The Crumbs’ singer/guitarist Raf “Classic” Luna may be the leader of the most hard-luck punk rock band in Miami’s history, but he knows how to live the high life. Watching the Dolphins/Jets game from his North Bayshore Drive penthouse overlooking Biscayne Bay, Luna pops open 12 ounces of courage. Leaning…
In his native Argentina, singer-songwriter Fito Páez is looked upon as a kind of living legend. As one of the main forbearers of his country’s electrifying rock en español movement, Páez is celebrated for creating highly eloquent and melodic albums, often focusing on the harsh sociopolitical realities of South American…
Rappers and producers who appear on The Game’s third album, LAX, include … everybody. There’s Kanye West, Scott Storch, Travis Barker, Keyshia Cole, and Ne-Yo, for starters, and Game says he recorded more than 220 tracks for the CD. But with the exception of two admittedly lights-out bangers — “My…
It’s unclear when the commonly accepted pronunciation of Jay’s last name switched from retard to re-uh-tard, but it was most likely around the time he released his 2006 solo debut, Blood Visions. What followed for the Memphis garage-punker was a swift departure from the trashy sounds of his teenage group,…
Jamaican singer and songwriter Winston Rodney, a.k.a. Burning Spear, did some of the best roots reggae of the Seventies (we hipsters called it simply “reggae” back then), loaded with Rastafarian anger at the forces of oppression, gutsy island soul, and deep grooves. But now that it’s 2008, what is Burning…
The opening strains of “The Mirror’s Truth” might give you the wrong impression about A Sense of Purpose. This album is not about speed, power, and the almighty riff. Although these are certainly integral elements of In Flames’ delivery, there’s a lot more going on here than can usually be…
Okay, so not all of the members in Pretty Ricky got nekkid for the photo shoot, but at least one member did. And as you’ll be able to see from the picture below, it’s done really tasteful. The latest issue of VIBE magazine has a rather informative article on the…
In the spirit of CrossFade’s occasional glimpses at the local musician ads on Craigslist, I’m passing on this plea I received by e-mail from Vicky, a member of a start-up indie band called CabinAffair. The core members recently relocated from their native Venezuela to study and play music, but alas,…
Last year, Langerado Music Festival got plenty of national attention, particularly because of its strong lineup which included R.E.M., Beastie Boys, Matisyahu, 311, The Roots and Ani DiFranco. However, the festival couldn’t escape the logistical nightmare that was Big Cypress Indian Reservation. The 15-mile single lane highway leading up to…
South Florida, but Miamians in particular, always whine that the area never gets it fair share of national acts coming into town. So when CrossFade received an e-mail announcing a free — yes, free — performance by New York indie rock band The Walkmen, we couldn’t help to feel a…
Yes, you could say we have a small obsession with local DJ/producer Lazaro Casanova, so we’ll keep it short this time. Casanova has a new Perfect 10 mix available for download. When describing the mix series via his blog he says, “I take 10 songs I’m adamant about currently and…
Coral Springs pop-punk diehards New Found Glory (remember when their name started with “A”?) have announced that they’re turning more to the “punk” part of their roots, kind of. As of yesterday, the band has officially signed with punk-centric indie-major Epitaph, with which it’ll release its forthcoming seventh studio album…
The screaming voice for hip-hop on the South Florida airwaves has been on the road promoting his newest album, We Global, for many days now. But this afternoon DJ Khaled is making a pit stop in Broward signing as many copies of his album as you want to purchase Starting…
Since the economy of South Florida is in the toilet, here’s a discounted ticket deal for two upcoming concerts that’s definitely worth taking note of. For today only, you can purchase lawn tickets for the 3 Doors Down concert coming up on September 25, and the Maroon 5/Counting Crows show…
Remember Nonpoint, the local groove-based hard rock act? They had that hit single, “Bullet With a Name,” a couple years back? Well, they may be forgetting their lil’ ol’ fans in South Florida at the moment. The band boasts real mainstream success, having landed on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart some…
In what we will hence forth refer to as the final nail in Miami’s rock venue coffin, Colombian nightclub chain Kukaramakara opens its first U.S. outpost in Miami in Studio A’s former digs. Our hopes of someone coming to the venue’s rescue and keeping it as the city’s only mid-size…
Metallica released its ninth studio album on Friday, five years after the release of its last album, St. Anger. I want to believe, but I’ve been disappointed by the last, oh, five albums and seventeen years. But despite all logic, Death Magnetic is finally here, according to Metallica, and I…
Lolo Reskin A gang of local thugs broke in, burgled and trashed our beloved Sweat Records over the weekend, stealing almost everything of value and destroying nearly everything else. According to Sweat’s site, gone are the “store computer, credit card terminal, video projector, entire DJ/sound setup, cash drawer and more.”…
This past Thursday, R&B singer Kelis was found not guilty in Miami on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. She was initially arrested last march for allegedly harassing two undercover police officers who were posed as prostitutes outside of a local club. On Thursday, a judge determined that there…
Finch Finch Sunday, September 14, 2008 Culture Room, Fort Lauderdale Better Than: having the biggest kid in the club stage dive into your face. They say all good things must come to an end. Well, that may be so, but perhaps good things can start up again, too. Take, for…
Jason Hammel and Kori Gardner, the husband-and-wife duo better known as Mates of State. Mates of State Friday, September 12, 2008 Culture Room, Fort Lauderdale Better Than: Handsome Furs and Matt & Kim, I think. One of music’s greatest enigmas has to be the husband-wife duo. Sometimes an audience’s –…
The weekend is about to start in a few hours, and what better way to get it started than with a DJ mix courtesy of Tom Laroc? Laroc released his State of the Union mixtape yesterday via the Rakontur blog. The mix features tracks by Ludacris, Bob Marley, Jay-Z and…
