Florida's the Place To Be This Weekend -- fests in Fort Myers, Boca, St. Pete, and the Panhandle

Lucky us -- this weekend there's music fests all over our sunny state.

The excellent 30A Songwriters Festival happens in and around Seaside, Florida, along Scenic Highway 30A in the Panhandle county of Walton Jan. 18. This features some of the finest songwriters working today.  It's not a camping festival -- hit the link above for my previous post on this event.

This year's performers include Nanci Griffith (pictured above), Lucinda Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jeffrey Steele,  Suzanne Vega, Tift Merritt, Randall Bramblett, and Grayson Capps. You can see my videos of past 30A Songwriters performances at the festgrrl You Tube channel. And you can hear cuts by some of the artists on a special 30A Festival Internet radio station, gigdog.

And the kick-ass traveling Sunshine Blues Festival, headlined by the Tedeschi-Trucks Band, happens in Friday, Jan. 18 in Fort Myers, Saturday, Jan. 19 in Boca Raton and Sunday, Jan. 20 in St. Petersburg.Again, see the link above for details on this most excellent lineup of uber-talented musicians.

Sunshine Blues Festival in 3 Florida Cities Next Week

Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks

For those of us not lucky enough to be on the Jamcruise boat right now, here's something to look forward to:

The Sunshine Blues Festival , an extravaganza tour headlining with the Grammy-winning Tedeschi-Trucks Band, hits Florida Jan 18, 19, and 20. That's husband and wife musical team Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, backed up by a phenomenal 11-piece band featuring Kofi Burbridge, (who handles keyboard and flute for the Derek Trucks Band), drummers J.J. Johnson and Tyler Greenwell, trumpeter Maurice Brown, tenor saxophonist Kebbie Williams and trombonist Saunders Sermons. The great bassist Oteil Burbridge left the band last fall.

There are still tickets available. Here are the dates and cities:

FRIDAY, JANUARY 18 – FT. MYERS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 19 – BOCA RATON

SUNDAY, JANUARY 20 – ST. PETERSBURG


The St. Pete and Boca Raton shows show  include New Orleans Blues Legend Dr. John!

Also playing at the touring festival: contemporary guitar legend Walter Trout (formerly with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers); Louisiana slide wizard Sonny Landreth; Allman Brothers drummer Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band; The Wood Brothers (featuring Chris from Modeski, Martin & Wood and his well-known singer/songwriter brother Oliver); award-winning British blues guitarist Matt Schofield; the driving force of urban funk, Big Sam’s Funky Nation; Florida guitar favorite Bobby Lee Rodgers; multiple Grammy and Blues Music Award-winner Joe Louis Walker; the no-frills blend of Chicago, Texas, and Delta blues guitarist Sean Chambers.

Tickets are $49.50 plus fees ($62.50 total.) All shows are general admission and all shows are kick-ass!

Get the Holiday Present You Really Wanted

Our friends over at Jambase have compiled a great list of books for music nerds.. order away, festivarians!

Could be some good on-the-boat reading for those of you lucky enough to be going on Jamcruise this upcoming weekend. Yeah, right, like you're going to be reading on Jamcruise...

Suwannee Springfest Adds Acts, Ticket Prices Go Up Soon

The bluegrass/newgrass wonderland that is Suwannee Springfest at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fl March 21-24 just got better. 

The lineup already had some great national acts -- newgrass psychobilly band Leftover Salmon, Peter Rowan, The Traveling McCoury's. Keller and the Keels, Elephant Revival, Donna The Buffalo, to name just a few --  and has added some fantastic musicians to its lineup, including Jerry Douglas, Cornmeal, Dread Clampitt, and the wonderful Nathan Moore (The Slip, Surprise Me Mr. Davis)

Four-day tickets are $135 through Dec. 28, then go up to $150 on December 29,. Gate price is going to be $180, so get 'em now -- you know you'll want to be there! 

You can see the fill lineup here, and here's a rundown of the additions: 

Jerry Douglas

Mike Marshall and Darol Anger

Cornmeal

Mamajowally, featuring Joe Craven, Mamadou Sidibe, and Walter Strauss

Tornado Rider

Larry Keel & Natural Bridge

Dread Clampitt

Tony Furtado Band

The Hackensaw Boys

Bill Evans Soulgrass

Nathan Moore

Dangermuffin

Sol Driven Train

Nikki Talley

John Stickley Band

Steve Pruett Back From The Brink

Sarah Mac Band

The Screaming J’s

The New 76ers

Von Grey

Grant Farm

Jonathan Scales Fourchestra

Big Cosmo

Habanero Honeys

Quartermoon

Sloppy Joe

Canary In A Coalmine

Red Clay Revival

Free Range Roosters

Mickey Abraham & the Acoustic Ensemble

Wanderfoot

Festing for New Year's? Yup, right here in Florida.

Feel like spending New Year's Eve with festy friends?

Maddox Ranch near Lakeland, Fl. is the spot for a New Year's Eve fest this year -- The Home Team New Year's Rally has 3 days of  camping, dancing, the whole works. Tickets are $60 advanced. The roster is filled with bands coming out of the Orlando scene. Here are the details for your planning pleasure:

Viking Guy Productions Presents:

The 2012 Home Team New Year's Rally!

Attention Home Team! Keepin' it safe on New Year's Eve!

Three days of music, camping and ringing in the New Year! Hotels also available nearby if camping isn't for you. :) Tickets available at:www.Hometeamrally.eventbrite.com

Saturday, December 29th:
Artist at large- Dennis Stadelman
12:00pm – 1:00pm: Alex Foster
1:15pm – 2:15pm: Smilin’ Bill
2:30pm – 3:30pm: John Clark Band
3:45pm – 4:45pm: E. T.
5:00pm - 6:30pm: The Commoners
6:50pm - 8:20pm: Skull and Bone Band
8:40pm - 10:10pm: Between Bluffs
10:30pm - 12:00am: Beebs and her Money Makers
12:10am - Legacy

Sunday, December 30th:
Artist at large- Kenny Stadelman
11:00am – 12:00pm: Louie Palma
12:00pm – 1:00pm: Tangled Mangos
1:15pm – 2:15pm: Holey Miss Moley
2:30pm – 3:30pm: Savi Fernandez Band
3:45pm – 4:45pm: Nook and Cranny
4:30pm - 6:00pm: BlessEd & the Divine Derelicts
6:15pm - 7:45pm: The Stick Martin Show
8:15pm - 11:00pm: Uncle John's Band
11:20pm - 12:50am: The Applebutter Express
1:00am - Juanjamon Band

Monday, December 31st:
Artist at large- Fil Pate
12:00pm – 12:45pm: Josh We Know
1:00pm – 1:45pm: Sunset Bridge Band
2:00pm – 2:45pm: Displace
3:00pm – 3:45pm: Shoeless Soul
4:00pm - 5:30pm: Free Range Roosters
5:50pm - 7:20pm: Christie Lenée
7:40pm - 9:10pm: Green Sunshine
9:30pm - 11:00pm: Honey Henny Lime
11:20pm - 12:50am: The Applebutter Express
1:10am - Charlie Dandelion

Tickets only $60, AVAILABLE NOW!!! www.hometeamrally.eventbrite.com

Yummies for your tummies by Free Lovin' Foodery!
Art by Bean Spence!

www.Hometeamrally.eventbrite.com

Single Day Tickets available at the gate only, $30
3-day passes $80 at the gate

Dr. John in Tallahassee Saturday night

You can be in the right place at the right time this Saturday night in Tallahassee, Fl. when Malcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, Jr., aka famed New Orleans musician Dr. John, joins jazz trombonist Sarah Morrow for a benefit for B. Sharp's Jazz Cafe on Brevard Street. The intimate jazz club has been struggling, and this is a fine way to contribute to the cause of great music. 

Dr. John put out a new record this year, Locked Down, which was named one of the best albums of the year by Rolling Stone magazine.

Tickets for the 8 pm show are $55, plus fees. You can buy tickets for this worthy event here

30A Songwriters Festival Brings Talent to the Florida Panhandle in January

Time to get your tickets to the 30A Songwriters Festival which happens in beautiful South Walton County in the Florida Panhandle January 18-20.

festgrrl has seen some truly amazing shows at this unusual fest, which happens in bars and restaurants along coastal Scenic Highway 30A. It is sort of like Nashville-by-the-sea scene. Not to say it's a country music festival -- no, more folky, bluesy. Many of the performers are the folks who write the country hits, and there is something really special about hearing these songs in their stripped-down, pure forms.

This year's roster of singer-songwriters includes more than 125 performers and 200 shows.

Confirmed artists include Lucinda Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jeffrey Steele, Nanci Griffith, Suzanne Vega, Fastball, Tift Merritt, Allison Moorer, Charlie Mars, Eliza Gilkyson, Freedy Johnston, Randall Bramblett, The Shadowboxers, Joe Leathers, Gretchen Peters, Brigitte DeMeyer, Tommy Womack, Vicki Peterson, Susan Cowsill, Chas Sandford, Shannon Whitworth,
Tommy Talton, Daphne Willis, Geoff McBride, Grayson Capps, Jeff Black, Reed Waddle, Don Dixon & Marti Jones, Cory Chisel, David Olney, DeAnna Cox, Webb Wilder, Cooper Carter & the Royal Senders, Wesley Cook, Andrew Combs, Blue Ribbon Healers, Brian White, Dannica Lowery,David Berkeley, Davin McCoy, Diane Durrett, Eliot Bronson, Gabriel Kelley, Hannah Thomas,
Humming House, Jill Andrews, Karyn Williams, Kellin Watson, Kelsey Anna, Kyle Jacobs, Max McCann, Ray Bonneville, Ruston Kelly, Steve Bogard, The Owsley Brothers, Seth and May, Jeep Rosenberg, Sterling Fletcher and Jessica Cayne.

This is not a camping festival. Your weekend ticket -- which costs $150 at this point but will go up as the fest gets closer -- gives you entree into the many different bars and restaurants which host performances. 

There are vacation rental places all over that area, and there's also pretty nice camping (and swanky, big cottages) at nearby Grayton Beach State Park.

Bring plenty of cash, there are some amazing places to eat everywhere, I reccommend The Red Bar in Grayton Beach (especially the Bloody Mary's);  Bud & Alley's main restaurant in Seaside, Bud& Alley's Pizza Bar, also in Seaside,  (wow, super thin pies in a wood oven), and Bud & Alley's Taco Bar in Seaside.