Awesome New Republic

There's no better way to decompress from the celebrity overload of VMA week than to spend a little time investigating South Florida's burgeoning indie scene. And out of all the bands that have emerged these past few years -- and there seem to be more every day -- none is currently hotter than Awesome New Republic. Employing a trashy electro rock sound, the group's two members -- singer/drummer John Hancock and synth player B Rob -- have managed to crank out some beautiful noise over the past few months. They'll soon be departing for a six-week national tour, but this Friday you can catch them at Sweat Records, where they will be supporting the release of their new twelve-inch, "All Party Talks" (released on limited edition clear blue vinyl), as well as the professional re-release of ANR So Far, which is a collection of their previously recorded work. These two releases also mark the first entries from Sweat Records' owner Lauren Reskin's new label, Sutro. Show up early for a special set that features a collaboration between John Hancock and ex-ANR drummer Denny Denny Breakfast.