Jack Diablo
There is simply TOO MUCH going on in Jacksonville this month! It only happens a couple times a year, but this is one of those times when the stars align, the weather is perfect, and everything happens. Don’t get caught looking back on April with regret. Try any combination of the following events, or seek out any of the many equally as entertaining options not listed below. Whatever you do, do something! The Elements of [p2p type="post_tag" value="museum-of-science-and-history"]MOSH[/p2p] LAUNCH PARTY Do you f*%$ing love science?! Of course you do, or at least according to your Facebook, you do. But do you really love science? Did you make potions out of mud and leaves and random backyard sh*t, did you freak out over chemistry when you were a kid? Did you want to be a dinosaur or an astronaut when you grew up? I sure as hell did. I feel pretty lucky to have had a quality science education and the encouragement to constantly explore my universe as a kid. I even went into college as a Biology major. As much as I love the arts and culture, I am of the persuasion that science is more important, even though it’s not quite as sexy a cause. One group is trying to change that, though. The Elements of MOSH is the young supporters group for our city’s science and history museum. Not unlike other groups like the Contemporaries of Post to Post Links II error: No link found for term slug "museum-of-contemporary-art", the Elements are a group of 20 and 30-something MOSH members (including myself) who recognize the importance of the museum’s role in getting young people (and adults) excited about science. The group is hosting their official LAUNCH PARTY at the museum during One Spark on April 10th. The event will feature local food and beer, planetarium and laser light shows in MOSH’s state-of-the-art planetarium, DJ Erin Lee of WJCT’s Indie Endeavor, and more. Admission is included in all new Elements memberships or tickets can be purchased through the MOSH website for $25 in advance or $30 the day of. It’s a great way to re-experience MOSH and support one of our city’s important treasures! Record Store Day April 19th is Record Store Day, so you better believe Jacksonville’s premier source for used and current vinyl, Deep Search Records in Five Points, will be celebrating in the proper fashion. Details are forthcoming, but expect kegs, local bands, and a special touring guest. And, of course, there are all of those limited edition Record Store Day releases you’ll want to get your hands on, but save some money to spend on new, local releases coming out soon…
Local Music News
A lot of local bands are in various stages of production on new albums while others are prepping for tours or just beginning to form. Here’s what to expect in the near future: Crashmir, Woven In, Robbie Freeman, and Mikey’s Imaginary Friends are all preparing EP releases, while Drew Bond has a solo EP on Bandcamp that’s reviewed herein. Expect full length albums soon from 20WT, Marion Crane, Tambor, Capracide, Flagship Romance, and Fjord Explorer. On Guard will soon venture forth on their first tour and Mil0 and Adult Crash are back together! If you’re looking for the next big thing, check out such newcomers as The Greedy Lovers, Boggsie Brigade, Riverside Party Girl, The Fine Fine Chardonnays, or Ether Chambles. Local record label Dead Tank is growing up, getting more eclectic, and releasing material from the following bands over the next month or so – The Elsinores (gothy new wave / post punk), Decades/Failures (dark synth-pop) and Thou (apocalyptic sludge). Recommended Shows APRIL 9 & 11 Jack Diablo’s One Spark Kickoff Party & Showcase featuring Kitty (fka Pryde) @ Burro Bar Now that I no longer work for One Spark, I get to publicly do all the things I tried to get people to do last year. Chief among those are proper One Spark musical showcases a la SXSW. The city’s best and most ambitious local bands come out during The World’s Crowdfunding Festival to vie for money to further their projects, including two $10,000 prizes just for musicians! The insane amount of money that flows through Downtown during these 5 days also affords us the opportunity to bring in some big talent without having to worry about filling the room. This year, yours truly will host two One Spark showcases at Burro Bar on April 9th and 11th, featuring some of my favorite local groups and featuring a special appearance by our favorite white girl rapper, Kitty (fka Pryde). Other acts include The Dog Apollo, A Call For Kylie, Winter Wave, Darkhorse Saloon, Fjord Explorer (of course), and many more. Look for more info soon!
APRIL 11 Adult Crash, Head Creeps, Black Stache @ Rain Dogs If you’ve felt like something has been missing from the live music scene lately, it’s probably Woody Willis. He left us for the wonderful town of Nashville but makes it a point to revisit his hometown every once in a while. For his next trip, he’ll assemble the boys from Adult Crash (fka Rebels & Rogues) for what will no doubt be a rowdy reunion. They’re playing with a band called Black Stache that I’ve yet to hear, but their description says all I need to know to approve: “rock music for people who love cheap beer and trashy women.” So if you feel the need to escape the One Spark crowds, head to Rain Dogs for this gem. APRIL 12 Infintesmal Records One Spark Showcase @ Burro Bar When Jimmi added White Fang and Denney & the Jets to the Burro Bar calendar, I was equal parts stoked and jealous. Both Burger and Infinity Cat Records pretty much own the garage/rock n roll scene these days thanks to great bands like these–bands that truly embody the spirit of rock n roll, party as such, and know not to take themselves too seriously. Since the date just so happens to coincide with One Spark, it also allows Infintesmal Records, perhaps our local equivalent, to showcase some of their favorite bands such as The Mold, Woven In, and Hey Mandible.
APRIL 13 The Zombies @ Ponte Vedra Concert Hall While PVCH might be one of my least favorite venues (it still looks/feels like church), I would suck it up and make plans to catch The Zombies when they come, if I were you. I’ll be catching them at Psych Fest this year, but the rest of you owe it to yourselves and the gods of rock to pay tribute to these pioneers of psychedelic music. They’re probably really old and shitty now, but they were the first to popularize the phrase “who’s your daddy” and bridged the sonic gap between groups like the Beach Boys and the 13th Floor Elevators. Hell, they’re Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee nominees alongside Nirvana and The Replacements, for the love!
APRIL 17 Local Natives, Moses Sumney @ Freebird Live Local Natives are quite possibly one of the most approachable indie bands of this generation. I don’t even mean that in a bad way; they’re really good and catchy, and I will sincerely consider riding out to the beach to watch them perform. Their rise has been fast and meteoric and, as far as I can tell, well deserved. This Moses Sumney cat, though, will be bringing some serious soul. The dude’s voice is absolutely fantastic and worth the price of admission alone. Point being, don’t cool-guy this show and call ahead for the Local Natives set time. Show up and listen to Moses first, and sway with your sweetheart. Thank me later.
APRIL 20 Spray Paint, Tight Genes, Needle Points, The Mold @ Rain Dogs Every time I go to Austin, my high school buddy and ATX rock n roll scene aficionado is at a Spray Paint show. “What’s going on tonight, Jared?” I’ll text, and he’ll reply, “Going to see Spray Paint at x, they’re my favorite band.” I’ve never been able to catch them, but I trust his judgement. Pretty stoked to get to finally see them here in Jacksonville and on 4/20 no less! Needle Points were originally slated to play Burro Bar, but when I found out this was happening, I knew the forces had to be combined. It broke my heart to cut these psychedelic rockers loose, but sometimes you make tough choices and sacrifices for the betterment of the scene, and it’s ok.
APRIL 22 Underwear Comedy Show featuring Joe Pettis @ Burro Bar Doug Benson is one of the few touring celebrities who seems to really appreciate Jacksonville. From appearances at Sun Ray Cinema to The Comedy Zone, he finds a receptive and appreciative audience in the people of our city, so he keeps coming back. During his recent stop he was joined by Joe Pettis, a Level 14 Comedy Wizard from Southern Georgia who spends most of him time these days in Atlanta. I can be quite critical about stand up comedy as it can get very awkward very easily, especially for someone lesser-known who doesn’t have their own Comedy Central special, but Joe was really funny. As in, I genuinely LOLed, and that just doesn’t happen very often. I ran into Joe the next night at a show at Jack Rabbits, introduced myself, drank some beers and left with a hold on the calendar for Joe’s Underwear Comedy Party Tour, a traveling comedy show performed by comedians and comediennes entirely in their skivvies. Even the audience is encouraged (but not required) to strip down. I honestly can’t think of a more awkwardly awesome way to spend a Tuesday night. I suggest bringing a blind date. What a better icebreaker than nervous laughter in your most vulnerable state. Let’s get weird!
MAY 9 The Faint @ Freebird Live Don’t look now, but The Faint are back together and touring again! I would have thought that their time had come and gone, that there was no way they could possibly still be relevant while maintaining what made them so great in the first place. Imagine my surprise, when I heard their first track off the new album “Doom Abuse” on NPR’s All Songs Considered and kinda dug it. Saddle Creek may be a shadow of what it once was years ago, but this comeback bodes well for some of the B-stringers on the Omaha label’s lineup. You don’t have to love The Faint–you don’t even have to like them that much to have a good time at one of their shows. Last time was a riot, and I, for one, danced like an idiot with a bunch of lesbians.
Other Notable Shows
April 8 – 4th Ward Afro Klezmer Orchestra, Tropic of Cancer @ Burro Bar April 13 – Moon Taxi, Chris Woods @ Jack Rabbits April 16 – Balance & Compsure, Myth of Myself, Sacred Suns @ Underbelly April 16 – Purple @ Burro Bar April 18 – Christian Lee Hutson, Real Job, Matteo Quemento, Garrett on Acoustic @ Burro Bar April 19 – Geri X, Mitar, Robbie Freeman, Kelly White @ Burro Bar April 22 – Destroyer of Light, Widower, Hollow Leg, Forbidden Sight, Porter @ Rain Dogs April 25 – Taking Back Sunday, Tonight Alive, Sleepwave @ Freebird Live April 30 – M Ward, Mount Mariah @ Ponte Vedra Concert Hall May 6 – Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires @ Freebird Live May 8 – The Head and the Heart, Lost in the Trees @ Ponte Vedra Concert Hall May 9 – Blitzen Trapper @ Jack Rabbits On the Horizon May 13 – The Aquabats!, Koo Koo Kangaroo @ Freebird Live May 13 – Conor Oberst, Dawes @ Ponte Vedra Concert Hall May 16 – Tegan & Sara, Lucius & the Courtneys @ Ponte Vedra Concert Hall May 18 – Supersuckers, Gorilla Candy @ Jack Rabbits May 22-25 – Jacksonville Jazz Festival June 6 – Drive By Truckers, Water Liars @ Ponte Vedra Concert Hall June 6 – Weezer @ St. Augustine Amphitheatre June 14 – Counting Crows, Toad the Wet Sprocket @ Sy. Augustine Amphitheatre
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