It was a relatively chilly night, with temperatures dropping steadily in Ybor City. Usually, New World Brewery has space heaters placed around the outside patio area, but I suppose it has to be below 40 degrees to warrant lugging those cumbersome contraptions out of storage.
Starting the music off around 9:54p.m., was a Sarasota-based band called The Equines. This 5-piece band features Erin Murphy on vocals/guitar, Andrew Sink on bass/vocals, Mike Murphy on drums, Greg Farris on xylophone, and Jeannine Blewitt on mandolin. Erin Murphy’s voice is haunting, with a rapid vibrato style similar to Stevie Nicks with a Folky twist. Mike Murphy’s drumming has some impressive chops that fit tastefully in the overall mood of the songs, while Sink’s bass lays down a heavy depth that filled the open-air patio nicely. The melodies from Farris and Blewitt add an abundance of accentuating action to the upbeat sound of the band, and Murphy’s & Sink’s harmonies were spot on. The band’s style is a melding of late-70s Post-Punk with Pop sensibilities, mixed with a bit of Southern Folk. The collaborating musicianship works quite well, and The Equines opened the night with a very solid set.
Next up was Andy Matchett & The Minks, a 4-piece Orlando Indie-Pop band with a Southern twist. Andy Matchett fronts the band on vocals/guitar, with Megan Matchett on keys/vocals, Abraham Couch on bass/vocals, and Matt Mendel on drums/vocals. With beautiful full-band vocal harmonies and melodies backing up Matchett’s graceful vocals, this band reminded me somewhat of the dark beauty of Radiohead’s most subdued moments. There was one song that dusted off the Rock & Roll wheels, and had a very noticeable Paul Westerberg influence. Mendel’s aggressively accurate drumming was an interesting component offsetting the band’s gentle progressions. Ironically, the band’s banter between songs was sarcastic, and they were having a lot of fun goofing off. Excellent performance all around.
The highlight of the night was Orlando’s Mike Dunn & The Kings Of New England. This 4-piece band has Mike Dunn on vocals/guitar/harmonica, Jacob Kaplan on bass/vocals, C.J. Mask on lead guitar/vocals, and Jon Kraft on drums. This is an American Rock & Roll band, drawing apparent influences from Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and that gem from Memphis called Lucero...add a bit of the stridency of The Replacements, and I call it a damn good band. The vocal harmonies were excellent, and Dunn’s unique voice is steeped in passion and sincerity. Mask’s lead guitar work really caught my attention – skillful leads and melodies that really added to the quality of the songs. It was their CD release party and I had a chance to chat with Mask briefly at the end of the night to grab a couple of CDs by the band, which has close ties with Folk-Punk barfly Damion Suomi of Cocoa Beach. Mike Dunn & The Kings Of New England made my night with an absolutely phenomenal set...I hope to see them again soon.
Closing the night was Look Mexico, a 5-member Indie-Pop band from Tallahassee. They were the crowd favorite, which had grown to about 75 people. I didn’t get any of their names, but the band consists of drums, guitar/synth/vocals, vocals/guitar, guitar/pedal steel/vocals, and bass. Their sound blends dissonance building the anticipation to the point of bursting, then relents into soaring melodies. The drummer makes frequent use of syncopated beats along with the unorthodox chord patterns of the other players. Clearly, this band is influenced by The Promise Ring and they are good at what they do.
It was an interesting night, with a variety of styles that covered multiple shades of the Indie spectrum. New World Brewery remains my favorite bar/live music venue in the Tampa Bay area – an intimate setting with Purple Haze on tap, great homemade pizza, good company, and oddly running into Jason Black from Hot Water Music & Senses Fail at the cash machine.
-Marc Ganancias
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