Autumn Johnstone is a freshman journalism/art student and a music reporter for The Avenue. When they're not writing, you can find them enjoying a nice cup of coffee at a nearby café or thrifting for vinyls. You may find their other published work in Strike magazine, Atrium magazine and Musée magazine in New York City.
Right in the middle of downtown Gainesville lies The Wooly, a venue characterized by warm lighting, comfortable seating and, on March 8, energetic French house music.
Between three music venues — How Bazar, The Bull and Loosey’s — MusicGNV kicked off the AM/FM Festival on Sunday.
Cantar música soul nunca ha sido negocio para el cantante Little Jake Mitchell; para él, se trata de hacer a la gente feliz. Incluso ahora, a sus 80 años y con medio siglo de carrera, su banda, “Little Jake and the Soul Searchers”, sigue encontrando inspiración en la histórica escena de "R&B" de Gainesville para innovar su música.
Growing up in Tampa, Mitchell won talent shows left and right, but in 1957, he recorded his first record on the same original tape as rock ‘n’ roll legend Chuck Berry. It was shortly after in 1961 when he led his then-band the Fabulous Blenders to be the first Black performers at UF’s Gator Growl in front of 60,000 people.
Whether it sparks nostalgia, romance or grief, music has the ability to connect people with memories and feelings through the power of listening.
If one followed the warmly lit stone path right off the corner of Southeast Sixth Ave and South Main Street Friday, they’d find Heartwood Soundstage’s spacious outside venue full of fans wearing vintage clothing. But if they ventured past the crowds and merchant tables, a dark doorway would lead them into a small indoor stage where local musicians Jordan Burchel, The Nancys and Hotel Fiction performed.
In the 7th grade after listening to Kanye West’s album, “The College Dropout,” Gainesville native Sean Momberger began experimenting with music on a $100 drum machine. He’d have no idea that 20 years later, he would be producing a song off of West’s most recent album, “Vultures 2.”
With a deafening bass and hues of neon colors dancing across the walls, Gainesville locals celebrated the end of syllabus week with a bang.
Respite Events hosted a concert Wednesday at How Bazar, located at 60 SW 2nd St., aiming to showcase three punk rock bands and a performance from drag artists, “The Boheme Coven.” In downtown Gainesville, where energetic nightclubs and lavish restaurants meet, lies a passion for punk rock not only as a genre, but as a way of life.
Solutions by The State News
