Guavatron, Antelope Blow Out Dunedin Brewery Anniversary Party
The Dunedin Brewery (Florida) turned 23 last weekend with an anniversary celebration on Saturday, July 6. This was a full-on party. I had my notepad but didn’t take a single note. We just had a great time. Fortunately, photographer Chuck Smalling (Funk Eye Media) was there to preserve the evening. The bands sent setlists, and I do have a *few* things to say.
First, thank you, Michael Lyn Bryant, Dunedin Brewery, and staff, for 23 years of bringing us astounding music, awesome beer, great food, no cover charge, and — most importantly — a wonderful sense of community and family. I missed the first 11 years but have been in the house since then. Also, in 100+ visits there, I’ve never heard better house sound than what sound engineer Chris Fama pumped out Saturday.
ANTELOPE
Antelope: A Tribute to the Band Phish were the perfect choice to kick off this party. The brewery was slammed as, thankfully, the last of the rain showers passed through. Once it abated, people could filter out onto the deck and the courtyard as they wished.
There were so many things to like about this performance. The band is always so enthusiastic, no one more so than Matt Weis, who was in fine form on guitar and physically, and for that we are so thankful. The vocals all night were great, Weis up front with Juanjamon (keyboards, tenor sax) and Michael ‘Thunderfoot’ Garrie (drums) making harmonic magic.
This was our second time seeing them (the first was at Orange Blossom Jamboree) with Trevor McDannel on bass. McDannel, who also holds down the low end for Future Vintage, meshes so well. It doesn’t hurt that he and Garrie both have performed often with The Juanjamon Band. The crowd was superb-enthusiastic, and the “Down with Disease > First Tube > Down with Disease” followed by “Birds of a Feather” was pure fire.
[ANTELOPE: Blaze On, Free, Character Zero, Down with Disease > First Tube > Down with Disease, Birds of a Feather, Antelope, Boogie On Reggae Woman, Suzy Greenburg]
GUAVATRON
Guavatron. I write about this quartet. A LOT. Thirteen times specifically and 26 more times in other articles. I have steadfastly opined that they are my favorite band in Florida. After Saturday night’s set, I wish to re-evaluate. For me, Guavatron are AS GOOD AS IT GETS. They are on my top shelf with all the Panics and Mules and Disco Biscuits.
They always bring their A game, but to DunBrew they cart along their A++ game. They wasted no time ripping into the back-and-forth delight of “Ray Gun > Get It On > Ray Gun > Get It On” lasting more than 40 minutes (I sort of kept track). Adonis Guava was in fine voice, and his guitar work just sends me into orbit. We were seated right by Roddy Hansen; it’s always great to watch his hands dance over his keyboards, twisting and turning dials, smiling all the while.
At OBJ, Guavatron played a silent disco set that was primarily ’80s dance party. This night, they offered up one of those: “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” It was perfection. And then — THANK YOU VERY MUCH— they played “Xilla.” WOW, did they ever play “Xilla”! Almost 25 glorious minutes before segueing into “Gloopin,” with Juanjamon on tenor, and they closed the birthday bash with “Name Game.” The rhythm machine known as Conor Crookham on bass and Casey Luden on drums were just so deep in the groove all night.
As Levar Burton might say, “But, you don’t have to take my word for it!” (baH DUM DUM). Check them out for yourself.
[GUAVATRON: Ray Gun > Get It On > Ray Gun > Get It On, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Xilla > Gloopin*, Name Game]
