Friday Forecast: Will's Popsickle Injustice

[Charles] Looking for ways to spend your weekend on something other than Wii and Law and Order? Maybe you should peruse the short list. This just might get you out of the house...

I typically don't send folks on a road trip to kick off the weekend but if you are in the vicinity of Orlando or don't really care about the price of gas and all that then here's a good one. Tonight at Will's Pub in Orlando you can catch the CD release party that you missed last weekend at NWB. Sleepy Vikings are playing with The Pauses and Fever and it should be an awesome show. I really am digging the new tracks from the Vikings and the Pauses have a fresh new release as well.

Tomorrow night there is a couple of shows- The Popsickle show at CZAR with Hank and Cupcakes is gonna be a doozy. I saw them a few months ago at NWB and they definitely should do well in a more club and dance type atmosphere. That being said - they even got the hipsters at NWB shaking it a little bit. I'll be interested to see how they do with a little larger sound system and people that are ready to party. They have some fantastic pop stylings with this fresh aggressive pop mixed with the stark drum kit of of an 80's band.

Also tomorrow night is a house punk show for local faves New Bruises, Devout, Injustice System, Ink and Sweat. I only know Injustice System and all signs indicate this is gonna be a hard edged fast paced punk show knowing those guys. Its a house concert at what's called the Hold Tight House in the SH Hood. I have almost no details and so that means it could go either way but, well sometimes that's just what you need.

Have fun out there!

Friday Forecast: Ziggy Sleepy Baamo

[Charles] Friday is for kicking the weekend off so if you don't know what to do then why don't you do what I would do if I got to do all that I want to do. Huh? Just keep reading... here's three for the masses.

Friday Night - Ziggy Marley is at the Green Iguana?! Really?! You read that right. Ziggy Friggy Marley is playing at the Green Iguana on Dale Mabry across from the Stadium. Not even Ybor Green Iguana? I don't know how this happened but you better get yourself down there before he figures out what has happened and heads to the Mons. Of course the tickets are $27.50 so I gotta think that the Iguana has never charged that much for a show ever. So get out there and shake it people. This should be memorable - one way or the other.

On Saturday night - How about the Sleepy Vikings cd release party for starters? Over at the Crowbar in Ybor there will be some serious rock out while they kick off their world tour or at least their long tour through most of the US. We've had the luxury of getting to hear them often here in Tampa but don't mess around and miss this because they might just blow up and the last thing you want to do is try and catch some "southern shoegaze" at the Forum downtown. Plus - the awesome Florida Night Heat is opening and they are a super cool funky trio that always guarantees a good time. I haven't seen the other opener Guiltmaker yet but I hear nice things as they say...

While you're down there in sweaty old Ybor, sometimes it helps to take a stroll to another venue to cool off and text your buddies or to tweet about how awesome Saturday night is to your followers. So anyhow, if you do manage to peel yourself away from the show at Crowbar then I would suggest heading to New World for the BAAMO showcase of local artists and the release of their new compilation CD. This one is called Tales of Highways and Low Roads and features such artists as Alexander and the Grapes, Rebekah Pulley, Will Quinlan, The Woeful Ones, and The Human Condition. All of those folks and more are on the cd and the show starts at 5:00. What better way to start a long Saturday night than in support of local music?

Also, don't miss out on the Seed Swap Anniversary Party at the Independent on Sunday from 4-6. Its a potluck kind of a thing so bring a snack and have a beer -

From the invite -

"Join us for our 2nd Birthday Party and 1st Annual Seed Swap! Bring your seeds to share and come listen to some great music and enjoy the fare of The Independent, along with bringing in your own dish to share! Show us what you can cook!
We will also be holding an awards ceremony to thank everyone who has been an integral part of the garden being such a great thing to be a part of."

Friday Forecast: Sleepy Sun Fever

Photo of Sleepy Vikings from Elawgrrl
[Charles] This weekend in Tampa is the big Gasparilla day parade so that is definitely an option if you are in for drinking and partying downtown with thousands of people. If you're probably not gonna avoid that this weekend like me, then here's some other options.

First up, tonight at Ella's Folk Art Cafe, Sleepy Vikings are apparently playing an acoustic show. Regular readers know how much we love Ella's, but this makes tonight a definite do not miss. I think that Sleepy Vikings are really really fantastic and unlike the same old stuff that you can hear every night on American "Idle" these folks have a unique sound all their own. If you are anywhere within the hood tonight then definitely make it a point to catch this band and support them at Ella's.

Forecast: 65% chance of more Vikings than pirates at Ella's tonight.

Saturday might be the day for pirates, but as far as I'm concerned, the one send off I'd like to catch is the Vinyl Fever Sendoff. Vinyl Fever is shutting its doors after something like 30 years in Tampa and I haven't been able to get myself over and face it to even say bye. I love that place and I've spent hours just flipping through the cd's and vinyl before dropping stacks of new bands on the counter to take home. They are the place I could always count on for their solid local band section when I wanted to pick up bands I'd heard of. I took my daughter there for Record Store Day and still can't imagine next year's event coming round without the Feve. I know that they've struggled for years and Tampa's ridiculous real estate prices finally destroyed their chances of continuing. By the way, FU Florida real estate industry! You have no stake in your tenants and are happy to just let great businesses go out so you can continue to raise your rates. Congratulations. Anyway, the sendoff is going to have local bands like Will Quinlan, Matt Hires, and Guiltmaker as well as dj's from the shop spinning what else? vinyl of course. Head over any time on Saturday afternoon - bands start at 3:30.

Forecast: 95% chance of PBR consumed and poured out on the premises.

After that on Saturday, you might feel like continuing the music party and heading over to Transitions Art Gallery to check out what the next generation is up to. I'll keep harping over The Sun Society until you go see them so really quit screwing around and head over there. They are excellent. They take the best parts of say, Regina Spektor without being too heady and Cat Power without being too whiny. Oh yeah and they know how to Rock! with a capital R folks. This is another group I expect big things from so seriously, give them a chance. How many times can you watch that boat come in while your neighbor pukes next to you behind a lawn chair?

Forecast: 80% chance of snagging a new EP from The Sun Society at the show! If you can make it through the crowd...

Holy cow! I just found their EP on Bandcamp so check it out and download it right now!

That's the link to download their EP on bandcamp up there but if you missed it - here!

Friday Forecast: Hey Pauses Kale

Image from Last Year's Gasp!arilla Art Show at Cafe Hey
[Charles] Florida in January can be a little chilly but that's no reason to sit at home and wish you had a fireplace! Apparently it has something to do with too much snow in Siberia. Whatever it is, it means to wear layers when going to New World and Skipper's!

Before you go to the show at New World tonight, head over to Cafe Hey first and warm up with some fair trade coffee and a new songwriter's night. Tonight they have a couple of intriguing ladies Cuba Luna and Jun handling the music duties. You know how much I love Cafe Hey and it is a great place to start off for a long night of music. Load up on espresso or tea for the cold night out. Check out Cafe Hey's Facebook page for updates on what's in the oven and tasty. I would recommend getting dinner there or if you've never been - right around the corner at the Grass Root vegetarian restaurant.

Forecast: 70% Chance of an empty soup bowl in your future tonight! Get there too late and No Soup For You!

Tonight I would highly recommend heading to New World Brewery in Ybor to catch The Pauses with Sleepy Vikings, Gordon Withers, and Rec Center. Honestly, Sleepy Vikings would be enough to get me out and headed for an 8 Ball Stout at the New World, but adding in the eclectic indie rock folks in The Pauses from Orlando and you've got a do-not-miss show. In a strange interview with Curtis Ross this morning that seemed a bit too obsessed with making theme show music, they discussed their Kickstarter work and how it has funded the CD release. This show tonight is the first part of the CD release party which continues tomorrow in Orlando. Head over to the Creative Loafing article and check out the first single from Cautionary Tale called "Go North".

Forecast: 60% chance you'll wanna ditch your coat tonight after the music gets cranked!

Finally on Sunday don't forget to kick off the new year at the Sunday Morning Market at Hillsborough High School! Every time I visit I discover something new and always leave feeling energized and excited about the potential for our neighborhood. There will be prepared food, veggies - organic and conventional, and lots of local vendors selling their own creations. Last time at the market I ran into Magnolia Organics which is running an interesting type of CSA and making the most of the internet by emailing their weekly offerings and even allowing online ordering. That's pretty exciting stuff for Tampa and I'm glad to see people letting their entrepreneurial spirit drive new ideas for businesses like this. Check it out here or go talk to them in person at the market!

Forecast: 50% chance you'll be typing Kale into your Epicurous app this week!

Friday Forecast: Injustice, Problems, and Vikings

Photo from Elawgrrl of Sleepy Vikings and friends at Summer Jam
[Charles] This Friday I've got to make some decisions. Why does it seem like every weekend we get more and more good bands here? I don't want to sound optimistic about the scene here but I kind of am. Pretty cool to have enough great shows to cause trouble deciding which I'm going to hit -

So anyhow the Forecast is:

20% chance I'll drive the bridge and see Matt and Kim with Fake Problems although it really sounds like a great show and my buddy Elawgrrl will probably almost certainly be there snapping away with her music hungry lens.

35% chance I'll head over to the Brass Mug to catch Injustice System and their speed punk with the rocktastic Andy Stern on drums - who you may also know from Porch Fire or many of the other bands he's been kicking a$$ with for years.

50% chance I'll head down to The Bricks in Ybor to hear Sleepy Vikings in support of Glitter of our own Tampa Bay Derby Darlins and her mounting hospital bills from being hit in an accident while riding her scooter.

Any one of these shows will be worth spending an awesome Friday night out in the Bay Area so really folks just pick one, get out of the house, and you can't go wrong. Hope to see you out!