellas to commit to playing out a little more often. myspace.com/guiltmaker.

Hat Trick Heroes
The two barely legal chaps and teenager yank a mighty impressive bunny out of their classic-rockin’ chapeau. Christian Peters and brothers Santino and Michealangelo  “Mikey” Rumore have been playing rock ’n’ roll since they were tots. The Rumores’ dad, Dick, owns Paragon Music, and their mentor growing up was Paragon’s rock-school instructor, Lee Ahlin. The power trio performs straight-up rock that doesn’t suffer from retro trendiness. myspace.com/hattrickheroes.

Mojo Gurus
Kevin Steele, the former lead singer of glam-metal band Roxx Gang, has pulled off something legit and exciting with his grittier act Mojo Gurus. He aims to get back to basics, ridiculing what he calls the mutation of rock into too many subgenres. His band incorporates elements of blues, psychedelic, country, glam and soul — a “rock 'n’ roll revue mentality that I feel is in very short supply in this immediate area,” he says. www.mojogurus.com.

Tailgunner Joe and the Earls of Slander
Travis Moore formed the unusually coined band with his younger brother, Cannon, in 2007, getting their name from Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s nickname and a Chuck Palahniuk book. They debuted a-blazing with a raucously catchy mix of rock, pop, punk and country, and word of mouth about their live shows spread like wildfire. It’s quite a special mix. myspace.com/theearlsofslander.

GreyMarket
How does so much rock come from two guys? That’s what you’ll be thinking once you witness the sprawling and dynamic kickassness of Greymarket, whose colors are much bolder and more varied than the name implies. Mike Gargiulo (drums and vocals) and L. Cave McCoy (guitar, vocals, words and music) have come a long way since forming four years ago, layering plaintive vocals and sprawling keyboards between solid riffs and beats. myspace.com/greymarket.

Automatic Loveletter
Dear mon amour ... Did you know Tampa Bay has a band signed to a major label? Yeah, Automatic Loveletter — they’re signed to Epic. Formed three years ago in Clearwater, the band features singer Juliet Simms (younger sister of win win Winter’s Tommy Simms). Stunningly lithe and gorgeous, with a voice beyond her years, Simms conveys a rough-edged tenderness, and her band offers a melodic twist on radio pop. www.automaticloveletter.com.

Knowing Stu
Tina Louise, vocals; Dean Johanesen, guitar; Clay Custer, bass; and Shane Warth, drums, stir up a sonic “stu” that’s chunky and nourishing; melodic and a little grungy. The band formed in 2003 in Dunedin and maintains some of the best-loved aspects of ’90s music without sounding derivative. The statuesque and commanding Louise brings back the strong-female-lead-singer persona. www.knowingstu.com.

New Lands
Here’s an act that will transport you to both familiar and unfamiliar territories. Neal McCamis of Vera Violets (see below) leads this impressively haunting and atmospheric music project. He plays guitars, bass, synthesizer, piano and sings. Collaborators have included Roberto Rosaly, Jonathan Beadle and Reid Stains. myspace.com/newlands.

The Vera Violets
Psychedelic trancers and slinky dancers, the downcast but rocking Vera Violets have come a long way in the past year, releasing a great CD, Dirty Rainbow, and tightening up its sound. The coed band’s style is like a mushroom brew of Jesus and Mary Chain, Stone Roses and Nico of the Velvet Underground. Some dig their live shows; others get bored. If you let the mood take over, this fashionably mod band might just take you on a groovy trip. myspace.com/theveraviolets.

Klik
In 2006, Stephanie Monty and Chrissy Paolillo of St. Pete’s Klik won a nationwide “Best Unsigned Band” contest sponsored by Rolling Stone. But they haven’t rested on their laurels. The group’s dark pop-rock sound has continued to evolve following 2007’s We Are Saints, and the band recently holed up in California to record their follow-up, American Girls. www.enjoyklik.com.

Sarge and the Aeromen
Mark Warren of Barely Pink, Leonard Croon Band and Vodkanauts joins forces with members of the Voyeurs to represent one of the most promising new acts of the year, performing rockabilly-flavored pop. On the band’s MySpace page, the guys call themselves “ex-military ... plus one civilian who watches way too much History Channel.” Here’s hoping they get their troops in order. myspace.com/sargeandtheaeromen

Voyeurs
These feisty rockers play in the valley of New York Dolls. The punk/garage band performs superbly energetic live shows and includes local mod-tastic maven “Captain” Keith Kofron, plus members from throughout Tampa Bay and south of the Skyway. myspace.com/voyeurs 

The Human Condition
Fresh from playing a showcase at South by Southwest in Austin, this acoustic-fronted band snips snatches of Led Zeppelin, Ben Harper and Radiohead. So while these guys might not be bending your ear, their melodies are too textured and luminous and, well, human, to dismiss as generic. www.myspace.com/thehumancondition.

Kore
We saw their logo and pretty girl photos and thought they were Wilson-Phillips milquetoast-ettes but, no, this sweetly harmonic trio rocks out with a tasty Pretenders influence. They might be a bit polished for some, but you might find Kore winning you over. www.koretheband.com

Traveling North
They’ve opened for North Mississippi All Stars and Chris Isaak. The band mixes up some fratboy-favored styles such as Incubus and Red-Hot Chili Peppers with some blue-eyed soul, a la John Mayer. They recorded their CD For That World with local legend Steve Connelly. myspace.com/travelingnorth.

 

Also check out...

Safety Harbor’s Drew Street Mary — singer-guitarist Todd Fulmino, guitarist Bobby Morelli, bassist Chris Cale and drummer Rich Lesniak — are a little bit pop, a little bit emo and a whole lotta fun. myspace.com/drewstreetmary.

Lakeland’s Woodale — singer-guitarist-pianist Matt Wilbur, drummer Chris Harry, guitarist Andy Childers and drummer Kyle Zetts — have friends in high places, specifically MTV. Their emotional pop-rock singles have popped up on The Hills and Newport Harbor. myspace.com/woodale.

What’s the local connection to Miggs, a California acoustic rock trio? Singer and namesake Don Miggs married Lisa DeBartolo, son of Tampa tycoon Steve DeBartolo; the couple splits their time between L.A. and Tampa Bay. Paul Anka and Damien Rice played at their wedding. www.miggsband.com.

Christian Spring Hill melodic rockers Providence — vocalist Jimmy Chisholm, guitarists Dean Pratt and Jared Coats, drummer Kevin Brown, bassist Zack Norton and cellist Chris Frattello — won a contest to score a coveted opening gig at December’s 97X Next Big Thing festival. myspace.com/providenceband.

Spooky Greenhill, which seemed like a vanity project for Tampa producer Steve Seachrist and November Foxtrot Whiskey’s Aaron Lepley has kept up steam consistently with some truly rocking shows. Inspired by Neil Young, garage rock and other sundry tidbits.
Ted Lukas has taken a break from the sweetly raucous, roots-power pop band Hangtown to veer down a solo path for a spell. Join him in being Misled, the title of his impressive new CD. myspace.com/tedlukas.

Led by talented singer-guitarist Joey Martinez, Dunedin’s Natural Blend Band is the acoustic soul act to kick back to with a pina colada. myspace.com/naturalblendband.

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SINGER-SONGWRITERS

Tim Walker
Talk about an ambitious goal: Tampa’s Tim Walker set out to record a new song every day in 2007. The 41-year-old guitarist found inspiration wherever he could, from a blues ditty about Gasparilla (Jan. 28) to a funk jam about the Orient Road Jail (Aug. 22). He battled the flu, tried to quit smoking and drinking, and once had to drive to Wal-Mart at 10 p.m. to buy guitar strings so he could finish a song and keep the streak intact. But by the end of the year, darn if Walker didn’t come through. All 365 tracks are available as free mp3s on Walker’s Web site. www.trymungous.com, myspace.com/timwalkersingsandplays.

Jukebox Graduate
Aaron Barnard is the man between Jukebox Graduate, a mostly acoustic folk-pop act with a vibe similar to Paul Westerberg, Matthew Sweet and Brendan Benson. He’s six years into the Jukebox Graduate project and says he’s devoted to keeping up the art of analog recording, so his rustic ballads and retro rockers won’t be going anywhere any time soon. myspace.com/jukeboxgraduate.

Justin Beckler
A former screenwriter, Justin Beckler brings a cinematic approach to his deeply personal folk-rock. His 2006 album Oh! My Troubled Mind is an intricate arrangement of gospel-themed roots anthems in the vein of Josh Ritter and Ray LaMontagne. www.justinbeckler.com.

Joran Slane
You may know the multi-skilled Joran Slane as the frontman for art-rockers Auditorium and the Gita. Or you may not know him as Joran Slane at all. (He sometimes goes by his given name, Joran Oppelt.) Slane, the founder of the Southeast Music Alliance, had a busy 2007. He spent months prepping his long-delayed first solo CD, Martyr, which finally saw release this month on his own Mekka Records, and stood up for Pinellas musicians with Save Our Scene, an August concert protesting a proposed ordinance that would ban all-ages shows at Boomerz in Seminole. myspace.com/joranslane.

Tracy LaBarbera
The Tampa-born singer and keyboardist is a regular at spots like Ybor’s Green Iguana or Stump’s Supper Club, performing with her bands the Jimmy James Experience, the Shaguars, a British Invasion tribute act, or the Spells, her duo with Gale Trippsmith (see below). But her solo songs offer a polished yet moving adult-contempo flavor, a la Sia or Sarah McLachlan. Her hushed ballad This is a standout from her debut album, Debutante. www.tracylabarbera.com.

Gale Trippsmith
In addition to her regular gigs with Tracy LaBarbera as the Spells (see above), St. Petersburg’s Gale Trippsmith is a talented guitarist, performing folksy acoustic toe-tappers several times a week at venues around Tampa Bay. Her most recent album, Chasing the Rabbit, glides from Starbucks-ready pop (Money Changes Everything) to plaintive country-tinged ballads (Darkness) with ease. www.galetrippsmith.com.

Noah Woods
D.C. native Noah Woods, a University of Tampa senior who turned 22 on March 20, is drawing comparisons to Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz. The wunderkind singer-guitarist been making the rounds with a happy mix of funky little feel-good ditties, and he’s gearing up for a release party for his debut self-titled CD on April 4 at Sacred Grounds in Tampa (where he’s a regular performer). www.noahwoodsmusic.com.

Ted Wray
St. Petersburg guitarist Ted Wray is a wickedly talented fingerstyle guitarist who’s been a well-respected figure on the Tampa Bay scene for years. A founding member of the Tampa Bay Fingerstyle Guitar Guild (www.tbfgg.com), Wray picks and plucks his six-string as the host of the guild’s weekly showcase from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Whistlestop Grill and Bar in Safety Harbor. Musically, he bears an uncanny resemblance to Cat Stevens. www.tedwray.com.

Some Dancing Skeleton
Some Dancing Skeleton (the nom de plume of 22-year-old Marlee Flanagan) isn’t as spooky as the name implies — unless you’re unnaturally terrified of sparse, noirish acoustic ditties accompanied by sweet, lilting vocals. Imagine Hope Sandoval and Jack Johnson duetting on an album of Hank Williams covers. myspace.com/somedancingskeleton.

 

Also check out...

Susie Ulrey, formerly of Pohgoh and the Maccabees, limits her live appearances these days, with good reason: She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2001. Married to Keith Ulrey of New Granada Records, Ulrey’s warm, dreamy voice is always welcome whenever she does get behind the mike. myspace.com/susieulrey.

Will Quinlan is an alt-country legend in Tampa Bay, having fronted the departed Pagan Saints and, more recently, the Diviners. He’s been playing a lot of solo shows in the past year, giving fans a new way to see him live. www.ironweedmusic.com.

St. Pete guitarist Rob Tyre, formerly of the Rockets of Love and Shark Attack, has been a mainstay in Tampa Bay bars since the early ‘90s, thanks to his warm, bluesy rasp. www.tyrekingdom.com.

Tampa singer-guitarist Stephanie Carpenter recently held a release party for Leaving Stepford, her debut album of Celtic-tinged folk tunes, at Tre Amici @ The Bunker in Ybor City. myspace.com/stephaniecarpentermusic.

Richard Gilewitz of Inverness is a magician on the acoustic guitar, playing a blend of folksy but whimsical classical opp compositions. Imaginative and eclectic, Gilewitz doesn’t play much locally — but who can blame him? He’s a sought-after fingerstyle instructor around the country. www.richardgilewitz.com.

 

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OUT OF TOWN FAVORITES

By Julie Garisto

Here’s to the bands that drive long hours to play our modest Tampa Bay venues. We’ve become a home away from home for them, and, likewise, we anticipate their arrival like a visit from fun relatives.

Orlando alone has become a headquarters for psychedelic and rustic melodic rock — not unlike Athens, Ga. Bands like the Oaks, the Sugar Oaks, Band Marino and Mumpsy have formed a parliament of pop mastery.

But it’s not just an indie thing. One of the biggest radio hits of ’08 is Low from Opa-Locka’s Flo Rida , and Tallahassee’s T-Pain seems to have the Midas Touch on the pop charts. Jacksonville’s Black Kids were the toast of last fall’s CMJ Music Marathon. Bradenton’s We The Kings have a pop-punk hit on their hands with Check Yes Juliet. And Spin named New Wave, the latest by Gainesville’s Against Me!, the best album of 2007.

We asked some local promoters and venue managers to name their favorite out-of-town artists. They explain why they picked their favorite acts from outside Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

Keith Ulrey
Promoter, New Granada Presents ...
Mouse Fire (Lakeland): “Great pop-indie band with lots of harmonies and jagged arrangements; think if Braid were a pop band.”
History (Orlando): “Really making a mark on Tampa. Their full-length debut was released by Tampa’s 24 Hour Service Station. Big rock with driving rhythms; very heavy Jawbox influence.”
The Dark Romantics (Lakeland): “Slick, and dare I say, sexy? Dark (ahem) pop, fronted by Eric Collins’ smooth, swaggering vocals.”
Kingsbury (Orlando): “Moody and dark, sometimes bordering on brooding slowcore.”
Have Gun, Will Travel (Bradenton): “I don’t think anyone outside of the Tampa Bay area has made Tampa their second home more than HGWT. Open the paper at any given week and you’ll see HGWT is playing their Americana/alt-country somewhere in the bay area. Good for them that the bay area has embraced them.”

Matt Welch
Manager, Transitions Art Gallery at the Skatepark of Tampa
Torche (Miami): “Florida’s — America’s — loudest and heaviest ... and latest.”
Monikers (Orlando): “Orlando’s answer to Jawbreaker.”
This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb (Pensacola): “Some of the nicest guys in Florida, and their posi-punx sound is awesome, too!”
Tyger Beat (Sarasota): “Lo-fi dance punk with glitter.”
Environmental Youth Crunch (St. Augustine): “A super rock ’n’ roll band.”

Jack Spatafora and Matt E. Lee
Promoters, Aestheticized Presents
The Oaks (Orlando): “Mature acoustic folk with a message; amazing songwriters and craftsmen of song; new album = AMAZING.”
The Postmarks (Miami): “Sultry vocal, melancholy pop; a gift for the ears; healing.”
Baron von Bear (Orlando): “Playful Pop with simple vocals. The hype will soon come to these kids.”
Julius Airwave (Jacksonville): “Another big and lustrous pop machine with warm pianos and eccentric originality throughout.”
Fake Problems (Naples): “More than solid punk rock with humor — catchy hooks, sing-along choruses and a penchant for live performance.”

Other out-of-towners to watch
The Draft (Gainesville): Hot Water Music’s Jason Black, George Rebelo and Chris Wollard, plus Todd Rockhill of Discount.
Young Livers (Gainesville): Dynamic punk rock that’s both entertaining and propulsive.
Mumpsy (Orlando): Folksy, quirky and shiny with equally brilliant lyrics.
Look Mexico (Tallahassee): Textured and shimmering power and pop, but too exhilaratingly original to be labeled power-pop.
Band Marino (Orlando): Stringified and lovely — melodies you’ll feel in your bones.
The Explicits (Jacksonville): Speed-freak garage punk wrapped in a black leather jacket.

 

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