It's a Party when Zach's in Town

One-man party Zach Deputy plays two venues in the Panhandle this week -- Pensacola's Handlebar tonight and The Engine Room in Tallahassee tomorrow night. The Engine Room show has a $15 cover charge, doors open at 9, and Tallahassee blues man Sir Charles Atkins opens.

If you've never seen Zach, check him out. He's an infectious performer with a lot of funk and soul in his bones. He creates a musical stew on stage with the help of looping equipment and plays everything from originals to Michael Jackson to reggae to classical guitar. It's a serious funky dance party.

Zach has a spanking new album out, Another Day

Here he is doing his thing, playing his orginal "Tube Steak:"

On Tap This Coming Weekend: A Cool Drum Festival

You might think, if you are not a drummer, that you wouldn't enjoy an all-drumming festival. I thought that, but a friend convinced me to go to the Paralounge Drum Gathering several years ago, and it was great. This is not your festival drunks playing badly at 4 a.m. while you're trying to sleep. They might be playing at 4:30 a.m. at the Paralounge, but it's gonna be good.

When I went, there was a huge variety of percussion that was super-interesting, every day there were learning workshops (and drums available for everyone,) there was yoga, evening bonfires with hot dancers, kid's activities, awesome guest performances by world-class drum ensembles, cool vendors, and these folks know how to throw a lovely gathering.

The Paralounge's October gathering happens this weekend, Sept. 30-Oct. 1 at Camp Kiwanis on Mill Dam Lake, which is (oddly) a private campground located in the Ocala National Forest (Silver Springs, Fl.)

This year features a performance by Dimas Sanchez and “Traditional Bomba” from Puerto Rico. This percussion style reaches back to the early 1800’s when African slaves from Ghana brought their traditions to the sugar plantations of Puerto Rico. Traditional Bomba will also give instructional workshops.

I really dig this little treatise the Paralounge has on "drum circle etiquette."

Admission is $50 for the weekend, $30 for the day -- pay at the gate. Kids 12 and under are free. You need to bring an above ground fire pit or grill if you want your own campfire (but going to the main drum circle fire is preferable in any case)There are no RV hookups at the festival, but there is an RV camping area across the lake (not sure how far.) No pets. If you want to tent on the lake, bring a wagon to cart your stuff. Or, you can camp by your car away from the lake.

There are dorm rooms available also for a fee, in case you don't want to camp. But be prepared: they are rooms filled with camping bunks, meant for scouts!

Good Local Bluegrass, Americana in Tally Tonight

Up-and-coming local bluegrass band Stranger Still plays Bird's Aphrodesiac Oyster Shack at 8 p.m. tonight in a show with Coon Bottom Creek called "Bluegrass on the Half Shell." cover is $5, and yes, Septemebr is an 'r' month if you are ready to commence bivalve consumption season.

The kick-ass New 76ers return to the stage tonight after a hiatus. They'll hit the Mockingbird's tiny stage at 7 p.m.. The show is free, but it is a good idea to reserve a table and eat there. The food's a bit pricey, but quite good.


Here's a nice video of this very excellent band. Kelly Goddard has such a beautiful voice!

Gram Parsons Guitar Pull This Weekend

If you're not going to the Blackwater Music Festival this weekend, you might want to check out The Gram Parsons Guitar Pull at the Okeefenokee Fairgrounds in Waycross, Ga.

This country-roots camping and music festival honors the late Parsons, who died in 1973. Parsons is a legendary musician who was a pioneer of the alt-country genre, singing partner to Emmylou Harris, brief member of The Byrds, co-founder of The Flying Burrito Brothers, and a pal of Rolling Stones wild man Keith Richards. He came from Waycross, and they've been honoring this hometown hero for several years now.

It costs $35 advanced for all 3 days. At the gate, it's $20 for Friday, $20 for Saturday, and $10 for Sunday. Primitive camping is $10 for the whole weekend. If you want an electric/RV site, it's $30 for the weekend. Kids 12 and under are free. Be forewarned, they want you to bring a stove or a fire pit for your campfire. Coolers are allowed. I'd imagine the picking in the campground is going to be fantastic!

Here's a neat website about Parsons

Blackwater Music Festival: 10 Things To Know Before You Go

Blackwater Music Festival hits Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fl. this weekend. Here's 10 things you need to know:

1. There will be shade for your tent.

2. You can camp for free on a beautiful cypress lake -- choose primitive "lake camping." Reese Lake, lined with cypress trees, is close to the stages, it has nearby Port-o-lets, and the lake bathhouse and showers are a three-minute walk away.

3. Don't be discouraged by the roundabout kooky drive to get to lake camping. Keep a level head. Persevere. You'll find it. It's worth it:

4. Bring a baby pool for your campsite instead of firewood - fall's not here yet, y'all.

5. In the morning, the on-site Suwannee Music Park restaurant has a good breakfast buffet. They have nice bathrooms. Also a really cool hand-painted mural of local wildlife.

6. You can get fresh ice at the camp store next to the restaurant.

7. The Suwannee River beach is not to be missed (see top pic.)There's a rope swing. The river's a long walk from the fest site -- grab a ride or a golf cart.

8. The Suwannee River water is dark (dyed by tree tannins), but it is spring-fed and the river bottom is clean and sandy.

9. There's a giant bat house. It is just beyond lake camping in the field -- ask other campers where it is. At sunset, you can grab a beverage and go watch incredible numbers of bats fly out!

10. Bring a hammock. The ampitheater is full of trees!

A Little Reggae Tonight

Boston reggae funk band Spiritual Rez hits the Engine Room in Tallahassee tonight. Doors open at 9, cover is $10.

Local band Shoes and Laces opens.

Spiritual Rez opened last weekend's PoJo Festival in Port St. Joe, Fla.

That little PoJo fest was a gem -- listening to music while bobbing in the clear aqua waters, yes! Texas's Bob Schneider, indie darlings (recently on the cover of Rolling Stone) The Sheepdogs, Calfornia's ALO, and Honey Island Swamp Band out of New Orleans turned out stellar performances to a crowd that was pretty tiny.

Props to the organizers, and if they keep booking bands this good, this fest can only grow. There's plenty of room for more of us to float in that lovely bay.


Here's some Spiritual Rez:

The Flaming Lips

The Blackwater Music Festival hits Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fl. this weekend. This fest draws a youngish crowd, with electronica acts STS9, Girl Talk, Eoto and Ghostland Observatory on the top of the bill.

Tickets are $165 through Wednesday, and $180 at the gate. That includes free primitive camping. (You could have bought 3-day tickets in May for the bargain advanced price of $110.)

You can get a one-day pass (no camping) for $40 Thursday, $60 Friday, and $70 Saturday.

The headliner is the incomparable psychedelic band The Flaming Lips, which puts on one of the best live shows on Earth. If you watch the excellent documentary about the band, Fearless Freaks, you'll learn that they used a motorcycle running on stage in tiny dive clubs to get a smoke-on-the-stage effect.

These days they have all the stage toys they can handle -- a plastic bubble to roll over the crowd with, clever cameras, confetti machines -- I'm writing this and it doesn't sound nearly as awesome as it is. Trust me, this will be one of the best live rock shows you will ever see.

Here's a little interesting video story about their shows featuring lead singer Wayne Coyne.