From the halcyon days of Florida’s fin-de-siècle rave scene to the menthol-slathered, glitter-trailing set, AK1200 was the king of drum ‘n’ bass. A decade earlier, the Orlando native had earned his chops in tiny clubs in that city, his techno sets often greeted with confusion or indifference. But as the…

The last time discerning ears turned toward Australia for the Next Big Hip Thing was for the gonzo garage-rock of the now-disbanded Vines. The Presets are the latest hot import from Down Under, but have almost nothing sonically in common with their shambling, spastic predecessors. They may have brought guitars,…

If you’re a follower of the local hipster club scene, you’ve probably heard of Marqui Adora. But you’ve probably rarely, if ever, actually seen the group play. Since last year, the moody three-piece has only infrequently emerged from the shadows that inform its dark, postpunk sound. Tonight’s show, though, might…

Active for almost ten years, L.A. Symphony comprises a core of five MCs backed by a rotating cast of DJs and producers. Despite the group’s geographical origins, tales of lowriders and pimps are eschewed in favor of a more intellectual approach. Still, Los Angeles’s cultural legacy permeates every song. The…

Hailing from the Bronx, the Juggaknots first made waves in the mid-Nineties New York scene with appearances on famed DJ Bobbito Garcia’s radio shows. MCs Buddy Slim and Breeze Brewin spit laid-back rhymes over slightly jazzy beats, perfectly encompassing post-D.A.I.S.Y.-age East Coast hip-hop. Their out-of-print 1996 debut LP resurfaced as…

Above all, Humbert is from Hialeah and proud. A city better known for its equally convoluted politics and street grids than its cultural output, Hialeah’s best-known musical export to date is KC and the Sunshine Band. Still, a tiny subculture of live rock acts has persisted there, and the four-member…

Elefant’s Diego Garcia definitely ripped a page from the Morrissey book when he crafted both his songs and public persona. Like Morrissey, the natty, reed-thin frontman deliberately cultivates an aura of mystery — a previous performance at I/O had some audience members speculating as to whether those were bandages on…

One of the better skeins spun by Andrea Echeverri — Colombian enchantress and singer for that country’s alt-folk-rock sensations Aterciopelados — is the one in which the traditional Latin female submission role is shattered. When machismo rears its ugly head, Echeverri diffuses it with sweet melodies and smart lyrics. Humorous,…

Atlanta’s Family Force Five creates a dubious first impression at best. Much like the mustached, pudgy crooner Har Mar Superstar, the act could be a colossal ironic joke the rest of us might not be getting. After all, the slogan of this group of five pasty-white hipsters with emo-style haircuts…