MeteorEYES

PG 37

Throbbing disco beats, masks reminiscent of Kabuki theatre, a surplus of fuzzed-out bass guitars—MeteorEYES may be the darkest dance show you’ll find in Athens this week.
If the masks speak to a metaphorical kind of alienation, Fortner’s life and lyrics speak to a very real variety of alienation. Fortner’s partner lives in London - Flagpole Magazine

In recent years, the end of summer has become a sort of touring season for local bands as they venture out across the country to spread the good word about their musical endeavors. This year will be drawing out not only the experienced road warriors, but a fresh line-up of first timers preparing to take their shows on the road -- and into often mysterious uncharted territory.

For those unfamiliar with the common booking and touring process experienced by most mid-level bands, it probably isn't as glamorous as you might think. Scenes in movies like "Almost Famous" paint a relatively rosy picture of an eclectic tribe of musicians managing the harsh demands of the road by joining together in sing-a-longs on their old converted Greyhound bus.

But locals like trance-rock outfit MeteorEYES know the real drill is less romantic. Currently in the midst of its third tour, the band held a kick-off party at Mr. Beery's last Saturday (Aug. 13) before embarking on a 17-day jaunt up the East Coast in support of their first full-length album "Across the Pond." With some experience under their belts, lead singer Shannon Fortner and drummer David Curran didn't have too much trouble squaring gigs away for nearly every date.

"This is our first time hugging the East Coast, but we've got some good responses," Fortner says. "It's cool to see a bunch of bands in Sarasota heading out this summer. To be a productive band, you have to get out there, and so a lot of people are getting inspired by seeing each other heading out on tour. And a lot of bands have been sharing contacts." - Herald Tribune TICKET

Saturday, October 1
5:00 pm Girls Shorts
Directors Ellie Krnich and Casey Parks in attendance

THERE'S NO HOLE IN MY HEAD - Dir: Alison Segar
In 2007, aged 54, Abby Hale was diagnosed with early onset of Alzheimer's. As a mom and medical practitioner Abby eloquently shares with grace and insight what she has both gained and lost as a result
of this harsh and cruel disease. This film allows us a rare glimpse into a world that is becoming increasingly common in our society, but is rarely discussed in such an honest and open way.

YOUR FIRST COOL ALBUM - Dir: Casey Parks
A whimsical interview short in which a series of people discuss what they consider their first "cool" album.

CYCLICITY - Dir: Jason Knade
The film explores the life cycle of a romantic relationship, from the hopeful hello to the inevitable goodbye. Each vignette aims to concisely and poignantly capture a significant moment of a relationship, a turning point, an instant of irreversible change. In the aggregate, the moments attempt to illuminate the universality of the romantic relationship and how, just like the life of a living creature, it follows a predictable and universal trajectory.
http://www.jasonknade.com/cyclicity/

BEST TEXT - MeteorEyes
Music video video from the band MeterEyes
http://meteoreyes.us/

TRUTH TAKES TIME - Dir: Ellie Krnich
Truth Takes Time is a coming-of-age 'motion storybook' that shows us the trials and tribulations of gender, identity and self-love. This is an emotional story of letting go of the past and moving on toward the future.
http://www.allielovesemma.com/

LUST LIFE - Dir: Lynda Tarryk
A woman who is caught between what was and what could be, takes a chance.
http://lustlifeshortfilm.com/

BUTTERY TOP - Dir: Catherine Crouch
A jug of wine, a loaf of bread - but wait - what kind of bread? A comedy about a first date with extra baggage.
http://www.CatherineCrouch.com

CHAINED - Dir: Betsy Kalin
From Victorian pocket watches to Zoot Suit style to motorcycle necessity, wallet chains have evolved over the years to become more than a trend in lesbian culture. Today, lesbians are the biggest
consumers of wallet chains. All ages, all walks of life, butches and femmes, dykes on bikes, and BDSM practitioners – what drives women to wear chains? And why are they so literally attached to them? Chained! takes a sexy, humorous romp through the lives of lesbians who define themselves by their chains.
http://www.itchybeeproductions.com/

WHO DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP - Dir: Casey Parks
Humorous interview short in which people discuss their first career choices as children.
- PLGFF

It's a fact that well-known Harvey Milk Fest founder and equal rights activist Shannon Fortner has moxie.

Now, the gregarious mask-wearing frontlady and songstress from Sarasota's MeteorEYES, also has Moxie, Moxie -- her own recording project.

"I use to do experimental recordings when I was in middle/high school with samples off records to my double cassette deck and a karaoke mic I took from my parents' karaoke machine from the '80s," Fortner said.By DAWN SCIRE Correspondent
Published: Thursday, August 2, 2012 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 9:48 a.m.
Page 2 of 2

Later, while in the now-defunct Spontaneous Habit, Fortner channeled her personal creativity via digital synthesizer. Moxie, Moxie is a modern-day re-tweaking of those tapes, and an outlet for her future solo writings.

Check out dreamy synthpop track, "Crashing Islands," online on Soundcloud (soundcloud.com/moxie-moxie). - Herald Tribune TICKET

Gulf Coast Live: Arts Edition – Russian Pianist Philipp Kopachevskiy / 2nd Annual Harvey Milk Festival
Posted on May 12, 2011 by wgcu
The ArtsNaples World Festival Orchestra presents An Evening with Tchaikovsky on May 16 at Moorings Presbyterian Church. The featured guest artist is Russian pianist Philipp Kopachevskiy. The 21-year-old is possibly the finest Russian pianist of his generation. The festival takes place next year featuring the performing and visual arts of Russia.
Then the 2nd Annual Harvey Milk Festival is coming up in Sarasota. The festival features national and local musicians and performance artists, along with political activists from around the globe.
Guests:
Philipp Kopachevskiy, Russian pianist via Skype & Maestro William Noll, ArtsNaples World Festival Artistic Director.
Shannon Fortner, creator- Harvey Milk Festival
The show will be live at Noon on 90.1 FM
Call in: 1-877-428-8255
Email: gulfcoastlive@wgcu.org - Florida Talks NPR

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RECORD STORE DAY AT DADDY KOOL’S (FULL SCHEDULE)
Posted by Ray Roa on Sunday, April 8, 2012 · Leave a Comment
When: Back to Calendar » April 21, 2012 @ 8:00 am - 11:45 pm
Where: The 600 Block
666 Central Ave
St Petersburg,FL 33701
USA



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Cost: FREE
Categories: COMMUNITY MUSIC
Tags: Daddy Kool Records FUBAR Local 662 St. Petersburg

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Our national holiday,
RECORD STORE DAY, 2012 – Saturday, April 2, – 600 BLOCK
This is the day when independent record stores take over. Come join us for free live music, food, and fun!
Here’s the list of special limited edition releases specifically for Record Store Day:http://www.recordstoreday.com/SpecialReleases
Store opens at 8AM
============FREE SHOWS ==================
? Live music will be starting at The Local 662 at NOON
12:00PM – Young Egypt – youngegpytinternational.tumblr.com
12:45PM – Mutespeak - www.facebook.com/MuteSpeak
1:30PM – Noctambulo - www.facebook.com/Noctambulomusic
2:15PM – Erin Solari - www.facebook.com/erinsolarimusic
3:00PM – Rise of Saturn - www.facebook.com/riseofsaturn
3:45PM – Auto! Automatic!! - www.facebook.com/autoautomatic
4:30PM – Hunter & Avery - www.facebook.com/hunterandavery
5:15PM – Yogurt Smoothness - www.facebook.com/yogurtsmoothness
6:00PM – Wet Nurse - www.facebook.com/wetnurse
6:45PM – Infinite Skillz - www.facebook.com/infiniteskillzmusic
7:30PM – The Black Roses - http://on.fb.me/I1iUhH
8:15PM – The Semis - www.facebook.com/thesemis
9:00PM – Zulu Wave - www.facebook.com/zuluwave
9:45PM – Set And Setting - www.facebook.com/setandsetting
10:30PM – Meteoreyes - www.facebook.com/MeteorEYES
11:15PM – Pretty Voices - http://on.fb.me/HhrDc3
Midnight – Empire Cinema - www.facebook.com/EmpireCinemaFL
————————–————————–-
? Live music will be starting at Fubar at 1PM
1:00PM – Red Feather - http://on.fb.me/HRBMSk
1:45PM – Florida Night Heat - www.facebook.com/floridanightheat
2:30PM – Heavy Seas - http://bit.ly/Hhzc7y
3:15PM – Red Rockits - http://www.facebook.com/redrockits
4:00PM – Alias Punch - www.facebook.com/aliaspunch
4:45PM – Geri X - http://on.fb.me/fsqvhZ
5:30PM – The Northwest - www.facebook.com/thenorthwestmusic
6:15PM – The August Name - www.facebook.com/TheAugustName
7:00PM – Cats In The Basement - www.facebook.com/catsinthebasement
7:45PM – Kirsten & Jasmin - www.facebook.com/kirstenandjasmin
8:30PM – Lions After Dark - www.facebook.com/lionsafterdark
9:15PM – Holiday
10PM – Feral Babies - http://www.facebook.com/feralbabies
11PM – New Bruises - www.facebook.com/newbruisesband
Midnight – Lights At Night - www.facebook.com/Lights.at.Night - Suburban Apologist

27
july
2011 Antiwarpt Festival: The biggest local music event ever in Tampa Bay?

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In case you missed it, click here to check out our guide to Saturday's massive Antiwarpt Festival, featuring some 70 artists performing at eight venues around towntown St. Petersburg -- nine if you count a kickoff party the night before.

After the jump, we give you the rundown on what to expect at Antiwarpt's eight venues come Saturday -- including headliner the London Souls, above.

State Theatre: The weekend’s biggest venue gets the weekend’s biggest bands. New York mod rockers the London Souls are a ’60s-style garage band with a huge Beatles influence (think Taxman, Get Back and Don’t Let Me Down). The Bright Light Social Hour were recently named the best band in Austin, Texas, and played this year’s Tropical Heatwave. Rollicking Bradenton country-folk group Have Gun, Will Travel are one of the most consistently popular bands in the area. And after a lengthy hiatus, Tampa blues-rock powerhouse Nervous Turkey reunite for their first gig in months. 687 Central Ave.

The Local 662: Experimental Georgia band Reptar is the headliner, but two of Tampa Bay’s catchiest indie rock groups, the Beauvilles and the Semis, will bring plenty of fans. 662 Central Ave.

The Emerald: Some of the area’s most interesting bands perform at this tiny bar, including psychedelic trio Sons of Hippies, riot grrls Doll Parts and inventive jazz-jammers Poetry 'n’ Lotion. 550 Central Ave.

Fubar: This place is often a punk venue, and longtime scene heroes the Tim Version, Guiltmaker and Car Bomb Driver are among the headliners. But two Tropical Heatwave veterans, singer-songwriter Lauris Vidal and indie rockers The Pauses, are not to be missed. 658 Central Ave.

Star Booty: An off-the-wall venue deserves an off-the-wall lineup. Brent Rademaker, formerly of Beachwood Sparks, fronts Cosmic Gospel Hour, who play sparkly folk and power pop. Don’t miss Orlando jazz singer Kaleigh Baker. 681 Central Ave.

Sake Bomb: DJs and hip-hop get top billing here, as DJ SideDraft, funkmasters the Crate Brothers and rapper Infinite Skillz take the mic. 548 Central Ave.

Cafe Bohemia: Eclectic, electronic and eccentric are the buzzwords fueling Cafe Bohemia’s lineup. Sarasota’s MeteorEYES and St. Petersburg’s Transcendent Other play experimental pop music that’s trippy, yet danceable. 937 Central Ave.

The Globe Coffee Lounge: Fittingly, this cozy coffee shop will host an acoustic showcase featuring two of Tampa Bay’s top singer-songwriters, Rebekah Pulley and Will Quinlan. 532 First Ave N.

St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club (Friday night): Tampa indie rock group Sleepy Vikings have been winning kudos around the blogosphere for their shoegazey new album They Will Find You Here. They headline this free kickoff party, along with Greenland Is Melting, The Living Arches and John Gold, at 7 p.m. Friday.

-- Jay Cridlin, tbt* - Tampa Bay Times

The Anti-Pop Music Festival is in it's fifth year and I haven't been to a single one. The idea is a good one: a four night devoted to small and big "indie" bands that takes place in multiple venues but it never really garnered by interest. In it's favor, the people behind it are more sound than the scum bags behind the Florida Music Festival. I have to ask: what is the difference between Anti-Pop and a regular weeks worth of shows?

I like to think of myself as a well rounded music lover but when I read the lineups all I could ask was "Who are all these bands?" and "Are these the best headliners they could get in these rich music times?" I don't know if I'm just not into "indie" bands anymore or if there is such little identity put into this festival. The genre is too big now and it seems the more drab boring bands have taken over. Other than the obvious local talent it seemed like they built the festival with the pay-to-be-considered web site Sonic bids instead of searching out and handpicking bands and artists that you are interested in bringing to Orlando. Headliners Pete Yorn, Marky Ramone and Yacht do not a Festival make.

Anti-Pop boasts that they get 10,000 attendees a year. Where the hell do those numbers come from? I go to shows all year long and never see 10,000 people a week watching bands. Sounds like fuzzy math. Passes for all four nights were $25, which wasn't too bad a price (last years I think was closer to $50). Travel between venues (downtown and Mills area) makes it darn near impossible to catch more than one event. Too spread out! There were a couple of things that happened during Anti-Pop that were totally awesome. Some of the smaller local-heavy shows were farmed out to the "smaller" more in touch promoters (Post Records, Tooth) which were pretty cool.

Onto the bands that I did see: The only band I saw the first night was Death Mites, playing one of three free shows during the festival. It was an early show at Bar BQ Bar at 7:45pm. Since they were the only interesting band I went home afterwards. No interest in seeing the second or third (?) drummer for the Ramones play his dead band mates songs. Do you think they're rolling in their graves? It's not even in the same league as say...... Paul McCartney singing his own Beatles songs. Not interested.

At the time I was only planning on attending the free shows because there was no way I would pay $50 (for Kristin and I) to see all these bands we see on a regular monthly basis, you know? But it turns out we got wristbands for participating in the festival. Our band was asked to play the closing show as part of the Post Records showcase. This meant we could go see The Ettes the next night at Back Booth.

The Ettes, of course, ruled. They are one of my favorite current garage rock bands and this set was just perfect rock and roll. Their new record just came out on Take Root Records and it's a winner. The singer Coco grew up in Winter Park (same as me). The band was based in LA for a few years but now they live in Nashville so I hope they come to Orlando more often. Their last album came out in 2008 and they had their record release party at local CD store Park Ave CDs if you can believe that. That was a great show. They've added a fourth member for this tour, a lead guitarist, to help play all those extra guitar parts that are on the new record. The Ettes would be the only band we would see on Saturday - anything else would have been a let down. Scroll down for two videos from The Ettes.

The last day of Anti-Pop was held at Stardust and organized by Chris Cucci of Post Records and it would turn out to be the best and most creative lineup of the festival. There was barely a mention of this closing show on the Anti-Pop web page but a lot of people would turn out to see the best of the "old guard" mixed with the new rising stars. And Chris was smart enough to throw in some out of town bands that don't have much (if any) Orlando following.

The first band I saw out of the all day event that started out in Stardust's parking lot was Slaves, whom I've covered a couple of times already here on Kick Bright. They're new and are getting better with each show. Meteoreyes, from Sarasota, play a slick indie dance that would fit well with a fancy smoke and light show. To make good use of the space the other bands that would play would set up in three different places the room has to offer: the parking lot, the smaller room where most shows are held, and in the middle of the big room.

In the big room new band Sheet Fort had created just that in the middle of the room: a sheet fort. Hung all around the band (as well as the ceiling) were bed sheets to simulate a sheet fort. This band was one guy who wore a cowboy hat and strummed an acoustic guitar, avoiding direct contact with the microphone while loops of a human voice mimicked mooing cows or something in the background. It was weird but nice. He was later joined by a drummer on a tiny d - Kick Bright Zine

Angelspit have recruited Punk Rock Chainsaw guitarist George Bikos (MeteorEYES, ex-Crux shadows) to help bring the ROCK for their "Wall Street Massacre" European/North American tour this fall.

George's guitar destruction has already featured on Angelspit's Blood Death Ivory album and more recently on their cover of Dark Night for the Dracula's ball sound track.
George will be replacing Valerie Gentile on tour, due her other commitments.

"George has been working with Angelspit since 2007, his guitars brutalized our CD 'Blood Death Ivory'. George’s punk-rock edge will add shards of destruction to our live sound - THIS WILL ROCK!"
- Angelspit co-founder Zoog Von Rock

Confirmed dates here:
(North American dates to be announced after June 22)
http://www.angelspit.net/gigs/



June05, 2012 - Anglespit

Sarasota's Sons Of Hippies kick of their set at Emerald. Credit Brian Mahar
Photos

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ST. PETERSBURG – The city had one big jam session on Saturday, and it was nonstop for 12 straight hours.

The AntiWarpt Festival went off without a hitch, featuring the best in locally and regionally grown indie music that ranged from Hip Hop to Experimental Noise.

Sixty bands, on eight stages, performend from 3 p.m. until 3 a.m. The event was not only much larger than last year's but the artistry surpassed everyone's expectations.

Most of the action was on Central Avenue. Independent bars and theaters were in on the act, opening their doors for the artists and their audiences. They included Cafe Bohemia, the State Theatre, Star Booty and Local 662.

Sarasota's Sons of Hippies and MeteorEYEs represented SRQ in the festival.

Antiwarpt had the feel of a giant block party or big jam session, given the small-town flavor of St. Petersburg's downtown. Bands such as Jane Jane Pollock and Tampa-Bay based MC Infinite Skillz held equal weight with listeners regardless of genre.
- Sarasota Patch

Song of the Day: MeteorEYES ‘Best Text’
By Luke.Reynolds, Herald-Tribune / Monday, December 12, 2011

MeteorEYES

Local electro/rock-pop band MeteorEYES has just released a brand new music video, that was featured in the Tampa Film Festival.

Check them out on Ticket’s local music page, and get ready to have a dance party in your house with, “Best Text.”



MeteorEYES ‘Best Text’ from anthony paull on Vimeo. - Herald Tribune TICKET

HOME | THIS WEEKEND, SAT. AUG. 27: METEOREYES, FILM FEST, PIRATE FEST
This Weekend, Sat. Aug. 27: MeteorEYES, Film Fest, Pirate Fest
By import, Herald-Tribune / Thursday, August 25, 2011
Fabulous Independent Film Festival
2 to 10 p.m. Saturday (Aug. 27) at the Gompertz Theatre (Florida Studio Theatre), 1247 First St., Sarasota. The celebration after-party at Selva, 1345 Main St., Sarasota, begins at 10:15 p.m. Tickets are $8 per film, and stubs can be exchanged for a $5 drink at the after-party. 365-3476; fabulousiff.com.
A one-day extravaganza celebrating LGBT cinema — but only the fun stuff. Read more about the Fabulous Independent Film Festival.


MeteorEYES

MeteorEYES at the Fabulous Independent Film Festival After-Party
10 p.m., Selva Grill, 1345 Main St.
Fresh off its latest East Coast tour is Sarasota supersonic trance dance spectacle MeteorEYES, as the group performs at the after-party for this year’s Fabulous Independent Film Festival. Not only is this show the band’s official road-weary homecoming gig, but it also follows the debut screening of its brand spankin’ new music video for its song “Best Text,” and serves as the local CD release party for its debut full-length album “Across the Pond.” (Read about the Fabulous Independent Film Festival. - Herald Tribune TICKET

The Local Original: Local bands embark on tours
By Tim Sukits, Herald-Tribune / Tuesday, August 16, 2011

MeteorEYES

In recent years, the end of summer has become a sort of touring season for local bands as they venture out across the country to spread the good word about their musical endeavors. This year will be drawing out not only the experienced road warriors, but a fresh line-up of first timers preparing to take their shows on the road — and into often mysterious uncharted territory.

For those unfamiliar with the common booking and touring process experienced by most mid-level bands, it probably isn’t as glamorous as you may think. Scenes depicted in movies like “Almost Famous” paint a relatively rosy picture of an eclectic tribe of musicians managing the harsh demands of the road by joining together in sing-a-longs on their old converted Greyhound bus.

But locals like trance-rock outfit MeteorEYES know the real drill is a bit less romantic. Currently in the midst of its third tour, the band held a kick-off party at Mr. Beery’s last Saturday (Aug. 13) before embarking on a 17-day jaunt up the East Coast in support of their first full-length album “Across the Pond.” With some experience under their belt, lead singer Shannon Fortner and drummer David Curran didn’t have too much trouble squaring gigs away for nearly every date.

“This is our first time hugging the East Coast, but we’ve got some good responses,” Fortner says. “It’s cool to see a bunch of bands in Sarasota heading out this summer. To be a productive band, you have to get out there, and so a lot of people are getting inspired by seeing each other heading out on tour. And a lot of bands have been sharing contacts.”


Fancy Rat

One local band who will be making their initial foray into the fray is Fancy Rat, which takes off at the end of August for a similar 16-day East Coast excursion. With less developed booking chops, they’ve had a bit more trouble picking up shows. “New York is the easiest place to book, but we’re having trouble in small towns and not-so-big cities on the way up,” says guitarist Toby Norton. “It’s going to be interesting to see how we fair in other cities where people haven’t heard us.”

Fancy Rat made a hugely smart move by putting up their tour as a project on Kickstarter.com, the success of which will most likely assure they stay fed. “We were kind of taken aback by how supportive people were — friends coming out of the woodwork that we haven’t talked to in years,” says frontman Brian Yoder. “We’ve officially doubled our goal with 12 days yet to go.”
MeteorEYES, on the other hand, is holding off before harnessing the power of Kickstarter. They plan to launch their own project later this year in anticipation of a 2012 European tour. But for this leg, as with their previous two stints, they have all just been putting money in savings, and also plan to sell copies of their new 7-inch vinyl “Game Town” to various record stores on the way up.

“We can handle touring here, we’re pretty self-sustainable on the road,” Fortner says. “Europe is a little different with plane tickets and a tour bus and stuff.”


Sons of Hippies. (Photo by Scott Braun Photography)

Local psych-rock trio Sons of Hippies had planned to embark on its fourth tour in 2½ years in support of their new 5-song EP “Fade to White”, which would have taken them to Seattle and back in two weeks. “I was worried when I started because nobody was booking,” explains frontwoman Katherine Kelly. “Most of the clubs require you to find your own local acts to play with, which is tough. You’ll get a response from 1 in 15 acts, so it’s time consuming.” Unfortunately, numerous difficulties forced them to cancel their whole tour this past Sunday.

SRQ party band Cats in the Basement will head out on a mini-Florida tour the last week of August, followed shortly by The Equines in late September. But no tour is more ambitious than Sarasota native Louis Levitt’s classical quintet Sybarite5, who are currently raising Kickstarter funds to become the first string quintet to perform in all 50 states. The project will only be funded if at least $9,000 is pledged by Aug. 25. They’re currently just shy of $7,000.

MORE LOCAL ORIGINAL


Musicians unite for “Dangerous” Dan Toler

Gulf Gate bars still struggling with noise ordinance

Suncoast bands make a showing at Antiwarpt Festival

Navigating the local music social networking maze

Rusty Hook Tavern boosts local music
Last modified: August 16, 2011 - Herald Tribune TICKET

MeteorEYES
By Dawn Scire, Herald-Tribune / Saturday, August 20, 2011

MeteorEYES

Name: MeteorEYES

Year formed: 2008

Members: Shannon Fortner (vocals/masks); George Bikos (guitar); Andrew
Wyatt (synthesizer, vocals); David Curran (drums, “crowd-pleasing”)

Self-described style: “Indie/synth/pop-rock”

Albums: “Across the Pond” (2011); “Gametown” (7-inch vinyl; 2011)

Website: meteoreyes.us

Facebook: facebook.com/MeteorEYES

Regular Gigs: Varies

Bio: Seeking a project evoking private house party revelry, Fortner
(at that time, a member of the now-defunct Spontaneous Habit) and
Curran formed Sarasota’s MeteorEYES (its name taken from a P.B.
Shelley poem).

Fortner, an advocate for same-sex couples’ immigration rights,
performs in distinct customized masks, initially to differentiate
herself from her former band, now, she says, wearing masks “let me
have a voice and combine my activism to start making a bold
statement.”

Complexities notwithstanding, MeteorEYES’ newly implemented lineup
surpasses typical bar bands: musically and performancewise, it’s an
all-out, self-contained celebration. With costumes, camaraderie,
flashy, colored lights and, of course, lively beat-laden ditties
merged with Fortner’s precise vocal flair, it administers inescapable
excitement.

Fortner calls it “a good balance of adventure and a demand for change.”

Latest tracks by MeteorEYES - Herald Tribune TICKET

Abby Weingarten
CORRESPONDENT
Published: Thursday, July 3, 2008 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 6:55 p.m.
Group: Meteoreyes

Members: Shannon Fortner (lead vocals), David Curran (drums, backup vocals), Bryan Beardsley (guitar, loops), Andrew Sink (synthesizer/keyboard).

Base of operation: Sarasota

Formed: 2008

Music style: Indie/electric/Chinese pop

Bio: With longtime front woman Shannon Fortner of Spontaneous Habit at the helm, the quartet Meteoreyes is Sarasota’s latest jam/dance band. Synthesizers, loads of enthusiastic clapping and well-engineered loops are among the group’s signature assets. How they all scrounge up time to practice once a week is a wonder, as they are each committed to at least one other band. Beardsley and Sink are in The Illustrated; Sink is also in I Die, You Die; and Curran dabbles in Mount Awesome. Together, the musicians have written 12 songs, enough for an album, but have chosen to make the tracks solely available online. The underground is their scene, and they prefer playing at house parties and indie/electro festivals. Their ultimate goal: to relocate to England in two years (Fortner has already been planning to go on her own) and try their hand at the U.K. music circuit.

Quote: “This project is meant to be what you want to drive, live, dance, eat and sing with,” Fortner says. With Meteoreyes, you “move your furniture out of the living room, pile in about 40 people and make the floor shake.”

Shows: I-4 Fest 2008 (with 25 other indie bands), 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday at Austins Coffee, 929 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park. Meteoreyes goes on at 4:15 p.m. $5. (407) 975-3364; www.austinscoffee.com.

Web site: myspace.com/meteoreyes

All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged. - Herald Tribune

Few cities can claim to have such a thriving local music scene as Sarasota’s. A combination of talented, ambitious, young musicians, several supportive small venues that host local shows and a number of successful local music festivals makes for a certain vibrancy. Where St. Petersburg and Orlando might pull national acts, Sarasota music is driven almost exclusively by Sarasota bands. The success of April’s Noise Ordinance 2 and May’s Harvey Milk Festivals, at the Cock and Bull Pub and in the Rosemary District, respectively, are testament to this. A wave of indie bands has washed through our quaint retirement community. From hip hop to dark wave to indie pop and everything in between, Sarasota’s local music scene is something to be proud of. Here are some of the groups you should make a point to see.

Cassolette

This indie pop sextet plays power pop of the highest order, something between Guided By Voices and Rilo Kiley. Vocalists Ciera Galbraith and Jesse Coleman belt out sugary sweet nothings about being young and silly and in love, which they both are in real life (they are getting married in November at Sarasota Architectural Salvage). The band is rounded out by keytarist and backup vocalist Aimee Guerin, who in her young age possesses a tremendous stage presence, and three rowdy young men: drummer and Sarasota music veteran Pete Stolp, bassist Andrew Fleming and new second guitarist Peter Chandler Murray.

Sons of Hippies

With two records under their belt and a seriously raucous live show, three-piece rockers Sons of Hippies are Sarasota’s answer to Sonic Youth, a group steeped in ’90s grunge, but consciously and thoroughly modern: Heavy distortion, lyrics not screamed or sung as much as shouted and heavy, driving progressions. Lead singer and guitarist Katherine Kelly rips through sets with purpose, her vocals backed up by drummer Jonas Canales. Sons of Hippies’ live show is something close to the cul- mination of all the better moments of ’60s psych rock, ’80s post-punk a la Husker Du and ’90s noise. Though you can catch them at small venues like Pastimes Pub in Gulf Gate, their sound is loud enough to fill any space they are given.

SECRETscience

Self-proclaimed “prog-hop” band, SECRETscience premiered earlier this year. The super group is the product of bassist and sound man Darrin Johnson, formerly of Simon Said, MC Brad Fries (B. Fries), sound designer Frank Enright (aka DJ Ansidis) and drummer Brad Murray, formerly of Tepado! and Midhaven. If Outkast and Faith No More shacked up and produced a love child, this would be it: lighthearted, rapid-fire rhymes (about, among other things, new shoes and, more specifically, new Crocs), soaring choruses and jazz-inspired, utterly complicated rhythms, all combine for a sound that is at once familiar and unique. They are decidedly dance music. Though they can get a crowd moving at the Blue Owl or The Closet before its closing, they are destined for bigger venues—the Gator Clubs and Ivories of the area.

Fancy Rat

Anyone who has caught one of Fancy Rat’s sprawling live shows will agree: Fancy Rat is, if nothing else, a really good time. French horn, pots and pans and plenty of claps layered with acoustic, electric and blues guitars, bass and drums, Fancy Rat is part punk, part noise, part folk and all fun—a touch of late-’90s Modest Mouse, a dash of Against Me! and plenty of uniquely original flair.

MeteorEYES

Many a local’s great indie hope, MeteorEYES brings a full-fledged stadium presence and production to local venues, with cosmic lighting, costuming and a sound not unlike Placebo or the Yeah Yeah Yeahs—electronic, but grounded in rock ’n’ roll. Their sound is fully realized, a sonic landscape of bass, synth and noise with stunning vocals.

The End of the Dial Tone…

John Lichtenstein’s ever–evolving brainchild, The End of the Dial Tone Radical Experimental Collaborative Band Band, has been confusing, confounding and astounding audiences for more than a year now, playing everywhere from Will’s Honkytonk to Horse Feathers to the Gator Club. The group is made up of a rotating cast of more than a dozen musicians, performing in groups of six to eight, who feed off one another spontaneously—no rehearsals, no set list, no plan—not unlike jazz musicians of the ’50s, relying on the nonlanguage understood by practiced musicians. The shows are a total experience, a noisy, rowdy, often anarchic, sometimes euphoric production. When the musicians aren’t jiving well, it’s just noise. But when things come together it’s pure magic, ecstatic musical beauty.

WRITTEN BY ASHTON GOGGANS // PHOTO COURTESY OF VIRGINIA HOFFMAN
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