By Shamrock McShane, October 2008
The theater is a temporal art. It’s not like a book or a painting with which you can console yourself in the middle of the night. You can only see the play at 8 o’clock when the players put it on.
The live political theater of the presidential election is a temporal art, too. And the clock is ticking. Read the rest of this entry »
Review by William McKeen, October 2008
Edited by Robert Hicks
Center Street Books, 258 pages, hardcover, $23.99
A short-story collection is a tough sell, unless you’re Ernest Hemingway. (And if you are Ernest Hemingway, stop reading and call Ripley’s.)
You need some sort of a gimmick to sell a book of stories. Buyers want tearjerkers, self-helpers and tell-allers in the modern publishing world. The subtlety and grace of a good short story gets trampled in this marketplace. Read the rest of this entry »
By J. Maggio, October 2008
The Death of Nature, Self-Released
To call Oh Sanders just “twee” pop would be an insult. Sure, they have sexless males who show nothing but platonic interest in the relatively nonsexual female lead. That being said, I use the term “nonsexual” in the sense that Oh Sanders’ pop-tunes have a kind of purity. Read the rest of this entry »
By Dan Fitzpatrick, October 2008
Threshold Dances, Cosmos Records (UK)
Under their new guise as Prince Rama of Ayodhya, the Dasi kids – remember them? – took their slightly angular, always fun indie-DIY-punk-pop act up to Boston, and added a whole slew of exciting, Eastern elements to their aural palette. Nimai Larson’s drum set morphed into a djembe. Read the rest of this entry »
By Jake Crown, October 2008
Hindsight is 20/20, My Friend, Dirtnap Records
The Ergs wrote the catchiest pop punk songs about girls, ever, period. They have broken up, but it looks like we will all get one more chance to freak out and act like teenagers again when they play the Fest 7. If you are reading this and you love bands like the Descendents, and the Ramones, go buy an Ergs record. This album is a compilation of B-sides, 7-inches, and covers (The Beatles, Nirvana, Gin Blossoms, Paul Baribeau). Dear The Ergs, please don’t break up. Say it’s not true. Who will sing the songs for the broken hearted? Love, Jake.
By Sarah Wears-Garcia, October 2008
It’s All Geographical, Self-Released
Less than a year after the release of their 2007 debut album Temporary Living, Cherokee offers up It’s All Geographical, an EP featuring three new songs from frontman Zach Hinkle. Read the rest of this entry »
By Giselle Mazur, October 2008
We’ve Created a Monster, True False Records
With their new album, We’ve Created a Monster, it’s easy to see why T13C, formerly Ten 13 Concept, has been featured on “Making the Band” and “America’s Got Talent.” The dance rock album has all the makings of a great pop record: danceable melodies, layered sing-along style harmonies and yes, even clapping. My favorite track is definitely “I Wouldn’t Be Caught Dead in Timonium,” but there isn’t a skipper track on the album; every song is a toe-tapper. With lyrics that focus a lot on the future and making your own destiny, it’s easy to see that T13C has big plans.
By Matt Walker, October 2008
With Fest 7 fast approaching, we decided to check in with one of the quintessential Fest bands, Grabass Charlestons. Grabass has been a staple in the Gainesville punk scene for eight years this month, with over 450 shows behind them and still counting. Will Thomas (drums/vocals), Dave Drobach (bass) and P.J. Fancher (guitar) make a point of having fun while playing catchy, smart and energetic punk rock, which makes for some of the best live shows in town. Here, Fancher, who also works at No Idea Records and with The Fest, talks about past Fests and future plans. Read the rest of this entry »
By Laura Libert, October 2008
As the transition between summer and fall continues, the dread that’s been brewing in my stomach is coming to the surface. I dragged my feet to class in late August, the wet, sweltering heat feeling more oppressive than usual. Is it possible that I feel old? A ridiculous notion, I know, but by my next birthday I’ll have surpassed median age in Gainesville. Read the rest of this entry »
By Robbie Sipes, October 2008
We are deep into football season and that means beer — lots and lots of beer. Tailgating is not very conducive to hard–core cocktail mixing. I also understand GPD isn’t terribly fond of the “car bar.” Plus, if you’re watching the Gators win on TV, you might not want to leave the sofa long enough to properly chill a martini. So, a nice cold beer just seems more practical. Read the rest of this entry »
