Pompano Beach's Band Number 12 Plays the Vagabond This Friday, August 21

via myspace.com/bandnumber12

​Pompano Beach-based threesome Band Number 12 is largely an under-the-radar local act for now. But the band boasts a serious appeal that lies in its overall mood, a sort of wistful, drink-dampened nostalgia for relationships that were probably actually never that good in retrospect. It's no surprise then, that the band was born, more or less, in the infamous Poorhouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Vocalist/guitarist John Owens is a bartender there, and the awesomely named brothers Dan (bass) and Darryl Bonebrake (drums) are longtime patrons, as well as musical journeymen on the local scene. Band Number 12's members have variously played in South Florida acts like Seville, the Enablers, and Anchorman.

Fans of the Afghan Whigs and even the Replacements and the Hold Steady will find much to love in their new project's stale-beer-scented apologies, but aging punk and hardcore types should take note, too.


Besides the other projects mentioned above, all three band members at one time played in the '90s local favorite act the Vacant Andys (of which Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba is also a graduate). As such, they've yanked a thread from that band's loud but introspective rock -- these were the days before "emo" was a bad word, remember -- and updated it for the quarterlife-crisis set.

Friday, August 21. The Vagabond, 30 NE 14th St., Miami. Doors open at 10 p.m. Admission is free before midnight, $5 after. Ages 21+ with ID. 305-379-0508; thevagabondmiami.com