There must be something in the water.
The town that inspired the beginnings of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Less Than Jake and Bernie Leadon of The Eagles continues to produce bands of every genre, making Gainesville a hotbed for musical talent.
Here are a few bands that have made a name for themselves and are worth checking out while they are still in town.
The Shoddy Beatles
Genre: Beatles cover band
This band has a knack for accuracy when it comes to playing some of the greatest songs of the century. They play every Beatles song exactly note-for-note as the Fab Four did back in the day. Vocally, they sound the same too. If you were to close your eyes at their concert, you'd think you were really at a Beatles concert. They are definitely a group worth seeing, even though they don't play that often.
Morningbell
Genre: Indie Psychedelic Rock
If you want to see a good indie band, Morningbell is it. They've already come out with three albums, and a fourth one is set for release Sept. 4. They've been recognized by MTV, The Washington Post and Blender Magazine. The Onion describes them perfectly: "The Pink Floyd-ish harmonic dreaminess, Carribean-styled spacey experimentation, and swiftly moving country-tinged foot-tappers make for a record that's fine as an eclectic indie-rock mishmash."
The Duppies
Genre: Ska and Reggae
Catch these guys before they go on tour. The seven-piece ensemble of bass, saxophone, drums, trumpet and guitar sums up part of Gainesville's culture. These guys consider themselves to be Gainesville's finest ska, rocksteady, reggae machine, according to their MySpace page. Their instruments and smooth vocals can be heard Aug 29 at Common Grounds.
Dear Dakota
Genre: Rock
If you like Anberlin, Saoasin and Fall Out Boy, you'll like Dear Dakota. They are on the verge of making it big. They've got gigs all around the state and have opened shows for national bands like Motion City Soundtrack, Mayday Parade, My American Heart and Mae. Just imagine what their shows are like when they come back to their hometown, Gainesville.
There is a ton of other bands to see while in Gainesville, so keep an eye out for concerts at local venues.
