Satriani & Duarte: Guitar Heavyweights (July 23, 1998)
Raunchy Texas blues and 'space alien surf music' shared the stage Friday night at the House of Blues. Joe Satriani and Chris Duarte put on an excellent show to a sold out crowd.

Pat & The Spyder (July 20, 1998)
Scattered throughout the audience were flowers, cards, books of poems - even a tambourine with long ribbons - which were given to her during her set.

Dependence Day: Scorchin' Rock (July 14, 1998)
After much needed liquid refreshment, we decided to walk around and check things out. The place was packed! Every one was partying and having a good time in spite of the heat.

Monday Night Drivin' (July 6, 1998)
Jimmy Thackery is one of the best traditional blues/rock players out there. Looking at the number of people who showed up Monday night at the house of blues, I must not be alone in this opinion.

Happy Number 2, WSHE (July 3, 1998)
With stars of the station's playlist Von Ra, Sister 7, Naked, My Friend Steve, and headliner the Barenaked Ladies, there is no mystery as to why the show sold out more than a week before the event.

'DJ Idiot' Takes to the Waves (July 2, 1998)
With the exception of liberal talk shows Orlando radio has sucked for a long time. Most larger cities have a public radio show that allows alternative music to be broadcast; but not Orlando.

What The Hell Is Lapis Lazuli? (June 26, 1998)
Lapis Lazuli? Well, it means blue rock and is a semi precious mineral, but the Lapis Lazuli I'm tellin' you about is a band - a damn fine band currently based out of my favorite tourist trap, Orlando.

Hatchet & Travers: Cuttin' Heads (June 24, 1998)
Pat Travers, who's T-shirts proclaim '100% Rock, No Bullshit', proved it by putting on a smoking set of original music and covers.

Hand Tossed Rock & Roll (June 10, 1998)
Most places are only interested in making a buck and won't book a band unless they already have a following. This may make good business sense, but it doesn't do much for the bands who are just starting out.

Jeff Healey: Blues In the Dark (June 9, 1998)
Canadian Jeff Healey, who is blind, plays the guitar in a very unusual way. It sits on his lap most of the time, and he plays it much as a piano player would.

Coming To Ozzlando (June 4, 1998)
I've been draggin' my happy little ass to rock concerts since the age of 13. Exactly how long ago that was will remain my secret, but suffice it to say, I've seen it all. I mean, what could possibly top the 'Dark Side of the Moon' tour by Pink Floyd? OZZFEST!!! That's what.

'We're Here to Play Our Asses Off For You' (May 27, 1998)
My main comment from the Chris Duarte show last Friday and Saturday night is, WHY DOESN'T THIS GUY HAVE A RECORDING CONTRACT!!!!

A Night With the Rods (May 20, 1998)
The Honeyrods are definitely a live band! I mean, how many cups of coffee does singer Gordon Cabaniss drink before he goes on stage?

Semisonic and Athenaeum - In the House! (May 15, 1998)
The theatrical expression, 'If you're going to suck, suck big!' should be pasted over the stage at this venue. The HOB affords no acoustical excuses or band-aids for a live performance.

The Women Are Coming (May 14, 1998)
In 1997, recording artist Sarah McLachlan's vision of an event to celebrate women in music became a reality. Lilith Fair, an all-women music festival, became the top-grossing concert tour of 1997.

Robin Trower: Shimmering Blues (April 27, 1998)
Saturday night at the House Of Blues, Robin showed why he is still looked upon as a guitar hero with a stunning set that brought continuous cheers from the good-sized crowd.

Gov't Mule: One Kickin' Ass (April 14, 1998)
Jaimoe, who is one of the drummers for the Allman Brothers, kinda dubbed us Gov't Mule and it just stuck. We thought it applied to us and liked all of the different meanings that it took on so we kinda stuck with it.

The Hardest Night of Your Life! (April 7, 1998)
The crowd responded with a chaotic frenzy of body movement. Let's see; if you heard a song entitled 'Born To Die', do you think you could stand still? My rent money says you can't!

Kenny Wayne Shepherd: More Young Blues (March 31, 1998)
Every time I turn around, there's another young kid, playing the blues and touring, although I still have enough fingers to count the young blues players out there. That's healthy for the music industry.

Come: An Acquired Taste (March 20, 1998)
And then there is Thalia Zedek's singing: an angry, pained, snarl - the sort of voice you'd attribute to some late-night torch singer. When she sings, people stop and stare, half out of pity, half out of amazement.

Surf Punk Rockabilly at the HOB (March 18, 1998)
Jake pulled out his trusty can of lighter fluid toward the end of their last song, and the next thing we saw was the Farfisa and drum cymbals up in flames. The club was in full dance frenzy by this time, and then it was over.

Still Funky - Grand Funk Railroad (March 6, 1998)
In a candid interview, Grand Funk Railroad drummer Don Brewer discusses the band's present, past, and future (plus record companies, promoters, and radio stations).

Mary Lou Lord: From the T to the Stage (March 5, 1998)
The big rumor, at least artistic rumor, about Mary Lou Lord is that she is first and foremost a street musician. I've been told by several people that she is someone who doesn't forget her roots.

Jonny Lang: Blues Beyond His Years (March 3, 1998)
Jonny Lang is very young. From the opening song where he runs onto the stage playing his guitar, he controls and commands it with a presence that is far older than he is. He reminds me a lot of the way B.B. King controls the stage.

M4 - We Are Not Alone (February 17, 1998)
Have you ever wondered where the big groups come from? Do they just sprout up over night? Just a bunch of people grab some mics and BAM! They are superstars? NOT! They ALL start as unsigned original indie bands.

Matchbox 20 Rock N' Roll Extravaganza (February 9, 1998)
MB20, the band everybody in Orlando seems to know personally, came to silence the nay-sayers and to show what a triple platinum selling band really sounds like.

Blind Alley for the Backstreet Boys? (February 3, 1998)
Many fans of the Orlando-based band, The Backstreet Boys, have been holding their breath for the last few days, because there have been so many rumors flying around about the band that no one really knows what's happening.

House Full of Southern Culture (January 29, 1998)
Throw a couple of Hank Williams Sr. 45's on a portable record player, followed by the Cramps and Jeannie C. Riley, fry up some chicken, dance your overalls off, and you've got the one and only Southern Culture on the Skids.

Tabitha's Dirty Little Secret (January 14, 1998)
The stakes get high when a band falls apart, especially if the words 'major label', 'multi-platinum' or 'Grammy Award' start being used in the same sentence. Add in the word 'lawsuit' and even the attention of MTV.

All's Wellville (January 6, 1998)
Liz's lush voice draped over the room like a velvet blanket. The sound seemed to resonate from every crevice of the all-wooden room. I felt like I was inside a giant acoustic guitar.

New Year's Bomb (January 6, 1998)
The Subsonics and the Hate Bombs roared in the new year with a wild bash at the Go Lounge.

A Nicklebag For Your Thoughts (January 2, 1998)
The House of Blues was the always courteous host of the WJRR Christmas Bash, featuring Nicklebag, Head Swim and local act Gumwrapper Curb. Nitro driven children of the world unite on the mouse! And they did.

The New Blues Generation: Josh Smith (January, 19, 1998)
Rejecting the alternative music of most of their contemporaries, these guitar players use the blues music of the past - along with rock influences - as a foundation for the music they play today.

Give Kids the World (Or At Least $5,000) (December 24, 1997)
But in the name of charity (the concert benefited Give Kids the World) and a good time, SHE 100.3 brought Sarah McLachlan, Barenaked Ladies, and the Freddy Jones Band to the UCF arena last Monday evening.

Foghat: Well-Seasoned Rock (December 21, 1997)
This audience was your basic jeans and 'Rock' T-shirt crowd who wanted to hear good time blues-based rock and roll, and Foghat provided that with plenty of bluesy songs

Sweating With the Violent Femmes (November 17, 1997)
The Violent Femmes can still satisfy a crowd, which they proved at the House of Blues on November 8.

A New Greenday (November 17, 1997)
With ages ranging from about 10 into the thirties, from Barbie Doll to Goth, I was quite taken aback by the range of aficionados who are attracted to Green Day's melodic punk

Floating on Fluid (November 13, 1997)
I had seen the band Fluid at the Go Lounge Local Music Fest, and they impressed the hell out of me, so I went to catch them in a full gig at the Sapphire.

The Slowly Rubbings: Jazz served on a Crispy Tortilla (November 4, 1997)
There's plenty of great music in Antares latest CD release, The Grand Design, for fans of guitar instrumentals. You can also catch the CD Release party at Jani Lane's on Saturday, July 12th, from 7-9pm.

Byrneing Down The House of Blues (November 3, 1997)
The greatest moment was when David Byrne was decked out in a spandex suit with the human muscle structure and mickey ears on his head!

Go Local Fest: Music Like Water (October 20, 1997)
There's plenty of great music in Antares latest CD release, The Grand Design, for fans of guitar instrumentals. You can also catch the CD Release party at Jani Lane's on Saturday, July 12th, from 7-9pm.

I Gottcha! (October 15, 1997)
As relative silence fell over the Sapphire, the crowd had that dazed look that can only come from a transcendent musical experience. What It Is had brought the house down.

WANTED: Amped and Alive...The Nature Kids! (October 10, 1997)
Be on the lookout for The Nature Kids. If you see them, act casual. Do not try to approach them - they are armed with lyrical prowess and slamming riffs.

Forget the Melody. Where's the Music? (October 08, 1997)
With optimistic lyrics about freedom and upbeat musical accompaniment, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers reggaed The House of Blues.

A Hard Day's Night (October 7, 1997)
5 local bands meet on Monday, October 13 at the Sapphire in a tribute to the Beatles.

Go Local Fest (October 4, 1997)
Go Local Festival provides a preview of many Orlando bands in the running for the Orlando Music Awards.

VonRa: Shining in Orlando (September 24, 1997)
Everyone kicked into their own groove, leaving all worries behind. VonRa molded together like a veteran band only to be out 'shined' by the vocals of Vaughan himself.

Summer Palooza IV (September 5, 1997)
Every hip radio and local music magazine in Central Florida is sponsoring the Summer Palooza IV Festival. Why ? It's simple: to bring the spotlight on Orlando's talent.

The Smell of Panic (September 2, 1997)
There were hippies and freaks everywhere to see Widespread Panic, and from all over the place the smell of incense filled the air along with a few other noticeable aromas.

Bluesberry Jammin' (August 12, 1997)
On Saturday night at the Copper Rocket, I got a serious dose of good stuff: Bluesberry Jam - a lingering, sticky sweet, smooth, fluid, rockin', groovy dose.

Big Happy Crowd: 'Folk & Feedback' (July 24, 1997)
Has one of your relationships gone horribly wrong recently? Has it left you confused? Bewildered? BITTER? Man, have I got a record for you!

Donkey: Not Your Regular Jackass (July 16, 1997)
The name Donkey had been spun around like a dance step from the get go. However, until a year ago I had not taken the time to get my Jackass in gear and ride the Donkey groove.

Fallout Fest 97 (July 10, 1997)
Hey Folks! How are you doing? Me, I'm busy as hell putting together a show that is sure to be remembered by all who attend. It's called 'Fallout Fest '97'.

Antares: The Grand Design (July 10, 1997)
There's plenty of great music in Antares latest CD release, The Grand Design, for fans of guitar instrumentals. You can also catch the CD Release party at Jani Lane's on Saturday, July 12th, from 7-9pm.

Musical Mayhem (June 27, 1997)
The Junkyard may never be the same after Wednesday, July 2. That's when its stage will be invaded by Ratso Rizzo and Dead Cat Bounce in an event sponsored by The Slant and Orlando Reporter.

Rollinsance Man (June 25, 1997)
Vocalist-actor-poet personality-publisher-writer- (award winning) spoken word speaker Henry Rollins calmly walked on the stage and proceeded to kick the crowd in the brain!

Have a Kow (June 21, 1997)
I dig funk but almost never get to hear any (though I'm sure there's some out there). For this long unfilled hunger, Kow was a tasty treat.

Mickey's Blues (May 30, 1997)
Pleasure Island may seem too family-oriented to get down and dirty with the blues, but with the lineup they offered at their blues fest this past weekend, it was anything goes.

The Backstreet Boys Take to the Road (May 16, 1997)
Most young people in Europe, Asia and Canada have heard of Orlando, but not necessarily because of Donald or Mickey. Many are fond of Orlando because it's home to the Backstreet Boys (BSB)

The Maslak Ground Zero Quartet Play Podunkville (May 13, 1997)
More avant garde and improvisational music acts have found their way to Orlando. Among the first show of its kind this year was the Maslak Ground Zero Quartet show at the Sapphire Supper Club.

I have the NEED! The need for CREED! (May 7, 1997)
Creed made believers of the crowd at the Junkyard on Friday, May 2.

Don't Be a Wallflower (May 7, 1997)
Last Friday night, The Wallflowers played to a sellout crowd in the parking lot of the Hard Rock Cafe. The weather was perfect, as was the music, and the show supported a good cause.

Eradicate This! (April 30, 1997)
The Eradicators made the Orlando scene with a debut gig at Will's Pub. Our writer talks with them and compares tatoos.

Duke's Blues Changes Things (April 20, 1997)
Duke Robillard taught blues school to a truant crowd at the Junkyard on Friday, April 18th.

Who's Afraid of Marilyn Manson? (April 15, 1997)
Marilyn Manson's performance went ahead at full steam on Tuesday night at the UCF Arena. The controversy surrounding the performance had both Christians and concert-goers uneasily coexisting outside the event.

The Tampa Delta (April 14, 1997)
The weekend of April 5-6th, Tampa experienced a taste of the blues.

Chris Duarte: Texas Blues Madman (April 8, 1997)
Chris Duarte's awesome display at the Sapphire proved that the Austin rocker is destined to be a star in the near future.

Hooked on Fishbone (April 5, 1997)
At 11:15p.m. Fishbone unceremoniously took the stage and slammed into their set with characteristic vigor and force.

Don't Be Afraid of the Groove Monsters (April 2, 1997)
Dave Fiester's Groove Monsters played the Junkyard on Saturday night March 29th.

Grip Inc. - Caught in the Grip (March 31, 1997)
Grip Inc. brought their intense act to the Fairbanks Inn on Thursday, March 27th.

Bombed into Obliteration (March 31, 1997)
On the weekend of March 21 and 22, 'the Go' featured two stylistically antithetical bands - The Hate Bombs on Friday night and Obliterati on Saturday night - that share a common goal: to have 'mucho fun!'

Friday Nite with Musselwhite (March 25, 1997)
Who'da thought the blues could be so much fun? I caught the Charlie Musselwhite show at the Junkyard on Friday night and despite some very emotional harmonica playing by Charlie, I was grinning like a Cheshire cat and stompin' my feet most of the night.

Garage Punk Psychobilly Fuzz Fest (March 19, 1997)
The show at Will's Pub on Friday, March 14, was billed as a 'Teenage Riot!'

Savoy Brown's Savory Blues (March 18, 1997)
Savoy Brown delivered a full sound at the Junkyard, rocking out as well as bringing it down with some soul-warming blues.

T.G. for d.i.y. (March 18, 1997)
d.i.y records finds itself an unintentioanl but well-intentioned venue for cutting edge live music.

Leon Russell: The Man in White (March 10, 1997)
Leon Russell brought his unique style of blues to the Junkyard for a powerhouse performance.

Cale Swings the Sapphire (March 6, 1997)
John Cale carried the crowd away with Wednesday's performance from the Walking on Locusts tour, proving he still has it.

Jammin' at the Jumbalaya Jam (March 5, 1997)
Our New Orleans afficionado, Eric Levy, brings back an account of the songs and sounds of the Jumbalaya Jam. He heard plenty to please his ears.

East West Talks North South (March 2, 1997)
Brian Martin of East West Music shares his thoughts and opinions on the local band scene - what's hot, what's not, and what's coming.

Auradjinn Pours It On (March 2, 1997)
The local band, Auradjinn, performed their high intensity, musically complex act at The Liquid Cellar last Monday, February 24th.

You Herd It From Cowboy Mouth (February 27, 1997)
New Orleans' own Cowboy Mouth played the midnight show at the Hard Rock on Friday, February 21. They were smoking, but the crowd smoldered.

The Missing Link, Indeed (February 18th, 1998)
I had been wanting to see Link Wray for a long time. I've been dancing to his all-instro, nasty songs for years - but always played by other bands. Finally I was going to see the master of switchblade instrumentals himself.