Mothers’ Day is coming up this weekend. If you haven’t made any plans by now, Kirsten Sponseller has some great suggestions for you.

BREAKING NEWS: In support of DEATH METAL ANGOLA, MUSICWOOD and other SFF music films, come to Growler’s Pub Sarasota on Wednesday night from 10:00 PM to 1:00 AM where you will be barraged by DUNE TRAIN and HAIL DALE, two of our areas hottest bands. Meet SFF and Sarasota Music Scene staff, directors and filmmakers. Trailers will be screened and you WILL be rocked! Growler’s Pub, 2831 North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL. (941) 487-7373. Special thanks to our friend Ed Midler at the always amazing SARASOTA MUSIC SCENE! DEATH METAL ANGOLA (part of our Documentary Feature Competition) director Jeremy Xido is at the [...]

Kirsten says, “Some more of Sarasota’s traditions continue and new ones start this weekend. I’m always excited to see Sarasota grow with music, art, food and new local traditions.”

This week gave me the chance to make the fourth stop on my local tour of the Open Mic scene abuzz in our fair town.   This journey began four months ago as a personal exploration of the questions: What kind of function do open mics play in our local community for its economy, musicians and music-lovers?   What is the unique flavor of each open mic happening across Sarasota?   So far, I’ve checked out the scenes brewing on the North Trail on Tuesdays at Growler’s Pub; out east at [...]

Last Thursday  gave me an opportunity to do two cool things:  Fulfill a pledge made two months ago to visit and report on one local open mic per month, then report back on its unique “flavor.” Answer a question I didn’t even know I had: What’s the difference between an “open mic” and a “jam”?  This opportunity arose via my friend Steve, who mentioned the other day in passing that a jam happens every Thursday in a park by his house near Bee Ridge. Having never heard of this, my [...]

It’s always a thrilling feeling for me to hear about a local Sarasota band that’s taking on that infamous next step that  is, apparently, part and parcel of serious musicianship: THE TOUR. Last Friday, I sat down with Carmela Pedicini and David Brain of Sarasota’s own folk band Passerine, which is about to take on that great leap with a 17-day tour across four states in early August. As a fan of music with no actual experience myself, I’m terribly curious about what that experience must be like, as well as what it’s [...]