The Ear Drum

I recently attended a poetry reading, and the idea of poetry being musical in nature crossed my mind.

The thought is not without grounds, as both have characteristics they share. Both have rhythm and cadence, a definite flow to them and there are no real set rules for writing either of them.

One of the poets I saw opened up his poem by singing a few lines of the piece. This was intensely interesting, because the thought of doing that never crossed my mind.

Probably the genre closest to poetry is hip-hop or rap, which is at its base essence poetry recited over a beat. Some songs I’ve heard go beyond the idea of them being songs, into something much more.

For example, the Decemberists song The Crane Wife 1 & 2 is extremely poetic, almost to the point of the song hardly being a song anymore, and just being a story with rhythm.

There are many avenues you can take with poetry, just like the large amount of directions a piece of music can take. Both have descended from storytelling traditions.

Is poetry musical in nature? 

In my opinion, yes, though others may disagree. It is a matter of perspective, but I think poems and songs can go hand-in-hand very nicely.

University is lined with a variety of musical and dance clubs, catering to all palettes of entertainment. 1982 helps cater to the rock, punk and indie crowd ver nicely.

On the outside, 1982 is nothing special. A drab front with curtained windows, one door and a red sign that says 1982 in bold letters. If the letters weren’t there, the place could easily pass as abandoned.

Inside, it is much more lively. 

The venue is colored in reds and blacks, but it does not feel overly aggressive. Static filled TVs, with overlays of the 1982 logo, sit around the entire place.

The venue is split into two distinct parts, being the stage area and the bar.

The bar is well lit and wooden, with plenty of space of patrons. Above the bar is a set of TVs, but only one of them plays movies.

That is one of the cooler things about 1982: they have video games hooked up to certain TVs around the venue. So if you are waiting for a show or having a drink, you can play a little Duck Hunt.

The systems available are NES, SNES, Genesis and even a N64, each with their own games. They are entirely free to play, and as stated before, a good time killer.

The venue is spacious, and the stage is able to hold a five to six piece band comfortably. The venues sound system is very good, as they have four monitors near the front of the stage.

The place is filled with plush couches and chairs, and has a generally relaxed feeling. The staff is also very kind and sociable, being very easy to get along with.

There are a few marks against 1982, though.

For one, it is not the cleanest bar. It’s not overly dirty, but the place just looks kind of worn and ragged.

Furthermore, if you value personal space while you are “doing your business”, don’t use their bathrooms. The male bathroom, which is about the size of a dorm room bathroom, has two urinals and a toilet.

Regardless of that, 1982 is a cool venue that often puts on great, and cheap, shows. They also put on various events such as a Magic: The Gathering night and karaoke, so it is not all beer and music.

For more information, go to http://www.1982bar.com/

Near the turn of the last century, variety shows were one of the largest staples of entertainment culture.

These events showcased music, comedy and art all in one show. People would be exposed to several types of entertainment all at once, as the variety shows wanted to offer something for everyone.

I think those shows should forge a comeback.

Consider this, for a moment: When was the last time you went to a concert and saw art on canvas? Or attended a poetry reading that also played independently produced films?

Our entertainment is singularly focused now, as opposed to the burlesques of years past. I believe bringing these kind of events back into the mainstream can refuel entertainment.

It would expose people to different experiences, instead of just going to art shows or just going to concerts. It would become multimedia outside of the newsrooms and internet.

People could see, touch and hear all different kind of sensations instead of focusing on a single one. Avenues would open and give people a different view on how art can be created, and most of all, experienced.

The University of Florida has recently had their homecoming celebration, the Gator Growl. This event combines music, performances, skits, dances and presentations, all put on in front of thousands of people at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

The headliner for this year were the ever-classic Goo Goo Dolls, and they have not rusted one bit.

For people who don’t know, the Goo Goo Dolls are a rock band from Buffalo, New York that gained widespread popularity in the mid-90s. Some hits include Iris, Broadway and Long Way Down.

The Dolls were extremely energetic, despite their tenure as a 25-year-old band. The lead singer, John Rzeznik, still has his distinctive voice after all these years of performing.

There were almost no gaps between songs, as the Goo Goo Dolls seemed to want to the music to speak for itself. 

“I’ll stop talking and play more music now,” Rzeznik said. This was after simply asking how the crowd was doing.

That, to me, is dedication to their art and music. They didn’t preach, they didn’t thank and they didn’t moan.

All they did was play, and they played fantastically.

The Goo Goo Dolls played all their hits, and even if you were a casual listener, you would have heard a handful of their songs on any classic rock radio station. The production values were also great, as UF seems to spare no expense for their featured bands.

People held up their cell phones during slow songs, sung out load in time with the words and were enthralled by the Goo Goo Dolls. They were the best musical headliner I’ve seen for the past three Gator Growls.

Even though they have wrinkles on their faces, their hair is still long and their music is still heartfelt and energetic. They have aged like wine, and it was an honor to see them after being a fan for so many years.

Last night, I attended my first ever nerdcore show. And what a show it was, as the king of nerdcore, MC Frontalot, was performing.

Nerdcore, for those who do not know, is at its basis a sub-genre of hip-hop. It involves subjects such as video games, Star Wars and Dungeons & Dragons, and often uses uncredited samples to really make it a homebrewed experience.

The show was at The Laboratory, and it was the only Florida stop on MC Frontalot’s nation-wide tour. The crowd was small, but intimate, with a wide variety of people attending.

The show opened with a cavalcade of nerdcore rappers, highlighting the various ways the genre can go. The acts included Rappy McRapperson, King Pheenix and Emergency Pizza Party, all of which had devoted fans there.

The crowd was not really full until MC Frontalot stepped on stage, even when he was preceded by his bassist, Brandon Patton, performing his solo act.

Frontalot, whose real name is Damien Hess, definitely puts on a persona when he performs. He changes his outfit, his mannerisms, the way he holds himself and even his facial expressions.

When I purchased a CD and a shirt from him before his performance, he was soft-spoken and slightly shy. When he went on stage, he became verbose and elegant, as he popped, locked and rapped like only Frontalot could.

He performed songs mostly from his last two albums, Zero Day and Solved. Some notable ones include Critical Hit, Spoiler Alert, It is Pitch Dark and Just Once. Subject matter ranged from Star Wars to text-based adventure games, and even just straight up romantic songs.

Though only a few people were dancing, there was an energy in the crowd, and you could see people quietly mouthing the lyrics. Frontalot is a magnificent performer, and you can tell he really has a passion for his art.

The show was great, and it is a shame that Frontalot does not tour that often. If he comes anywhere near your town, and you are even slightly interested in him, go to the show.

You won’t regret it.

I feel venue reviews would be a good part of this blog, mostly because half the enjoyment of a show comes from the actual venue you are seeing the performers in. Thus, people should know how each venue around Gainesville is in terms of quality.

This brings me to The Laboratory, one of the smaller music clubs in Gainesville, nestled away about a block from Wild Iris Books in midtown.

If the Laboratory had a specialization in music that they present, it would be hip-hop and electronic, with MC Frontalot performing there this Tuesday. They also host other various events, such as poetry readings in the spring.

The Laboratory is located on University, but it is extremely difficult to locate. The sign is somewhat concealed, and the actual venue is not on the main street.

The exterior is not too flashy, with just a small patio area. The inside is where the Laboratory really shines.

The Laboratory, as it’s name suggests, has a very scientific theme. The major light source comes from black lights, and you can grab a lab coat off of a coat hanger to get that surreal purple glow on you’re entire body.

There are also various neon lights displaying things like a heart monitor, or even a flashing light box used to display x-ray negatives. The walls are covered in illustrations of tentacles reaching down from the ceiling, and this continues throughout the club, even into the small bathrooms.

Though the venue is small, there is a good amount of floor space for dancing and general flailing. The stage is nothing special, basically a raised wooden platform, but it is large enough for performers to move around and can support a good sized band.

The staff are very friendly, like most local venues, and are very easy to talk to. In addition to the standard beer and drinks, the Laboratory also offers food, such as sandwiches and nachos.

The Laboratory also seems to be a very close knit club, most likely due to its size. You can quickly spot the regulars, such as Tom Miller who performs his poetry there every Monday (he looks kind of like Stephen King).

Overall, the Laboratory is a great place to relax and meet good people, and one of the best places in town to enjoy local hip-hop and electronica. Though it is a bit of a chore to find, and can be cramped at times, its qualities highly outweigh its faults.

On a warm Tuesday afternoon, a small group gathers around the Turlington rock. Two girls and around three guys pull out guitars and start singing, but they migrate under Turlington’s overhang when rain comes, where they continue singing and playing.

This group is the Singer-Songwriter Society, hence forth referred to as 3S, a UF club that focuses on bringing solo musicians together to perform and find an outlet for music.

“I realized there was no place for non-music majors to get together and express themselves,” said Demario Hardman-Fort, the president of the organization.

The group, which has been around since 2009, has around 30 to 40 members, but Hardman-Fort says they have never done a proper tally. He said 3S is not only a place to make friendships, but also a place to learn how to get farther in music.

“We give information on how to find links into the music industry,” said Hardman-Fort. “And you’ll have someone to come back to if you make it big.”

The group performs all over campus and Gainesville, including a frequent open mic night at the Orange and Brew. 

3S is also contacted by other student organizations when they want music for an event. Hardman-Fort said they’ve played at events for the Black Student Union, a Women’s History Month performance, and a future performance for an event held by the Progressive Black Men.

“It’s about promoting music and helping each other out,” said Vice-President Valerie Panting. 

Panting says that they match singers with instrumentalists, and that they can make lifelong friends here. It was easy to see, as everyone performing looked excited and full of energy.

When Panting introduced me to Hardman-Fort, she gave him a giant embrace and said that he had ‘saved her life’. After seeing their passion for their organization, it’s hard to not believe her.

To learn more about 3S, visit their Facebook page.

Today while walking through campus, I noticed that a thing you don’t commonly see around are musical buskers.

A busker, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is a “person who entertains in a public place for donations”. Though there can be a variety of buskers, the most common is musical performers.

This brings me back to the point of a lack of buskers within UF. UF has numerous “free-speech” zones where students can perform activities to the public, but they are hardly utilized for music.

It could be the general ambivelance the average students feels while walking through a crowded place like Turlington Plaza. If students are unwilling to stop to listen to political campaigns, it is doubtful that they will stop to listen to one person crooning on a guitar.

Is busking dead at UF? No. Groups such as the Guitar Circle at UF and The Hip-Hop Collective, which performs the Turlington Takeover event, try to keep the spirit alive, but are mostly ignored unless they make a show of it.

What sums up the situation is that someone of the Guitar Circle said that after playing for three hours, he finally had enough to buy a soda from the vending machine.

Hello readers, and welcome to The Ear Drum, a music blog dealing with shows and artists in and around the Gainesville, Florida area.

The Ear Drum will focus specifically on reviews of shows, and possibly albums, interviews with artists and photos of events.

Artists will range from local acts to touring bands, to even a busker on the street who has something to say. As long as it is musical, it matters.

If you would like your show covered, or if you would like an interview, do not hesitate to contact me through the “ask” option on the blog. The option will not allow anonymous questions or requests, however.

I hope you enjoy the blog, as I have some great content lined up for the next few posts. Until then, keep your ear drum pounding!