Category: Music

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Surfing rides new wave of interest thanks to FAU exhibit

Surfing Florida: A Photographic History – Traveling exhibition and book project at Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt Center Gallery runs from March 17 through May 12. Opening reception Friday, March 16.
* Official FAU galleries site | Exhibit Facebook page | March 16 Facebook event

When one thinks of the history of surfing, Florida – with its lack of monster waves and international acclaim that made Southern California and Hawaii famous – often takes a back seat. But the Sunshine State has its own rich surf history and culture, which will be getting its due respect this spring at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.

Surfing Florida
Artwork by Liam Milano (courtesy of PureHoney)

Surfing Florida: A Photographic History presents the history of Florida surfing through contributions from more than 50 photographers and 100 surfers. The comprehensive exhibit kicks off Friday with an opening reception featuring live music by Guy Harvey and Cutback. Housed at the university’s Schmidt Center Gallery, it will run through May 12 and include other special events, such as film screenings and lectures by “surf scholars.”

Starting March 22 and continuing for 10 weeks, there will be a screening of a surf film every Thursday in the lecture hall next to the gallery. The first film will be Evolution, the classic 1969 movie by New Zealand director Paul Witzig. On March 29, the 1972 film Morning of the Earth will be shown. Featuring stunning surfing sequences from Bali, Angourie, Kirra, Oahu, Maui and elsewhere, it’s considered by some the greatest surfing film ever made.

With Dick Dale coming to town in April, it’s shaping up to be a surf-happy spring. Tickets to Dale’s West Palm Beach and Miami concerts April 21-22 will be given away at the film screenings.

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The Atomic Grog celebrates it’s first anniversary in April with the return of Dick Dale

Updated April 2

This is the 100th posting on The Atomic Grog. It’s been nearly 10 months since the blog launched in late April 2011 with high hopes for bringing the coolest retro classic music to South Florida, along with intensive coverage of events, music, art, cocktails and culture.

Dick Dale at Respectable Street in West Palm Beach, June 13, 2011.
Dick Dale at Respectable Street in West Palm Beach, June 13, 2011.

It was a whirlwind of activity right from the start. We competed against some of the world’s top mixologists in the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival, helped organize the 10th annual Hukilau for hundreds of the world’s most devoted Tiki aficionados, then presented two concerts by surf guitar king Dick Dale.

With our first anniversary (along with another Rum Renaissance and Hukilau) fast approaching, we’re thrilled to also announce the return of Dick Dale, the 74-year-old legend who has shrugged off cancer and diabetes to continue to amaze fans worldwide with his groundbreaking guitar playing and impeccable live shows.

Dale will again be performing back-to-back nights in South Florida, this time on Saturday-Sunday, April 21-22. You can catch him at Respectable Street in West Palm Beach on April 21, and at Churchill’s Pub in Miami on April 22. Advance tickets are $20 plus service fees. They will be $25 the day of the show.

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Hukilau artist profile: The Martian Denny Orchestra

Previous: Tiki godfather Sven Kirsten added to Hukilau 2012 lineup
Hukilau launches new website with full event details | Full Hukilau coverage
Official sites: TheHukilau.com | Facebook page | Facebook group

The Hukilau is the largest Polynesian Pop festival on the U.S. East Coast. It will be held April 19-22 in Fort Lauderdale at several beachside hotels plus the legendary Mai-Kai restaurant.

The Martian Denny Orchestra

Guitar slinger Eddie Angel will be making his third appearance at The Hukilau in the past four years, but for the third time he’ll have a different band in tow. Having earlier performed with Los Straitjackets and The Neanderthals, the Nashville-based Angel returns with a new, out-of-this-world crew.

The Martian Denny Orchestra blends surf, spy and space sounds is quickly becoming an underground sensation in Music City. As expected from a Nashville group, the band’s members are some of the best in the business. Joining Angel are: guitarist Bob Irwin, owner of record label Sundazed Music and member of New York’s Pluto Walkers; bassist Dave Roe, who has played with everyone from Johnny Cash to John Mellencamp; multi-instrumentalist Jim Hoke (steel guitar, saxophone, flute, etc.), who has showed off his versatility with NRBQ, Toby Keith and others; and drummer Jimmy Lester, formerly of Los Straitjackets and currently with roots rocker Webb Wilder.

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Tiki godfather Sven Kirsten added to Hukilau 2012 lineup

Previous: Hukilau launches new website with full event details | Full Hukilau coverage
Official sites: TheHukilau.com | Facebook page | Facebook group

More music and a very special guest speaker have been added to the lineup for the 11th annual Hukilau, the massive Polynesian Pop party scheduled for April 19-22 in Fort Lauderdale. Organizers just confirmed the addition of exotica band Exotik-a-GoGo and influential author Sven Kirsten.

Exotik-a-GoGo
Exotik-a-GoGo

Exotik-a-GoGo, hailing from the not-so-tropical locale of Minneapolis, is scheduled to perform on Friday and Saturday nights. Combining jazz instrumentation with jungle rhythms and tropical birdcalls mixed with vibraphone, the group promises the pseudo experience of being transported to an exotic island destination.

The band cites influences such as mid-century exotica pioneers Les Baxter, Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman and Yma Sumac. You can catch them live every Friday and Saturday at Midwest Tiki hotspot Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lounge in Minneapolis.

Making a rare appearance at Hukilau will be one of the pioneers credited with kick-starting the Tiki revival, California-based and German-born Sven Kirsten, author of the Book of Tiki (2003) and Tiki Modern (2007). Kirsten will host a special presentation, “The Golden Age of Tiki Archeology: Unpublished Images from the Sven Kirsten Archive.” It’s sure to include a multimedia showing of great photos and discoveries that have never been seen before.

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Monterey Club joining forces with Propaganda

Related: Past coverage of The Monterey Club

As previously announced and mourned by local and independent music fans, The Monterey Club shut down its Fort Lauderdale location after one last bash on New Year’s Eve. But the club had a surprise for its fans on Jan. 2, when it announced on Facebook that all future shows will be moved to Propaganda in Lake Worth.

Propaganda

It’s still unclear if this arrangement will morph into a full-blown partnership, but for now it appears that The Monterey will live on. According to the Facebook announcement: “Our website will remain up, with some details changing, but the calendar will remain the same. So keep checking for great evenings of the best original music South Florida has to offer.”

According to the announcement, among the bands that have been booked at The Monterey and will be appearing at Propaganda are Scott H. Biram, Two Man Gentleman Band, Cristabel and the Jons, The Hackensaw Boys, Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade, and The Red Elvises. It said: “The local music will continue as well, and we will be invading Palm Beach with some serious Broward and Dade kick ass rock and roll! More info coming soon!”

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Tiki music for the holidays: Mele Kalikimaka from The Atomic Grog

Tired of the same old holiday music year after year? If you love Tiki tunes (surf, exotica, Hawaiian, et al.), there are plenty of options that are off the beaten path. Here are a few of The Atomic Grog’s favorites, courtesy of YouTube.

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The Monterey Club closing at end of 2011 but may rise again

Broward New Times: Monterey Club is closing after New Year’s Eve
Official sites: TheMontereyClub.net | Facebook venue page | Facebook fan page
Related: Past coverage of The Monterey Club

The South Florida music scene will lose another outlet for live performances in 2012 when The Monterey Club closes its doors on South Federal Highway near Fort Lauderdale International Airport.

The Monterey Club

The club’s plans to expand into the adjacent space vacated by the the Orange County Choppers motorcycle shop fell through when the owners were unable to secure financing to acquire a full liquor license. The existing club is a warm and cozy space, but no where near large enough to present the caliber of bands and live events that the owners aspire to.

Over the two years The Monterey was open, it featured such national touring bands as Wayne Hancock, the Nekromantix and Guttermouth but was held back by the club’s small size and isolated location. And its limitation on serving only beer and wine did not provide the necessary operating revenue to make any major enhancements.

A full slate of shows are scheduled for the next two weeks, culminating with a farewell bash on New Year’s Eve featuring Darling Sweets, Los Bastardos Magnificos, The Wholetones and Everymen. Check the official Web site and Facebook pages for the updated calendar of events. Bands interested in performing one last show at The Monterey can e-mail [email protected] or [email protected].

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Have a hip-shakin’ Huladay this Saturday at The Mai-Kai

Are you already getting tired of those boring office Christmas parties? Ring in the holiday season with those wild and crazy DJs from Exotica A-Go-Go at another one of their raucous late-night soirees this Saturday at Fort Lauderdale’s world famous Mai-Kai.

Put on your dancing shoes, grab a Barrel O’ Rum and and a pupu platter and prepare to get funky at a very special Huladay Party from 9 p.m. until the wee hours in The Molokai bar. DJs Sensitive Side, James Brown’s Sweat and Mikey “Radio-Active” Ramirez will be spinning a wide assortment of hip-shakin’ soul, garage, punk, R&B, surf and much more.

Santa will drop by with holiday giveaways and likely take advantage of the half-price happy hour drink specials from 10 p.m. until midnight. There’s no cover charge or minimum.

Of course, these are the same guys behind the recent Zombie A-Go-Go at The Mai-Kai in October. See photos and a recap of that bash courtesy of Broward New Times.

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The Hukilau launches new website with full event details

Previous posts: Kevin Kidney named art director of documentary filmed at The Hukilau
2012 tickets on sale, preview of events | Eclectic lineup of bands confirmed
Annual Hukilau moves from June to April | Full Hukilau coverage

Organizers of the largest annual celebration of Tiki culture on the East Coast went straight to the event’s loyal following when it came time to plan the 2012 event. The result? An earlier date and other exciting changes that have just been announced on the event’s totally redesigned website, TheHukilau.com.

TheHukilau.com

The Hukilau, which spent the past five years in early June, now moves to April 19-22 as the result of a poll of its Facebook fans. The earlier date promises milder weather and more separation from the other major summer events.

Activities will again be centered around two beachside hotels plus the legendary Mai-Kai restaurant, which is celebrating its 55th anniversary this month. But months of feedback from Hukilau fans resulted in several changes: More events at The Mai-Kai, a more budget-friendly hotel, and a more laid-back schedule with time to enjoy the company of friends and South Florida’s abundant beaches and beauty.

One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is The Hukilau’s commitment to high-caliber entertainment and educational symposiums. Among the 2012 highlights are: Nashville surf/spy/space supergroup The Martian Denny Orchestra; a symposium on the mysterious Zombie cocktail by influential mixologist and author Jeff “Beachbum” Berry; a hands-on symposium by tattoo artist and historian Paul Roe; and several performances by acclaimed burlesque star Angie Pontani.

Here’s an overview of this magical Polynesian weekend in America’s Vacationland:

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New cyber book serves up a taste of cocktail culture via insightful interviews

Related: Eclectic podcasts broadcast the soundtrack to the Tiki revival

If you look hard enough, you’ll find many cool podcasts that offer an unfiltered and independent view of the real world. A previous post profiled some of the top podcasters covering the wide spectrum of the Tiki revival.

Beyond the music, the highlight of great podcasts are the interviews with characters and insiders that you typically don’t get via commercial outlets. Perhaps the most prolific and eclectic interviewer is Koop Kooper, whose weekly Cocktail Nation podcast covers the wide world of “all things hep, swingin’ and swank.”

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