South Florida, with its ocean breezes, palm trees, and sunshine most days, is a fun and relaxing place. It's also a commercial center for the Caribbean. Lake Worth's Spred the Dub is a lot like the area it calls home. The self-proclaimed "good-time reggae" band is far more than just another white-boy reggae act. These whiskey-loving goofballs are not only fun guys but also professionals. No matter how drunk this 10-year-old five-piece gets during one of its many performances, it always puts on a show and leaves crowds with a sense of boozy joy. These lovable scamps have gone from a jam band of rotating musicians to a reliable presence on the South Florida music scene. Their sound, a mixture of punk, ska, funk, soul, roots reggae, and beach vibes, combines nicely with Rat Pack aesthetics and a sense of humor that's self-deprecating enough to allow a band name whose acronym spells "STD." Alas, despite its staying power, one day Spred the Dub will be gone, and the world will be worse for it. Florida will have lost some of its magic. And we will realize, much like the tropical paradise we take for granted around us, what a good thing we had.
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