​ In November, local hip hop wordsmith Bleubird announced his Kickstarter project to fund the music video for "Pimp Hand" -- an ironically titled single about heartbreak off his new album, Cannonball!!!. After successfully reaching the $3000 goal, New Times was invited along for a wardrobe shopping adventure and given a behind the scenes look at the video shoot.

Playing off the song's title and drawing inspiration from 1970's blaxploitation films, the storyline follows Bleubird around town as a gaudy suit wearing, flashy car driving, black eye giving pimp. Shot on a vintage Canon 1014 xl-s camera using only Super 8 film, the music video captures the true essence of that raw '70s aesthetic. We'd tell you more about the video, but we don't want to ruin it. More >>

Monica McGivern

Bodypainting by award-winning artist Georgette Pressler brings a whole new dimension to "live art."

​Within minutes of walking into Respectable Street last night, a red envelope was placed in our hands with no explanation. The mysterious exchange became less so when we recognized the bestower of the traditional Chinese good-luck gift as none other than Art Nouveau creator and curator of events Teresa Korber.  More >>

photo by Monica McGivern.

See what tricks Viva Le Vox's "Tony Bones" has up his sleeves, this Sunday at Propaganda.

​Last time New Times caught up with Viva Le Vox, we got raucous with the crowd at the Poorhouse. We couldn't help it. Maybe it's the anticipation of the energy the band brings to every performance. Maybe it's just simply voodoo. Whatever it is, when Viva Le Vox's Palm Beach International Airport Doubletree Hotel Shuttle van rolls into town, you don't want to miss it!More >>

Photo by Monica McGivern

Surfer Blood performing at Respectable Street on New Year's 2012.

​It's not every day that a South Florida-bred band enjoys the mass-exposure of late-night television, but Surfer Blood will be beamed into millions of homes tonight via Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. According to the listings, our West Palm Beach indie rock stalwarts will share the evening with Mark Wahlberg and Jon "Napoleon Dynamite" Heder. Update: Watch the clip below.

More >>

Ian Witlen

Linkin Park takes over BankAtlantic Center

​

Oh sweet, sweet nostalgia. We came, we rocked, and we took a hell of a lot of photos. 2011 was a year chalk full of awesome concerts and you bet your ass New Times was there to cover them. So instead of fiddling through our archives looking for your favorite shows of this past year, we did the hard work for you.

You're welcome.

More >>

​We can't wait until Hipster Runoff wakes up today so that he can sing the praises of the ultimate object of his affection/scorn, Arcade Fire's Régine Chassagne. She is center stage in one of the most expensive-looking music videos not created with helicopter assistance ever made. More >>

Matisyahu's old look.

​Over the course of his pop-reggae career, Matisyahu has been closely tied to his image, which is one of the most unusual around. He's quite outspoken about his Hasidic faith, and his appearance follows suit. This sort of artistry lends well to the yearly Jewish festival Fedstock in Boca Raton, which he headlined last year.

In his interview with Monica Uszerowicz, he spoke of this stage of his career ushering in "a certain appreciation for life, for living simple, for getting in touch with God and staying centered."

As far as we know, nothing has changed in that respect -- except that Update: Everything has changed. One of the key tenets of Hasidic Judaism, based upon Leviticus 19:27, is that you don't cut off your beard. But that's exactly what he has done. "At the break of day I look for you at sunrise When the tide comes in I lose my disguise," he wrote in a tweet posted Tuesday morning. And here are two photographs he added:
More >>

Photo by Monica McGivern

​One of the best South Florida albums officially released in 2011 is undoubtedly Cop City/Chill Pillars' mind-expanding garage-punk opus Held Hostage on Planet Chill. Especially after Jordan Pettingill and CJ Jankow put out last year's exceptional Love Handles album, this team (and bassist Jimmy Bradshaw) behind the dominating live venue Snooze Theatre in Lake Park has put together a dominant couple of years.

CCCP is a rapturous and challenging live band, and repeat listening to Held Hostage (ideally on green vinyl) is no less rewarding. Created by local artist Autumn Casey, this video for "Thirsty Camel" is a perfect portal into the psychedelic madness.
More >>

These colors do run: O'Grime's L. Rey pounds the pavement to elude some violent bros.

​Anyone claiming to have just experienced a "brutal" weekend might want to step into Miami hip-hop/dubstep collective O'Grime's blood-stained shoes for a second.

So maybe your forehead's a tad sore from a bit too much Franzia, or someone left a scratch on the side of your 2008 Ford Focus, or maybe the line at whatever Art Basel party you were at was mad long. But did you get a baseball bat to the head? Are there brass knuckle tracks on your pancreas? Do you resemble Evander Holyfield after Mike Tyson went cannibal on his ear? Did you see a baby give another baby a tattoo? Nah, didn't think so.

Anyhow, you pack of voyeuristic nine-to-fivers, O'Grime's self-titled video -- set to some riotous thudding bass and cascading synths -- is the gateway to a serious bout with some "unforeseen circumstances" that look so real that you'll probably want to wipe down the computer screen by the end.

More >>

Varsity Captain of the Shred Squad, Sleigh Bells' Derek Miller.

​The first Sleigh Bells album was called Treats, and it was a reign of terror. One of the best albums of 2010, the duo of ex-Poison the Well guitarist Derek Miller and siren vocalist Alexis Krauss bludgeoned us with those 11 tracks. Especially upon a visit to Respectable Street.

Now, the second Sleigh Bells album is actually called Reign of Terror. Process that for a moment. Reign of mother-trucking terror. If there's any excuse to pitch expectations unreasonably high for the group's sophomore set, let this stirring video featuring an intro to SOMETHING -- please let it resolve and build and eventually thrive -- do it for you.

More >>