On a special CROSSOVER episode, we talk to Jason Sowell, founder of The Engage Current Laundry Project and Boldly Going, an excellent Tampa Podcast. We talk about what it means to boldly go, hanging out in dugouts, persnickety Starbucks customers, and more.
After you listen to this episode, check out our episode on Boldly Going, where we talk about the history of Cigar City Management and some behind the scenes details on Cigar City Radio. CROSSOVER.
Live from New York…it’s a special Northside Festival Edition of Cigar City Radio! On this episode, we sit down with Gonzalo and Kiki from Parrot Dream in their Queens apartment. We talk about how they became our first client, moving from Chile to New York City, their upcoming debut full length album, Gonzalo’s experiences as an immigrant, meeting each other in Chile, and their Latin audience.
Plus, they perform “Queen of Hearts”, a track from their EP Set Sail Someday…which is also our podcast theme song!
We talk to Tampa based singer/songwriter/ukulele player Ari Chi about getting her start, ukulele hip hop covers, and learning production. She also tells us about her new album Colorfool, new single "Sea Foam", Ari Chi Fridays, and more.
Plus, she performs her track "Apple Pie" for us live in studio!
We talk to Brooklyn’s Fruit & Flowers about their Home Alone-like journey to SXSW, the band’s formation, making the Oh My Rockness Hardest-Working Bands of 2016 list, Sylvia the bus, their new Drug Tax EP on Little Dickman Records, playing in front of Lyzi’s hometown crowd, Jose’s Colombian friends, and giving back to the community.
This Week's Fadeout: "Out of Touch" by Fruit & Flowers
We talk to 17 year old songwriter, Natalie Claro, about her debut album, Disconnect, producing her own music, supportive parents, her big voice, singles “Baby Bug” and “Mountains”, and building with her own team. Plus, stay through to the end as we tackle the age old argument: is a hot dog a sandwich?
We talk to Tampa songwriter Shane Schuch about his new project, Pajamas. He tells us about performing at Gasparilla Music Festival, his new album Smile Lines, working with fellow producer Fr33dback, his old band Mouse Fire, the Tampa electronic music scene, Beard & Beauty soap, leaving SaGoh 24/7 (later known as Anberlin) to raise his daughter, and the Origin of Chef Pyjamas.
We talk to UK band Muncie Girls about traveling from England for SXSW, going through U.S. Customs, their debut album From Caplan to Belsize, the punk scene in the United Kingdom, “all-dayers”, playing Big Pre-Fest in Little Ybor at New World Brewery, touring Europe, and the ferry.
We talk to Matt Fiedler, co-founder and CEO of Vinyl Me, Please. He tells us about founding the company in Chicago, their first record of the month, record-cocktail pairings, moving to Colorado, SXSW, genre-based subscriptions, Swaps, and Ello!
We talk to Buddy Nielsen from Senses Fail about the Quince Años Tour, their acoustic EP “In Your Absence”, politics and spreading awareness, twitter fights, ignoring trolls, and not playing "One Eight Seven" live.
We talk to Miles Zuniga and Tony Scalzo from Fastball about Austin, TX in the 90s, their platinum selling album All the Pain Money Can Buy, Top 5 hit “The Way”, their new album Step Into Light, and their Nigel Dick-directed music video for “I Will Never Let You Down.” We also talk about Machine Gun Kelly’s “Bad Things”, Pen Pineapple Apple Pen, playing Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, the Columbia Restaurant, and the “Fun-Lucrative Scale.”
We talk to The Regrettes about being “good for their age”, their new album Feel Your Feelings Fool, writing songs, signing to Warner Bros. Records, the “Hey Now” music video, touring, being away from home, and more.
SPECIAL EDITION EPISODE.
We celebrate Goose Island Migration Week in Tampa, FL.
We talk with Nalani Rothrock and Josh Lamkin from Tampa based funk band Mama’s Batch about their upcoming album, the origins of the band, performing around the Tampa Bay area, and being featured at the “Music. Art. And Goose Island Beer” event at Blind Tiger Cafe.
Then we’re joined by Chris McCleary and Jesse Valenciana from Goose Island Beer Company. They give us a taste of some Goose Island beers, some insight into the Goose Island Beer Co., and tell us what Goose Island Migration Week is all about.
We talk to Ariana and the Rose about her first SXSW, London vs New York, songwriting, collaborating with RKCB on “Love You Lately”, her new EP Retrograde, and the Mets, sort of.
On a special episode of Cigar City Radio, we recap our experience at the 6th Annual Gasparilla Music Festival in Downtown Tampa. We talk to artists Ari Chi, Twin Peaks, and Lady Wray about their performances, then catch up with Ray Roa (Creative Loafing), Jay Cridlin (Tampa Bay Times), Roxanne Gallo (The Bolt), and various concert attendees to get their thoughts on GMF 2017.
We meet Amy Ray (Indigo Girls) before her sold out New World Brewery show. She tells us about the early days of Indigo Girls, the 80s DIY scene, dealing with life on the road, songwriting, her friendship with Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), and being a part of Lilith Fair.
We sit down with Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket) for a conversation about the Toad the Wet Sprocket name, the 90s Santa Barbara music scene, signing to Columbia Records, “The Rob Thomas Maneuver”, the changing music industry, Neutral Milk Hotel, his new album Swallowed by the New, and more.
We meet harpist Mary Lattimore before her sold out show with Parquet Courts. She talks about traveling with her harp, collaborating with Kurt Vile and Steve Gunn, performing with Arcade Fire, moving from Philadelphia to LA, her upcoming tour with Waxahatchee & Kevin Morby, and her album At the Dam. We also gush about our mutual love of Wawa and Mary tells us about Wawa By the Ocean.
We meet singer/songwriter and fiddler Sara Watkins before her show at State Theatre Saint Petersburg. She tells us about forming Nickel Creek at 8 years old with her brother, meeting Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones, progressive bluegrass, and her new album Young in All the Wrong Ways. We also talk about touring with the Decemberists and what she’s learned from artists like Greg Leisz and Jackson Browne.
We’re joined by Ray Roa (Music Editor, Creative Loafing) and Mateo Prince (Frontman, Samurai Shotgun) to preview the 59th Annual Grammy Awards. We go through the Big Four: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist while discussing hot topics for the Recording Academy, Anderson Paak vs Chance the Rapper, The Chainsmokers tip-to-tip, and more.
We hang out in the Ritz green room with Billy Kottage and Johnny Christmas from Reel Big Fish. They tell us about the 20th anniversary of Turn the Radio Off, young/old ska fans, Baseketball, the rigors of touring, streaming music, and the nickname “Johnny Christmas”. We also get deep into the meaning of the different “waves” of Ska and give a shoutout to our old friend, Kent Roberts…all while Anti-Flag sound checks behind us!
On a Cigar City Radio Humidor Edition, Jason enjoys a late night cigar while chatting with audio engineer/photographer/multi-instrumentalist Andy Hastings. They talk about Andy’s life in music, learning classical piano, cutting class to hang out at RCA records in Manhattan, studying audio at Full Sail University, working in television at FOX and CBS, buying then selling his own studio, “remaining relevant”, electronic music, new musicians, and being “disconnected from the sine wave”.
MC/Visual Artist Betty Dawl tells us about the Pussy Palace, experimenting with Garageband, Dial-Up Internet, Trapfone, her art shows/sensory stimulations, her positive outlook on life, and being on her own at a young age. She also talks about cultivating the music scene, performing with YesJulz/1AM Vibes, and her psychedelic diet.
We head to The Greg Billings Band’s secret rehearsal lair to talk to frontman Greg Billings about 35 years of Stranger, working the “Florida Circuit”, their 1982 album with Epic Records, recording at Record Plant in LA, and getting to know Brian Johnson (AC/DC) and Robin Zander (Cheap Trick). Greg also tells us about their upcoming sold out 35th Anniversary show at the Capitol Theatre…and Jason nerds out about Ronnie Garvin’s guitar skills and GBB’s legendary Ribfest performance!
We talk to Grammy Award winning record exec Jim Chambers about starting at the mailroom of Sky Records, working at Sony/BMG and Sire Records, signing Maroon 5 to Octone Records, the VH1 Commissary, closing the doors on Warcon Enterprises, and winning a Grammy with Loudon Wainwright III. He also tells us about moving back home to Tampa, opening Jim Chambers Music Box, and his young musician incubator.
This episode also features a CIGAR CITY RADIO FIRST as teenage rockers Extra Celestial perform an acoustic version of their single “Restart” to close out the show.
We talk with Austrian born Cornelia ("Connie") Calcaterra and husband/guitarist Frank from Tampa’s DieAlps! They tell us about being in a band with your spouse, being the only Austrian in Tampa, their changing sound, New Granada Records, buying a Google Maps van for touring, recording music and working at Atomic Audio, and their 2017 plans. We also talk a lot about cats!