Jordan’s Mid-June Central Florida Music Roundup

By: Jordan Shroyer
Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Fri 06/12/09 Chuck Ragan @ The Social

Chuck Ragan, front man for Gainesville's Hot Water Music who retired from the world of hard rock to play folk music, fish, and spend time with his wife, played another stunning solo show at the Social. He has one of the strongest voices you have ever heard, which may be tough as nails, yet still finds a way to sound fitting in the ballad-type tune. Ragan's recorded material doesn't come close to displaying the depth of the tunes or intensity of the man's voice. He plays with just an acoustic guitar and harmonica along side an accompanying fiddle played by Jon Gaunt of Whiskey and Co. The set began with "The Boat," the opener to his 2007 album Feast or Famine and continued with many other songs from the record, his various 7"'s, as well as two new gems from his forth coming album Gold Country, set for release September 1, 2009.

Tuesday 06/16/09 Taking Back Sunday @ The Ritz

It's been years since I've gone to a Taking Back Sunday concert -- because, quite frankly, I lost interest after their first album. That is, until their most recent effort New Again caught my attention. The show, originally scheduled at Jannus Landing in downtown St. Petersburg, was moved to The Ritz, a much more intimate venue in Ybor City, after Jannus' owner was arrested on charges of failing to pay over $200,000 in sales tax, forcing the venue to close. The band met -- if not surpassed -- any expectations I could have walked in with. Opening the set with "You Know How I Do," the first song from their first record. The energy in the room was off the charts, so much so that they killed the power in the club. It only took a minute for someone to hit the breaker and get the show back on its feet, which literally took no time at all. It must have been near 100 degrees in the club, but the band -- who looked overheated and exhausted -- were equally excited to be playing to such a energetic crowd. They played an even mix from all four of their albums: 18 songs, including a three song encore.

Sunday 06/21/09 Anthony Raneri (Bayside)

Anthony Raneri, singer and guitarist of the New York band Bayside, flew down to Florida for a three-day tour with Andy Jackson of Hot Rod Circuit and Travis Adams of Orlando's own Inkwell. Raneri is just as powerful on stage alone with a guitar as he is with a full band. He played a good mix of Bayside songs and covers, including Bad Religion's "Sorrow," Matt Skiba's "Good F-king Bye," Death Cab For Cutie's "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" and Tim McGraw's "Just To See You Smile" -- which he was able to take the country twang out of and make sound like one of his own.

(Photo Source: Photos By Jordan Shroyer)