With about 265 miles of pristine Florida interstate separating us, it’s hard to call Fort Lauderdale local, but even with a mini country music throwdown happening soon in our own neck of the woods, you’d be hard pressed to find a country radio lover who wouldn’t make the trek south to go to the Tortuga Music Festival.
The party — set for April 11-12 at Fort Lauderdale Park Beach — announced its lineup today, and it’s a Landshark lover’s wet dream. First year headliner Kenny Chesney is making a return and will be joined by Zac Brown Band, Jake Owen, Little Big Town, Trace Adkins, Colt Ford, and The Mavericks. The lineup gets a bit diversified (and maintains its trademark laid back vibe) with the addition of ska-punks Sublime With Rome, but for the most part sticks to twang thanks to Frankie Ballard, Nikki Lane, Drake White and the Big Fire, the Cadillac Three. David Nail, Sam Hunt, Dirty Guv’nahs, Old Dominion, Maddie & Tae, Brook Eden, and Judah & The Lion round it out and more acts are slated to be announced.
Early bird tickets sold out long ago, but advance tickets go on sale Friday December 5 at 10 a.m. EDT. GA passes will start at $149 with VIP and Super VIP packages going anywhere from $699-$1299. If you’re worried about affording it all, don’t sweat it. Festival organizers will take your money slowly if you opt to go with a payment plan. More information is available here and you can watch a lineup announcement video below.
If the highs in the 80’s and bitter cold lows in the 60’s have you in the holiday spirit, then St. Petersburg folk-rock dudes Alexander & The Grapes (pictured at the top of the post) have a free track for your merry ass. It’s an update of Paul McCartney’s seasonal classic “Wonderful Christmas Time” and it’s about 30x better than the original. Have a listen below, and get your jollies up by heading to Bandcamp for a free download.
It seems like we can’t go one week without writing about BOTB-winning, world-conquering, Tampa boy Benjamin Booker and this first week of December is no exception. The 25-year-old is having a banner year, and things just got a little better yesterday when Rolling Stone placed his ATO Records debut at no. 37 on their 50 Best Albums of 2014 list. Ranked above acts like Coldplay, Gary Clark Jr., and even tourmate Jack White, Benjamin Booker earned a spot on the magazine’’s list on the back of what RS calls “raw-throated boogie blues” that “proves rock & roll can still function as crazy-ass party music.” Celebrate all that success with the hometown kid when he returns to these parts on Friday for a free show at Hogan’s Beach. The show starts at 10 p.m. and more information is available here. Look at his sweet mug occupying a full page of this month's Rolling Stone below.
