WMNF's 2009 Tropical Heatwave managed to be a scorcher in spite of torrential downpours. The best thing about Heatwave is the ability to see a wide variety of genres in one evening in close proximity. I managed to catch 10 bands this year on 5 stages: The Beauvilles, David Dondero, James Intveld, Johnny Cakes & The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypso, Kinobe & Soul Beat Africa, Magadog, Modern Skirts, Will Quinlan & The Diviners, Roppongi's Ace and Thomas Wynn & The Believers.

The Beauvilles

Apparently The Beauvilles performance at the Cuban Club Cantina was a bit controversial. Of course, that is the point of rock n' roll so I guess that would be a score for the band.

David Dondero

David's set at The Orpheum was one of the best I have seen and the crowd was clearly enraptured. I look forward to seeing him again soon!

James Intveld

A straight up rockabilly performance had the Cuban Club Ballroom dancing up a storm in response to James Intveld and his band. Interesting tidbit according to Wikipedia, James Intveld was the singing voice in the movie Crybaby (played by Johnny Depp).

Johnny Cakes & The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypso

After 1 am it takes a special band to get people on their feet and dancing. Playing as the last band at New World Brewery, Johnny Cakes & The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypso literally brought the house down with their fresh take on ska. Equal parts punk, rock steady and mischief, this band is worth catching and since they hail from St. Pete, it shouldn't be hard to do!

Kinobe & Soul Beat Africa

The band has an amazing story and a beautiful sound. I know lots of people were disappointed when the fire marshal wouldn't allow any more people into the Cuban Club Cantina for their set. From up front by the stage, these musicians brought world music home to a Tampa Bay audience. Their instruments were exotic — both in sound and in appearance. Apparently some people had difficulty hearing the band in the venue which is a shame. I encourage you to check out their recordings.

Magadog

Disclosure: Magadog has been one of my favorite bands since I was in high school ... they were even nice enough to play the Shanti Festival at the Lowry Park Bandshell (sometimes referred to as band hell) in 1994. Imagine my delight when they re-formed a couple years ago and put out a new album. I also found it especially interesting that their song "Monkey in the White House" was equally relevant in 1994 and 2007. During Magadog's set practically the whole Cuban Club Bandshell was skanking it up!

Modern Skirts

I first saw Modern Skirts at New World Brewery in 2007 with David Dondero. In the intervening year and a half, the band seems to have grown into themselves, delivering more of a performance to go along with their alt-pop sound. They played to a packed and diverse crowd at The Orpheum. Special thanks to the nice people who let me up front to take these photos.

Will Quinlan & The Diviners

New World Brewery was positively packed for hometown heroes Will Quinlan & The Diviners. Frequent airplay of the band's newest record, Navasotaon on WMNF led to a sing-along crowd.

Roppongi's Ace

Roppongi's Ace is also a Tampa Bay favorite. Sadly, college in points distant mean we are graced with their presence only on school breaks for the moment. Accordingly, New World Brewery was packed for their unique brand of bluesy rock n' roll. These guys know just when to add a little blues or kick in the rock and the crowd couldn't sit still to these tunes ...

Thomas Wynn & The Believers

My evening started off right with Thomas Wynn & The Believers in the Cuban Club Cantina. Hailing from just down the I-4 corridor in Orlando, chances are if you like Americana music and go to shows, you have probably seen Thomas Wynn & The Believers. That's OK, though, because they just keep getting better while incorporating new components each show to keep their audience engaged. Described as Southern Rock, Thomas Wynn & The Believers also have a healthy dose of soul tossed in with a dash of gospel and a bit of twang.

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