Neighbors! Hope everyone is great. Here’s another round of the music I felt you’d love. I want to send a shout out to all of the blessings received throughout this month. I’m looking forward to sharing some good music and interviews soon. Thank you, everyone. Peep the songs that aired. Hope you enjoyed the January shows. Let’s gear up for …
Get to Know the Black Opry Revue | Coming to the WJCT Soundstage in February
On Thursday, February 15, right in the middle of Black History Month, we’ll welcome a quartet of musicians from the Nashville-founded collective Black Opry. The traveling showcase, known as the Black Opry Revue aims to put Black country, folk, roots and Americana artists on stages across the country. Country music has always been both versatile and diverse. Country, blues, folk, …
Jax Music Hour Playlist | Jan. 27
This week on the Jax Music Hour (Saturdays at 8PM on WJCT News 89.9 FM), we were joined in the studio by Coyboi lead singer Cortnie Frazier, who recommended some of her favorite local bands, with extra love for Bobby Kid and Teal Peel. We also featured a slew of artists from the Winterland Six festival, which Coyboi will play …
Vinyl Reissues of Three Butthole Surfers Albums Celebrate a Band Who Rode the 1980s Psych-Punk Undertow
The problem begins with name and form. This is a humming truth of Vedic mysticism and rock music. A band name can be a clue or an impasse. Like their ‘80s peers and kindred, discontent freaks the Meat Puppets and the Sun City Girls, the Butthole Surfers were a band who outgrew, shed and defied their actual moniker and sound …
Jack Rabbits at 25 | Here’s Why the Enduring San Marco Live Music Club Matters
Jack Rabbits, the San Marco live music venue, turns 25 in February. In human years, that makes Jack Rabbits approximately 2,000-years old. That is to say, live music is a tough business. The life cycle of music venues tends to be truncated. The most celebrated clubs of all time were largely short lived endeavors – The Cotton Club, Max’s Kansas …
New Compilation from Moon Cheese Babies is a Glimpse into the Radiant Murk of the Local Music Underground
From its deliberate misspelled name to overall aesthetic vision, since 2009 the local label Infintesmal Records is tantamount to an ongoing unreleased soundtrack to the 1967 documentary Titicut Follies. That still-affecting B&W-film chronicled the hellscape that was the Bridgewater State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. In this case, in lieu of the mental hospital Infintesmal Records label cohorts Jimmi Bayer …
8 Concerts to See this Week in Jacksonville
Wednesday & Hotline TNT, Lucinda Williams, JJ Grey & Mofro, Corey Kilgannon, Grace Potter and more
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every Monday morning. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Singer-Songwriter Corey Kilgannon – Wednesday, January 31 Blue Jay Listening Room | Jacksonville Beach Fresh off his latest full length – the enjoyably experimental 2023 album Radiant Phaedrus – local bard Corey Kilgannon has a new solo-acoustic collection, Famous …
The Neighborhood Playlist | Jan. 20
It’s your favorite neighbor, Mr. Al Pete, with the playlist from the January 20 episode of The Neighborhood on WJCT News 89.9. On this walk through the neighborhood, I played a song from Texas-trio Khruangbin’s collaboration with retro-soul star (the ATL-native) Leon Bridges. I shared some producer tunes from Danger Mouse and the Jamla Records crew, and wrapped the show …
Jax Musician Madison Hughes to Open for ‘90s Country Queen Terri Clark at the Florida Theatre
Since appearing on NBC’s The Voice, local singer and guitarist Madison Hughes’s country music career has been steadily taking off. Late last year, she went viral with her cover of Morgan Wallen’s hit “I Deserve a Drink.” Nowadays, Hughes splits time between Nashville and her hometown of Jacksonville, and she’ll be playing one of Northeast Florida’s biggest venues soon, opening …
8 Concerts to See this Week in Jacksonville
Southern Culture on the Skids, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Judy Collins, Eric Lindell and more
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every Monday morning. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Country/Americana Eric Lindell – Wednesday, January 17 Underbelly | Downtown Jacksonville NorCal-bred country/Americana singer-songwriter Eric Lindell has amassed a fervent following, and his live band (which features Jacksonville-based musician and instrument retailer Jack Mock on guitar) is a potent …
Duval Jazz Collective Madre Vaca Share a Surprising, Stellar Coltrane-Meets-King Arthur Concept Album
What at face value sounds like a potential theoretical misfire or needless farce—see: Northeast Florida jazz musicians creating a concept album celebrating the Arthurian legends—is a surprising, welcomed and well-executed addition to local music. The Jacksonville-based jazz collective Madre Vaca have just released their 10-song Knights of the Round Table album, available as download and also a quality CD package …
Grammy-Winning Guitar Phenom Billy Strings Returns to St. Augustine for Three Concerts in April
Locals can enjoy a triple dose of Billy Strings this spring. The much-loved Grammy winner is confirmed to perform at the Amp on Friday, April 19; Saturday, April 20, and Sunday April 21. Pre-sale for tickets starts tomorrow (Wednesday, January 10) at 10 a.m. at the official Billy Strings site. Tickets at the Amp box office go on sale this …
5 Lucinda Williams Songs You Need to Know Ahead of the Legendary Songwriter’s Show at the PV Concert Hall
Lucinda Williams will visit the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall on Wednesday, January 31. The songwriting legend, who turned 70 last year, suffered a stroke in 2020, leaving her unable to play guitar. But during her show here in Northeast Florida, Williams will be on the mic in a big way: in an interview last year, she told Vanity Fair, “I’ll …
11 Concerts to See this Week in Jacksonville
Sunny War, Jacuzzi Boys, Ritz Chamber Players, Paul Thorn and more
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every Monday morning. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Blues/Singer-Songwriter Paul Thorn – Tuesday, January 9 Intuition Ale Works | Downtown Jacksonville Widely-admired singer-songwriter Paul Thorn comes to the Bier Hall inside Intuition Ale Works on Tuesday night. More Acoustic Guitar Jesse Cook – Wednesday, January 10 WJCT …
How Singer Cortnie Frazier Wrote Coyboi’s Stunning Love Song, “Violets”
Welcome to Songwriting School, where we talk to local songwriters about how they wrote one song. Coyboi is a collaborative songwriting effort between Cortnie Frazier and Ihlan Magloire, two musicians whose friendship traces back all the way to elementary school in Green Cove Springs. Frazier’s lyric-writing style is as confident as her singing voice. Here’s our conversation with her about …
7 Concerts to See This Week in Jax
Conrad Tao with the Symphony, L.O.V.E. Culture listening party and more
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every Monday morning. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Cold Wave/Synth LOVATARAXX – Wednesday, January 3 The Walrus | Murray Hill Lyon, France-based minimalist duo LOVETARAXX brings their cold-wave sound to the Walrus in Murray Hill. Orlando’s Earth Fault, locals Severed+Said and Limo Scene open the show. More …
Indie-Folk, Alt-Country Favorites Hiss Golden Messenger to Play Jacksonville in February
Indie folk favorites Hiss Golden Messenger bring their celebrated alt-country sound to Intuition Ale Works on the band’s forthcoming winter tour. Formed in 2007 in Durham, North Carolina by Michael Carrington “M.C.” Taylor and Scott Hirsch, the band issued a handful of DIY self-released albums that garnered immediate critical praise, as well as attracting a loyal fanbase. Along with their …
11 Concerts to See this Week in Jacksonville
Mountain Goats, Steve Miller Band, Allman Betts Family Revival, local punk and indie-rock and much more.
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every Monday morning. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Southern Rock The Allman Betts Family Revival – Wednesday, December 13 Florida Theatre | Downtown Jacksonville Featuring scions of (Gregg) Allman and (Dickey) Betts – Devon Allman and Duane Betts – plus extended family and friends, including Anders Osborne, …
23 Local Songs We Loved in ‘23
JME contributors pick their favorite songs made by Jacksonville-area artists this year
This year, the Jacksonville Music Experience team reviewed more than 70 songs made by Jacksonville-area artists as part of our Local Spotlight series, and breathlessly covered the local scene with features like Songwriting School, Gearheads and more. For our marquee year-end list, we decided – somewhat arbitrarily – to share 23 local songs made in 2023. Of course, this being …
Osees, Blonde Redhead, Caroline Rose and More | Here’s what to expect from Winterland Six in Jacksonville
Winterland, the annual indie- and local-music-focussed Jacksonville-based music festival is returning for its sixth year in February – this time to James Weldon Johnson Park in the middle of Downtown Jacksonville. Headliners for this year’s three-day festival include the legendary Brooklyn experimental trio Blonde Redhead, inimitable singer-songwriter Caroline Rose and San Francisco psych-rock lords Osees (formerly known as Thee Oh …
7 Concerts to See This Week in Jax
Teal Peel, Holiday Pops, Chuck Treece, Bold City house show, Outlaws and more
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every Monday morning. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Indie Rock Looms – Monday, December 4 Shanghai Nobby’s | St. Augustine NYC indie-rockers Looms make their way to the Oldest City, playing Shanghai Nobby’s with St. Augustine locals Ghost Tropic and others on Monday night. More Rockabilly Hillbilly …
8 Concerts to See this Week in Jacksonville
Croce Plays Croce, ASG, the Hip Abduction, Fleetwood Mac tribute, local songwriter showcase and more.
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every Monday morning. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Jazz Blue Jay Jazz Jam – Tuesday, November 21 Blue Jay Listening Room | Jacksonville Beach If you’re expecting visitors this week, we suggest treating your early arrivals to one of the region’s best weekly jazz jams at Blue …
8 Concerts to See this Week in Jacksonville
Black Kids, Frankie Valli, Jordan Tice, Jacksonville Jazz Collective
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every Monday morning. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Indie Rock Black Kids – Wednesday, November 15 Intuition Ale Works | Downtown Jacksonville Fifteen years ago, the dance-forward Jacksonville indie rock band Black Kids went from the dance floor of Art Bar Thursday Night to Late Night with …
7 Concerts to See This Week in Jacksonville
Keiko Matsui, Blackberry Smoke, cochise and more
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every Monday morning. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Jazz Blue Jay Jazz Jam – Tuesday, November 7 Blue Jay Listening Room | Jacksonville Beach While you never know who is going to show up for the weekly jazz jam at fun-size Jax Beach venue Blue Jay Listening …
5 Concerts to See the Week in Jacksonville
Front Bottoms, Cindy Lee, Rebirth Brass Band, Porchfest, Martin Barre
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every Monday morning. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Indie Rock/Electronic Cindy Lee – Tuesday, October 31 The Walrus | Murray Hill Canadian indie-rock singer-songwriter Cindy Lee and fellow Canucks Freak Heat Waves visit the Walrus on Halloween night, with support from Jax’s Severed+Said, Golden Clouds and more. …
Cindy Lee Mixes Old-School Chanteuse with New-Eon Indie Balladry
While a broken heart isn’t required for romance, it seems like something has to give. Cindy Lee, the creative alter-ego of Patrick Flegel, is a bridge between the reverb-rich music of ‘60s girl groups and the guitar freefall of indie rock. Following the 2012 dissolution of Flegel’s former Canadian band Women, Flegel began releasing music as their drag queen persona: …
5 Concerts to See This Week in Jacksonville
Barns Courtney, Billy Ocean, Ritz Chamber Players, Punk Rock Halloween
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every Monday morning. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. R&B/Pop Billy Ocean – Wednesday, October 25 Thrasher Horne Center | Orange Park The international pop sensation Billy Ocean is 73-years young and still going strong. He’ll bring his radio smashes, including “Caribbean Queen” and “Get Outta My Dreams, …
Bad Madonna Fight for Their Right to Party on “Vicious Party Girl”
Local indie-rock act Bad Madonna have shared their first new material as a four-piece, the spiky anti-judgment anthem “Vicious Party Girl,” ahead of a single release show on October 20, at The Block Skate Supply in Springfield, with an accompanying music video due out Friday, October 27. On “Vicious Party Girl,” singer-songwriter Alexis Rhode, guitarist Dylan Young and bassist Storm …
Indie Troubadour Bonnie “Prince” Billy Shares 2023-2024 Tour, Including Stop at Intuition in Jacksonville
The enigmatic singer-songwriter who performs under the name Bonnie “Prince” Billy and acts in films as Will Oldham has announced 2023-2024 tour dates. Beginning in mid-October and including multi-night runs in New York and Philadelphia, the tour will bring Oldham to the Sunshine State with a stop at Intuition Ale Works in Jacksonville on January 18. “If you’re in Florida we …
“Trance,” the Latest from Jacksonville’s K.UTIE is a Winning Dance-Floor Reverie
The latest from K.UTIE is a genre-shifter for the changing of seasons, with enough high-gloss soul to usher in the cooler weather. Produced by Mantra, “Trance” serves up three strong minutes of hypnotizing sliding synths, switched-up percussion to keep things in motion, propelled by jabs of bass, as K.UTIE sings about being both mesmerized by—and questioning of—the daze of love: …
All Them Witches Guitarist Ben McLeod Shares Five Essential ATW Tracks
The members of experimental rock group All Them Witches met in Nashville in the early 2010s. That may seem like a curious locale for a band whose music has more in common with the sonic experimentation of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” than it does the country garb of denim and rhinestones. “Nashville has always had a really excellent …
Asheville’s Wednesday Announce New Documentary and 2024 Shows, Including Jacksonville Stop
It’s been a breakout year for Asheville indie-rock quintet Wednesday, and the momentum generated by the band’s latest and greatest album Rat Saw God is poised to carry them right into 2024: Karly Hartzman and company have announced the expansion of their current tour with new U.S. dates, including a February stop at Jack Rabbits, and a documentary on their …
Jacksonville’s Jeremy Marshall Blanton Delivers the Goods with “Strange Cargo”
The title track from Duval singer-songwriter Jeremy Marshall Blanton‘s Strange Cargo EP dropped in mid-October and it’s a certain gem for anyone seeking local musical treasure. While Blanton has worked with estimable area acts including Robert Lester Folsom, Dean Winter and the Heat and Strangerwolf, the flavors Blanton serves up on his debut EP are surely his own. The intro …
Best Concerts in Jacksonville | Oct. 16-22
The Head and the Heart, Buddy Guy, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, All Them Witches and more
Our weekly Go concert recommendations are updated every Monday morning. For a comprehensive list of this week’s concerts, go to our live music calendar page. Folk/Pop The Head and the Heart – Wednesday, October 18 The Amp | St. Augustine Seattle indie-folk-pop act the Head and the Heart return to the St. Augustine Amphitheatre on Wednesday. Singer-songwriter Amanda Shires opens the show. More Rock/Psych …
Durham Folk Singer Jake Xerxes Fussell Prefers Research and Interpretation to Songwriting
Welcome to Songwriting School, where we talk to songwriters about the craft of songwriting. Jake Xerxes Fussell is a folk music treasure and something of a treasure hunter as well. In addition to singing and playing guitar, the Durham-based musician is regarded for his research methods. He finds Southern songs of yesteryear in archives and old field recordings. And after …
On “Paradise,” Jax Band Souvineer Give Listeners a Take-Home Version of Somber and Engaging Balladry
What began as a side project in 2020 for Jacksonville singer-songwriter Alissa Leonard (Isabella Parole, Manatella), Souvineer is now fleshed out as a four piece. The deceptively titled “Paradise” is surely not a jam for the Indian summer. Instead, we get a five-minute minor-key contemplation on the arrival of an imminent storm, amends and a paradise “that never ends.” Souvineer …