Getting Ahead of Myself...

It struck me this weekend that I had failed to pay proper homage to the any of the artists who made Gainesville, Fla., one of Esquire Magazine's "Top Ten Cities That Rock."

For shame. How dare I?

Although they are not the forefathers of Gainesville music, Less Than Jake are playing at Common Grounds tonight, Sept. 19, at 6 p.m. Back when ska was trendy, Less Than Jake brought Gainesville's college-town drama to almost every alternative middle and high school student. Thank you, Less Than Jake.

Now, it's time I get to the man whom many people credit with starting it all, Tom Petty. Thursday, Sept. 21, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers will be performing at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center at the University of Florida. Tickets went on sale July 22 and have long since sold out. Hopefully you have yours, or at least a very generous friend with extra tickets.

Many years after the Heartbreakers first formed, there was a band by the name of Sister Hazel who are going to be releasing their new album, titled "Absolutely," on Oct. 10. They are a softer Gainesville band close in style to most mainstream rock.

The most recent and certainly most unique-sounding band to achieve success from Gainesville's stages is Against Me!. They have been nominated for an mtvU Woodie Award. They are up for Best Animated Video of the Year award for their video for "From Her Lips to God's Ears (The Energizer)," off of their album "Searching for a Former Clarity."
They are delicious blend of punk rock, indie, folk, country and hardcore. It is almost as if every band that ever played in Gainesville combined their powers and formed Against Me!.