Florida Metal Scene

[PatrickHoyt]

Before I moved to Florida I always heard everyone bitching about how there are no good shows in Florida and that the metal music scene sucks...

Well here are some links to prove you wrong - so quit making excuses, check them out, and get your ass out to some local shows and support the local metal scene!

(cr: credited with the suggestion)

Promoters/Promotions:

Camden Cruz Entertainment
Florida Metal Showcase
Orlando Metal Awards
FLmetal
FLmetal.com

A Few Bands:

Psyaxis
Artizan
5 Billion Dead
Gorillafight
Soulswitch
Heroes Will Fall
I Will Break Thee
Traverser (cr: MetalSpice)
Oblivious Signal (cr: adaher)
Denial Fiend (cr: VenomGA)
Being (formerly Code:Iris) (cr: Miles Neff)
Skyliner (cr: Orion Crystal Ice)
Fathoms Pass (cr: Miles Neff)
Paralysys (cr: Miles Neff)
Ovid's Withering (cr: Miles Neff)
Tempest Reign
VOZ (cr: Rider of Theli)
From the Embrace
Fallen Templars (cr: Orion Crystal Ice)


Seen on Florida Metal Showcase I (cr: Metal_Camden)
Seven Kingdoms
Great Awakening
Alpha Decay
From Within
Sanctum
Needless to Say

Featured on Florida Metal Showcase II: (cr: Metal_Camden)
Blood By Dawn
Sanctum
Godseye
LaVey (disbanded)
Motivated By Silence
An Effigy Distorted

Featured on Florida Metal Showcase III: (cr: Metal_Camden)
Fields of Glass
Playing for Keeps
Detoura
Catalysis
Isura
A Dinner With Captain Murderer


My new band, Centralia, featuring Scott Clendenin (Ex-Death/Control Denied Bassist) debuts on October 7th at The Haven Lounge with two other bands confirmed and one TBA - but I'll let them make their own announcements out of respect to their current show promotions. We don't have any music up for listening yet, but we're working on making our way into a studio soon to record a demo/ep. You can get a heads up of song titles, content, and video updates on our facebook.


Venues:

Firestone Live
SickBoys Bad Habit Lounge
The Haven Lounge
Backbooth Bar and Venue
The Local 662
The State Theater (cr: Johan68)
Janus Landing (cr: Johan68)
The Brass Mug (cr: Johan68)
Ruth Eckerd Hall (cr: Johan68)
Orpheum (cr: Johan68)
Grass Flats (cr: Johan68)
House of Blues Orlando (cr: drmetal8)
Hard Rock Live Universal (cr: drmetal8)

(obviously missing some, so more are to be added per suggestions)


I leave this open for any Floridian (especially from Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami, etc.) to add to or promote local shows and bands on.

 

[PatrickHoyt]

Florida Metal Showcase II

from what I hear III and IV are already in the works - this is a more extreme line-up, the previous one featured Seven Kingdoms and Great Awakening among others. So it changes show to show - if this isn't your cup of tea maybe the next one will be.

 

[AngraRULES]

Awesome!! Nice of you to start the thread, Patrick. Can't wait to hear Centralia!

Floridians, I have a great idea: Why don't you take a trip to either ORLANDO or ST. PETERSBURG next weekend and catch THE UNITING THE POWERS OF METAL tour featuring Seven Kingdoms, Artizan, Widow, Creation's End and Psyaxis (Orlando show only)? Great bands, great price... SUPPORT THE SCENE!

www.intromental.com/utpom

Florida @ The Haven in Orlando, NEXT Saturday:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=100401746718334
TIX @ THE DOOR!!!

Florida @ The Local 662 in St Pete, NEXT Sunday:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=201494806554303
TIX @ THE DOOR!!!

 

[adaher]

Don't forget Black Tide, which actually got signed to Interscope.

 

[MetalSpice]

Thank you for this post!
I will be moving to the Clearwater area from Chicago the first week of October and was going to post something, asking where all the good Metal venues were.
Here in Chicago, we have a ton of great, local Metal bands and decent venues, which is probably the only thing I will miss around here. But I was not too familiar with any local Tampa/Orlando area bands and where they normally get booked.
Thanks for the tip!
Perhaps I'll meet some of you Floridians in person in the coming weeks!

 

[Metal_Camden]

Yep,

I've started to do some local shows down here to jump start the scene finally. Long story short, I met someone in booking at Club Firestone and they are having me throw local shows on the BIG stage with BIG lights and sound!

If you know any bands that are interested please have them hit me up. These shows are PRE SALE TICKET shows, and that's just how its gotta be to cover prime time Orlando real estate costs and production costs without risking loosing my ass every time from bands not doing their jobs, however, I have the best deal in town. Bands arn't forced to sell 50+ tickets with no pay, you get a cut off of EVERY ticket but there is a smaller minimum. Bands work their asses off as does the promoter for a really great show, just ask anyone that came out to the first one, almost 300 people there for a FL local show and drinks everywhere!!!!! unheard of for the last several years. Also, about 150+ stuck around ALL NIGHT.

three types of local shows happen in Florida:

highschool shows in a pavilion or tattoo shop: no presales, Lots of young scene kids, lots of cigarettes, lots of headache. usually hardcore or some sort of breakdown bands.

Shows at the haven, local 662, the brass mug or other sub 300 cap venues: no presales, rarely any promotion from venues or bands. usually 30-75 people tops. usually, bands that refuse to test the waters and branch out.

My FMS shows at Firestone Live: all bands sell just enough tickets to cover rental and production. bands are forced to promote and sell!!! usually selling more tickets than the mandatory. people show up at a BIG venue. Bands play a BIG stage, have dressing rooms, showers, towels, water, lights, good sound. its just a better way of doing shows. My mottos is, you get what you put into it. Just fucking suck it up and sell your tickets. its not that hard. <---- period. These shows are freaking awesome and 10x more worth playing than your normal hole in the wall bar every Saturday night to the same people. Every time I rebook a band, they move up in the next lineup, eventually headlining their own FMS local show building bands and the scene up one show at a time

I just wish I had more than 1 full lineups worth of local prog and power.

 

[DuchessOfDork]

Just sent you a PM, Cam. I need a reason to visit Florida in the winter so I can get out of this gaddamn cold! XD

 

[Metal_Camden]

thats another thing, if bands have to buy a few tickets to meet the manditory (only one band did that from my last one) its only a hand full and usually paid back to them on what they made from the other tickets.

even if a band were just to buy the tickets just to break into the scene, I throw them in the MIDDLE of the show so they get the crowd. LOTS of local exposure.

If your band is afraid to invest $240 in tickets to get exposed in a place you have 0 fans, then you might as well quit now if that number scares you. I had Needless To Say from Pompano Beach open my show and still they played in front of over 120 people. they purchased a few tickets to meet the minimum, but made that back plus some since the show was sooo big. Lots of merch lots of other promo stuff gone. Ive had several requests to bring them back. they wont open again.

I also bring in 3 more bands (on top of the 6 that play live) for "promotional booths". the band shows up and sets up merch, and just basically hangs out all night. These bands are usually ON the NEXT FMS show. so they get an early start in promoting It really does work out great.

FLORIDA METAL SHOWCASE III will be held Oct 8th. Featruing Black Metalers, Fields of Glass with special guest: THE VEGAN BLACK METAL CHEF

yes you read that right. I think 1.4 million youtube views is pretty sick.

 

[DuchessOfDork]

thats another thing, if bands have to buy a few tickets to meet the manditory (only one band did that from my last one) its only a hand full and usually paid back to them on what they made from the other tickets.

even if a band were just to buy the tickets just to break into the scene, I throw them in the MIDDLE of the show so they get the crowd. LOTS of local exposure.

If your band is afraid to invest $240 in tickets to get exposed in a place you have 0 fans, then you might as well quit now if that number scares you.

I totally agree with you. I work with a lot of locals and many of them see money and think "pay to play" and freak out. Gotta do what you gotta do.

 

[DemonOfTheWoods]

SickBoys Bad Habit Lounge

That place could be cool but it has the worst layout I've ever seen & THE worst sound guy & sound system I have ever dealt with.

 

[Metal_Camden]

That place could be cool but it has the worst layout I've ever seen & THE worst sound guy & sound system I have ever dealt with.

HAHAHA

Great Awakening JUST played there to about 10 people. again one of those shows where there was no promotion in a DEAD scene area.

ALSO i have a picture somewhere of nick the drummer just facepalming because the sound guy couldnt figure out why the tom mic wasnt working....

the picture shows him with his head in his hands and.... wait for it....

THE TOM MIC NOT EVEN PLUGGED IN

 

[DemonOfTheWoods]

HAHAHA

Great Awakening JUST played there to about 10 people. again one of those shows where there was no promotion in a DEAD scene area.

ALSO i have a picture somewhere of nick the drummer just facepalming because the sound guy couldnt figure out why the tom mic wasnt working....

the picture shows him with his head in his hands and.... wait for it....

THE TOM MIC NOT EVEN PLUGGED IN

HAHAHA! That sounds almost EXACTLY like my experience there! (And I am also a "Nick the Drummer" haha"

 

[Metal_Camden]

Florida Metal Showcase II

Blood by Dawn are local heros, been around the scene for 6+ years. Old school death metal. Just too poor and busy with life to really GET anywhere but hey are good friends of mine and a solid death metal band!

Sanctum is a band that is making all the right changes and is improving by LEAPS AND BOUNDS every show. they got a new drummer and vocalist at the last show and blew me away. (their first show with me was opening for BG's Florida Powerfest) Anyways, its MeloDeath with prog keys, and their singer sounds just like michael from opeth/bloodbath.

Godseye is a 100% buddy band recommendation from Sanctum. they said they sound "really brutal" and I know they have a big following in Jacksonville.

Lavey Is a grove-metal-core band with a lot of fans. period.

Motivated By Silence is young melodic metal from orlando.

An Effigy Distorted is also a young melodic metal band from orlando.

85% of this show is harsh vocals so. nothing prog or power aside from sanctums keyboardist!

 

[johan68]

Thank you for this post!
I will be moving to the Clearwater area from Chicago the first week of October and was going to post something, asking where all the good Metal venues were.
Here in Chicago, we have a ton of great, local Metal bands and decent venues, which is probably the only thing I will miss around here. But I was not too familiar with any local Tampa/Orlando area bands and where they normally get booked.
Thanks for the tip!
Perhaps I'll meet some of you Floridians in person in the coming weeks!

I live in Clearwater and there is actually quite a few good spots close by. Local 662 was mentioned but there is also The State Theater and Jannus Landing in St. Pete. The Ritz Ybor in Tampa and of course The legendary Brass Mug... Also, if you are in Clearwater you are close to Ruth Eckerd Hall which probably is the best venue in Florida. Large gigs usually come to St. Pete Times forum or The Amphiteater. There is also a bunch of smaller places that sometimes has cool stuff (Orpheum, Grass Flats et al.)
Then it is of course fairly close to Orlando with a bunch of great venues.

The Death and Black Metal scene is awesome here if you are into that stuff. We also get at lest one JOP and one Crimson Glory show a year. Yngwie usually plays here either as a worm up or a finsiher to his tours as well.

 

[MetalSpice]

I live in Clearwater and there is actually quite a few good spots close by. Local 662 was mentioned but there is also The State Theater and Jannus Landing in St. Pete. The Ritz Ybor in Tampa and of course The legendary Brass Mug... Also, if you are in Clearwater you are close to Ruth Eckerd Hall which probably is the best venue in Florida. Large gigs usually come to St. Pete Times forum or The Amphiteater. There is also a bunch of smaller places that sometimes has cool stuff (Orpheum, Grass Flats et al.)
Then it is of course fairly close to Orlando with a bunch of great venues.

The Death and Black Metal scene is awesome here if you are into that stuff. We also get at lest one JOP and one Crimson Glory show a year. Yngwie usually plays here either as a worm up or a finsiher to his tours as well.

Awesome! Thanks for the info.
In Chicago, we have a monthly online and in-print magazine that comes out called the Illinois Entertainer, which has a calandar that lists all local gigs and shows, promo's for bands, classified's for musicians and music equipment, etc etc.
Is there anything like that in the Tampa area or is it all on Facebook and by word of mouth?

 

[Metal_Camden]

Awesome! Thanks for the info.
In Chicago, we have a monthly online and in-print magazine that comes out called the Illinois Entertainer, which has a calandar that lists all local gigs and shows, promo's for bands, classified's for musicians and music equipment, etc etc.
Is there anything like that in the Tampa area or is it all on Facebook and by word of mouth?

haha i remember watching the MOL Dvd from disturbed, when they said they found Draimen from a "singer wanted" add in that magazine!

 

[adaher]

There's also Oblivious Signal, out of Coral Springs.

 

[MetalSpice]

haha i remember watching the MOL Dvd from disturbed, when they said they found Draimen from a "singer wanted" add in that magazine!

Haha! That's awesome!
It's quite useful. Unfortunately, the online version of the magazine is lacking. You have to find it in print at Guitar Center, bars, clubs, etc.

What happened to Bourbon St. in New Port Richey? Did they close down? I haven't visited there since the last JOP show in 2009.

Also, I saw a band called TRAVERSER (from Orlando) a few months back. Very proggy, trancey, Porcupine Tree-sounding music. Not sure if I missed them being mentioned on here, but they were pretty bad ass.

Anyway, looking forward to moving to the Sunshine State! And thanks again for the info!

 

[Metal_Camden]

Haha! That's awesome!
It's quite useful. Unfortunately, the online version of the magazine is lacking. You have to find it in print at Guitar Center, bars, clubs, etc.

What happened to Bourbon St. in New Port Richey? Did they close down? I haven't visited there since the last JOP show in 2009.

Also, I saw a band called TRAVERSER (from Orlando) a few months back. Very proggy, trancey, Porcupine Tree-sounding music. Not sure if I missed them being mentioned on here, but they were pretty bad ass.

Anyway, looking forward to moving to the Sunshine State! And thanks again for the info!

Well a long story short, this guy named Russ Poff of Scotch Irish Productions worked with Greg at bourbon street. something happened between them then Russ ratted on the club for not having a sprinkler system. SO the club got shut down because the owner of the actual venue didnt want to put down the money. THUS FLORIDA POWERFEST II with guardian almost got canceled. Greg was a really cool dude and that venue was a staple for the area. Thanks to a rouge promoter, this is no longer.

anyways, Russ was also the guy responsible for the WASP SHOW DISASTER at firestone live. Hes a sack of shit that just uses and abuses people in the scene and bands. Steer clear of this guys and all his promotions! He does a lot of stuff for Bobaflex apparently, or at least takes care of their FL shows...

Anyways, bourbon street is closed

Ill have to check out Traverser!

 

[Metal_Camden]

There's also Oblivious Signal, out of Coral Springs.

They played the first Florida Powerfest with Circle II Circle @ Bourbon Street