Swamp Stomp is truly a homegrown party, a super-independent mini-festival that keeps steadily growing in size since its inaugural year in 2007. The first edition was pretty much a house party in the backyard of some UM kids, and students from the U are still behind this event. But with some 500 attendees last year, it's outgrown its original digs and moved to the only-in-Florida environs of Jimbo's, on Virginia Key.
The festival bills itself as a "bad-ass, rockenest [sic], craziest, funkadelic hell-of-a-good time," and if that sounds a little jammy, you're right. This is a feel-good, outdoorsy kind of vibe, with the musical sounds taking a wold trip over a rock foundation.
To open, there's Brazil-obsessed, global pop of Cleaveland Jones,
followed by the groovy, bluesy up-and-comers Juke. Next on the bill is
the lo-fi, quirk-pop perfection of local star Rachel Goodrich, and then
the electro-inflected good times of Afrobeta. Rounding off the night's
later sets are roots reggae riders Jahfe, and then
southern-funk-rockers (and UM students) Tavern.
Extracurriculars abound as well. There's sunset yoga, stand-up comedy,
and tug of war billed as a battle between hipsters and "wookies" -- we
think, by the tussle's promo pictures, that might be code for "bearded
hippie." That alone is worth the low-low-low admission price of $5 or
$10 (the latter, advance price comes with a souvenir T-shirt).
Saturday, April 25 at Jimbo's, Duck Lake Road, Virginia Key, Miami. (Look up the directions at jimbosplace.com). Show goes from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Admission is $5, or free with a $10 souvenir T-shirt purchased in advance. 305-361-7026; swampstompfestival.com
