Magadog

Tampa’s top ska band of the nineties, who played three Tropical Heatwaves, reformed specially for the Birthday Bash and came through with a set that created party mayhem and uninhibited behavior. They have a great new cd and sound better than ever.

Lounge Cat

The velvety, swinging sounds of Lounge Cat often have been described as reverent satire. This versatile six piece combo looks young - but plays old: Old School Blues, Jazz, Swing, Ska, standards, Motown and Latin numbers prominently fill a bag of roughly 100 tunes plus originals.

http://www.loungecat.net/

The Hodaddys

Wipe out!!!!!!!!!Florida’s favorite surf combo. Shimmering guitars to ride the waves…....clean family fun…...an original American artform

http://www.myspace.com/thehodads

Kim Richey and her band

A longtime WMNF favorite, Kim Richey is one of those great singer/songwriters that once discovered, you cannot understand why she is not the household name her abundant talents demand.

After writing huge hits with Radney Foster and Trisha Yearwood in the 90's, she has released a string of brilliant solo albums, culminating after a five-year wait in her July, 2007 release Chinese Boxes. Exquisitely produced by Giles Martin (the son of legendary Beatles producer George Martin) and recorded in London, Chinese Boxes is a floaty pop-folk masterpiece replete with songs dealing with the complexity of relationships and revealing a growing wisdom.

Kim also continues to write songs for other artists, most recently for Brit pop sensation James Morrison, and on 7 July, 2007, she performed in Washington as part of Live Earth. Her music has been featured in films and television shows such as For The Love Of The Game, Angel, Alias and Grey’s Anatomy. She is coming with a band featuring top Nashville musicians.

http://www.kimrichey.com/

Grupo Fantasma

Latin dance band from Texas who were fabulous at the 2006 Tropical Heatwave. Influenced by the classic Fania All-Stars recordings from the mid -1970’s, their music is a combination of elegant yet incendiary funk, classic salsa, hip hop, cumbia and merengeue. They feature a four-piece horn section, multiple percussion, two blistering lead guitars, and dynamite vocalizing in Spanish and English- all wrapped in a tight James Brown-style groove.

http://www.grupofantasma.com/

The Zydepunks

"With their combination of South Louisiana sounds (accordions, but not washboards, Cajun French), Celtic jigs, German sounds plus boot-kicking Russian rhythms and Slavic lyrics, The Zydepunks could have only come out of New Orleans." Times of Acadiana

"Expect throngs of handclapping, dancing fools orbiting into an entirely separate cosmos of zydeco, punk, Irish, Cajun, Yiddish music and beyond." Antigravity Magazine

"It's great to see punk kids jumping around to the music, then watch older people step up for waltzes." Asheville Citizen-Times

http://www.zydepunks.com

Rocket 88

"Rag-cuttin', beer-swillin', table-dancin', chain-smokin', rube-punchin', skirt-chasin', heel-stompin', tire-squealin', hip-shakin', arm-raisin', shot-sluggin', premise-evictin', sweat-pourin',...rockabilly greatness." Ink Nineteen

http://www.rocket88.org/

Rebekah Pulley and the Reluctant Prophets

Ever had honey poured in your ear?

People are finding out what that is like with Rebekah Pulley's tough but tender mix of folk, country and rock. Listeners everywhere are taking notice of Rebekah's sweet honey dripped vocals, heartfelt guitar playing and soul inspiring writing.

http://www.rebekahpulley.com/

Bogus Pomp

Bogus Pomp is a 10 piece ensemble based in Tampa Bay, Florida. Since 1994, the group has performed the music of Frank Zappa exclusively. Bogus Pomp's members are an unlikely combination of educators, symphony players, jazzers, and rockers, all with a common interest in Zappa's repertoire. This diversity is a key factor in the groups ability to recreate Zappa's compositions in the style of his 70's and early 80's rock bands.

http://www.boguspomp.com/

Venus in Furs

Venus in Furs is an all-female Velvet Underground cover band comprised of music-scene veterans Karen Collins(bass) and Laura Taylor(vocals/Theremin), and Rebekah Pulley(guitar) and her Reluctant Prophets drummer Sandi Grecco. Since their debut in June of this year, the group has already garnered a lot of press and stirred up excitement in seeing the spin these women put on the classic avant-garde rock band's material.

The Tampa Bay Complaints Choir

The Complaints Choir is a growing international phenomenon. Choirmasters invite people to complain as much as they want and to sing their complaints out loud together with fellow complainers. It’s a cleansing experience! The first choir was organized in Birmingham England, followed by the Complaints Choirs of Helsinki, Hamburg and St. Petersburg, Russia. Now, debuting at the Birthday Bash, The Tampa Bay Complaints Choir - organized by Mike Davis who is part of Chorus Angelorum, a premier Bay area volunteer vocal ensemble of male and female voices

http://compalintchoirs.org

Paul Wilborn and the Pop Tarts

Back in the eighties Paul Wilborn and the Pop Tarts were regulars at Tropical Heatwave with their cabaret stylings. Members have gone on different music projects. They are coming together at the Birthday Bash as part of the Band Reformation Project.

Soul2Earth

From Winter Haven, Soul2Earth is a 9-piece band with gospel infused soul & funk. A fast and flashy guitar with ferocious chops combined with Chris Bell’s harrowing harmonica twists and an over-the –top Hammond B-3 organ w/leslie makes for a set of tear down the house music.

“….perhaps the funkiest gospel ensemble this side of New Orleans. The lyrics are sacred, but the bass lines might just make audience members do something wicked.” - Wade Tatangelo, Creative Loafing

http://myspace.com/soul2earth

Al "Coffee" McDaniel

Al "Coffee" McDaniel's excellent CD, "Blues In My Shoes", was issued in July and quickly became a favorite on WMNF blues and R&B shows. 14 enticing tracks range from traditional blues, Chicago style blues, and Texas blues, mixed in with a nice touch of R&B. McDaniel's rich baritone voice is very smooth and soothing to the ear. The emotions, passions, and energy that he expresses with his voice, and his soulful guitar riffs, makes him unique as a seasoned musician. His Jazzy, Bluesy, and Original guitar playing style makes it very difficult to limit his music to just one category, or genre.

http://www.almcdaniel.com/

Fall On Purpose

A crazy collaboration of St. Pete musicians whose music spans from Ska to Polka to R&B to Punk Rock to Blues to Funk and everything in between! Voted Best of the Bay and Most Determined several times by the Creative Loafing, every Fall On Purpose show is guaranteed to be a unique experience and have a crazy party-like atmosphere.

http://myspace.com/fallonpurpose

Al "Coffee" McDaniel

Al "Coffee" McDaniel's excellent CD, "Blues In My Shoes", was issued in July and quickly became a favorite on WMNF blues and R&B shows. 14 enticing tracks range from traditional blues, Chicago style blues, and Texas blues, mixed in with a nice touch of R&B. McDaniel's rich baritone voice is very smooth and soothing to the ear. The emotions, passions, and energy that he expresses with his voice, and his soulful guitar riffs, makes him unique as a seasoned musician. His Jazzy, Bluesy, and Original guitar playing style makes it very difficult to limit his music to just one category, or genre.

http://www.almcdaniel.com/