Meeting of the Minds: Like a Kid In A Candy Store

I mentioned in a previous post that I had promised to be diligent about blogging while here in Key West for the annual Parrot Head/Trop Rock convention called Meeting Of The Minds. The problem has been that blogging takes time. And, if you want to catch even half the artists performing on the island during the convention, while simultaneously trying to see some of the sights of Key West - like the sunset celebration on Mallory Square - maybe squeeze in a little shopping, time is in short supply....Oh, and there is that minor human requirement: food. Hear some music, tour the Hemingway House, grab a quick meal or two and next thing you know four or five days have flown by. Having been in Key West a number of times before, and as someone who can easily afford to skip a meal or two, our main focus this week was on the music. We tried to catch as much of it as we could, in as many places as we could. Here are some of the highlights:

Thursday.....


John Friday, Rum Barrel; Trop Rockers are a pretty magnanimous and supportive bunch and are usually happy to invite other performers up to do their own material. We saw it over and over again all week long. This late afternoon show on the upper deck of the Front Street bar was a revolving stage of songwriters and guitar pickers, hosted and otherwise held together by John Friday and enjoyed by a number of smiling Parrot Heads from around the country.

In between acts, I sampled a flight of top shelf Rums and, for my efforts, was awarded a "Baccalaureate of Cocktailology" from Boat Drink University.

Tropical Soul, Hog's Breath: An always entertaining band from central PA fronted by Dennis McCaughey, it also featured one of the ladies up for "Female Vocalist of the Year" at the Trop Rock Awards, Heather - whose last name I never caught. I actually didn't even get her first name right, either, because I called her "Sue" when I introduced myself after their set, thinking she was Dennis' wife, who had sent me a number of their songs for an internet radio show I'm working on. Heather was gracious, however, and - instead of correcting or reprimanding me, she handed me two of her own cd's. She is also incredibly talented, rocking a flawless version of Adele's "Rolling In The Deep".

Jimmy Parrish, Willie T's: It's always great to see Jimmy and this Jacksonville, FL based Ocean Waves Band. The house was packed, the band sounded great, much tequila was consumed - a typical Jimmy Parrish show.

Jim Morris and The Big Bamboo Band, Smokin' Tuna Saloon: This was our first chance to check out Scott Kirby's new place (see previous interview with Scott about the Tuna on this blog) and to hear Jim Morris do a full set with his band. I never heard why, but the show began with what surely must have been the longest sound check in history- "check one" became "check a hundred and one"- but, this was a party for Jim's fan club, so the place was full of folks I have a feeling would have sat through a hurricane to hear him play. And he didn't disappoint, despite the late start, runing through a long list of his original songs, plus some great covers, like Jerry Jeff Walker's "Navajo Rug".

Interesting side lights included two girls in the front row who were either auditioning for - or had just been fired from their job as - background singers. They had carefully choreographed, synchronized dance moves to EVERY SONG Morris did. There was also a visit from the Beer Fairy. Not making that last one up.

Jimmy & The Parrots, Schooner Wharf: Our last stop of the night, this one was memorable for being the biggest and most entertaining train wreck we saw all week. I had heard soem great things about Jimmy and his band and was anxious to see them rock the Wharf's outdoor stage. By the time we got there, however, the band had obviously consumed much of the bar's supply of adult beverages because it had deteriorated into a drunken mess, with people climbing on and off the stage, songs started but not finished, and songs started that shouldn't have been in the first place. The band was having a blast, though, and so were their friends up front, so chalk it up to the late hour...and blame it on the Rum. Jimmy and The Parrots more than made up for it a few nights later, opening for the Coral Reefer band at the Casa Marina Beach party.

Blogging From Key West: I Tried, I Really, Really Tried....

I promised a number of people - including myself - that I would diligently blog from Key West and Meeting Of the Minds. Then, we got here. From pretty much the minute we put our bags down in our room at the Island City House and rented a couple of bicycles, it has been one non stop whirlwind ride - or pedal, if you will - around the island. As Mr. Buffett would say, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Wednesday, November 2nd: First stop - The Bull (or Bull & Whistle for those who want to be exact) on Duval for the Atlanta Parrot Head Club Welcome Party. Hosted by Joel Oates and the APHC, of which both my wife, Georgia, and I are proud members of. Two-fer-seven bucks Margaritas and music from Jim Asbell & The Tropiholics. A great way to kick off six days of music and mayhem. it was also where we first ran into Kurt and "Achmed", his personal version of Jeff Dunham's dead terrorist puppet. This one welcomed all Virgins (i.e, those who had never been to a MOTM) to town.

We used The Bull as "home base" setting off from there to grab a bite to eat and check out other nearby venues, including a stop at Hog's Breath, where Jim Morris & The Big Bamboo Band rocked a packed parking lot of enthusiastic fans. Back to the Bull for some late night dancing and a couple of nightcaps and home to get ready for what would be a busy Thursday.



Thursday, November 3rd: The Island city House serves a very nice complimentary breakfast in the courtyard every morning. Unless you're Donald Trump, between what you pay for a nice room on the island and necessities like adult beverages during MOTM, you save where you can. So, free breakfast and coffee right outside your room is a no brainer. Fully muffin'ed and java'd, we climbed on our bikes and headed across town to the official convention site - the Casa Marina resort. The ride from the Island City House to the Casa is a pleasant one, down a number of back streets and past a variety of colorful Key West homes. It also takes you past the graveyard, famous for many interesting sites, including the grave stone that proclaims, "I told you I was sick".

Georgia and I arrived at the Casa and encountered something we never seem to luck into back in Atlanta. Looking to register, we were directed by security to the other side of the building, turned a corner and ran smack into a line of people a mile long. We turned to each other and whined in unison, "this is going to take FOREVER". Just as we were about to give up and come back later, when maybe it might not be as crowded, a benevolent Parrot Head standing in the mile long line saw our registration cards and said, "Oh, you have a green one. You're not in THIS line. You can go in THAT one." THAT line, the one she pointed to, was only about five people long. It turned out to be a last name thing, and we - being "M's" - had hit the alphabetical jackpot. Feeling a little bit guilty, but only a very little, we strolled to the head of the pack and before you could say One Particular Harbor, had our wristbands on and welcome bags in hand.

We made a quick spin around the floor, stopping for quick chats with Trop Rock artists Brent Burns and Jim Morris, each of whom were manning their own booths - selling and autographing copies of their cds and t shirts, or I suppose, whatever else any more adventurous soul might like signed, then slid behind the Parrot Heads In Paradise "merch table", where - for the next three hours - we helped sell t shirts, hats and coozies to conventioneers. PHiP is the governing body for the Parrot Head nation, and the one that throws this shindig at mile marker zero every year.

Registration and volunteer responsibilities completed, we climbed back on our bikes and heading back to our room to regroup and get ready to dive in to a veritable smorgasbord of Trop Rock.

First stop: The Rum Barrel, where we catch John Friday and friends and I graduate from Boat Drink U (I have the certificate to prove it). To be continued....

Meeting Of The Minds: Getting There is Half The Fun, Part 2

After feeding the tarpon at Robbie's we made a stop at the next Walgreens we spotted to stock up on supplies for our hotel room, including adult beverages. Yes, I said Walgreens. In addition to the usual aisles of hair care products and incontinence medicine, this one had an attached liquor store. Hard to pass up sale priced Sailor Jerry Rum and Jose Cuervo, especially when you know you may be paying $8 to $10 for a good drink when you get to Key West. But, more on that later. By then, it was already 4:00 and we made the executive decision to do the rest of the trip non-stop, make a beeline to our hotel. That is, until I spotted the Looe Key Tiki Bar. Trop Rock fans may recognize the spot from the Howard Livingston song of the same name. It has always been one of my favorite Trop Rock tunes, so we had to stop in.

That is where we met the Most Organized Man In The World. Like Lor-E-Lei's, the LKTB was full of Parrot Heads heading for Key West. One group seemed especially animated, so I approached them and asked if I could get a picture for this blog. They cheerily obliged then, through the course of introductions, we discovered they were all members of the Ft. Myers, Florida Parrot Head Club. More than that, their defacto leader, Brett Baker, offered to show us "the book" if we would follow them to their next stop, which happened to be almost right across the street at Boondocks.

Running late, we agreed to make the unscheduled visit after being told by his travel mates, Jimbo and Tracy, that this was not just any book. This was THE BOOK.

They weren't kidding. This was the most thoroughly researched, anally organized and painstakingly cross referenced organizational plan I had ever seen. Not just a color coded schedule of bands playing MOTM, but a complete list of bars between Miami and Mile Marker 0, the daily specials offered at those bars, and even the best food choices. Then, there was the schedule. Not only which bars were to be visited, but at what specific times, and for how long - along the proscribed route. This was a man on a mission, and that mission was to make sure he - and anyone travelling with him - squeezed every last drop of fun out of the 4 or 5 days they would be in Southernmost Florida. After basking in the glow of "the book" for a while, and talking to a recently transplanted Cape Cod-ian at the Boondocks bar (Me: "Why did you move down the Keys?" Him: "Why not?") we also discovered that Brett had an interesting business, selling "beer beads". That is, New Orleans style Mardi Gras beads, with bottle tops from your favorite brew crimped all along their length. before I could say "I'd love one of those!" Brett had his tailgate open and was handing me a set of Corona beer beads.

Next: Night number one in Key West.

Meeting Of The Minds: Getting There Is Half The Fun

Meeting Of The Minds, the annual gathering of the Phaithful, is taking place right now in Key West, Florida. What started as a Fall migration of Jimmy Buffet fans, aka Parrot Heads, has turned into a celebration of Trop Rock - with dozens of bands playing in just about every Cayo Hueso bar and alley that can put up a sound system. After talking about it for close to ten years, we finally decided to take the plunge this year, booked a room, flights, and rental car and told the kids they were on their own for a week.

We're not novices to Key West, having been there a number of times - including our honeymoon. And one thing we've learned over the years: Getting there is half the fun. You can fly directly into the loftily named Key West "International" airport (really not much more than a small private airport that handles larger planes). But, we prefer to fly into Ft. Lauderdale and drive the 190 miles.  That way, we can enjoy the beautiful scenery, appreciate the quaint little towns and keys, see local color...and, oh, by the way, there might be a watering hole or three to stop in along the way.

Wed morning
After landing in Ft. Lauderdale, we jumped in to our rented convertible and headed South. Our first stop on US 1 is always Lor-E-Lei's in Islamorada. Sitting right on the water, their "Boss" Margarita and Catch of the Day sandwich is just what the doctor ordered after a grueling hour and a half flight from Atlanta (feel free to make up your own excuses for needing food and/or drink). Sitting on their beach, enjoying the Gulf breeze and watching the boats go by immediately gets your mind off whatever you left behind.

Of course, we're not the only ones who think driving down to Key West is the only way to make the trip and, with the largest congregation of fin friendly folks in the world getting ready to begin later that day, it didn't take long to find others who were making the same trek. You could hear the collective sound of heels clicking and people saying, "We're not in Kansas (or Minneapolis, New Jersey, Oklahoma - insert your home state here) anymore!"

Hunger sated and thirst quenched, it was back into the convertible and off to the next stop: Robbie's Marina. More of a flea market with a small bar, Robbie's has something for everyone. Cheap souvenirs, hand produced art, clothing, and - of course - food and drink.

But, what really makes Robbie's a must see stop, especially for people making the trip with kids, is their Tarpon. Schools of the large, dangerous looking sport fish hang around Robbie's, waiting for hand outs from willing visitors. Grab a cold beer from the cooler, a bucket of bait fish, walk out onto the dock and let the fun begin.

Next: We take the Howard Livingston Tour and meet some Ft. Myers phlockers, including the Most Organized Man in the World... And Night One at MOTM.

To be continued....

Step into "The Yard"

The 2011 Trop Rock Awards are happening on Friday, November 4^th at the Casa Marina in Key West, Florida. One of the most recent categories to be added is “House Concert Venue Of The Year”. I’ve covered The Bat Cave and the home of Terry and Marianne Higgins in earlier posts. Now, meet Mark and Sharon Leverett, long time Trop Rock fans and proud owners of 2010 winner, “The Yard” in Tampa, Florida, nominated again this year.

Mark – who has lived in the area all his life - and wife, Sharon, (she moved there in 1976) are members of not one, but TWO Parrot Head Clubs in their little corner of the Gulf Coast, Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor. When asked how long they have been into songs about sand and sea, they answer “All our lives,” and point to Jim Morris as the first Trop Rock artist they ever saw perform live. Like many fans, the Leveretts say it’s more than just steel drums and lyrical escapism that draws them to Trop Rock, saying, “If you don’t feel it in your heart, you won’t understand the love of music.”

As to how they got started hosting House Concerts, it all goes back to Mark’s talents with a hammer and saw. A retired General Contractor, Mark began by building a large tiki hut in their back yard.

Shortly after it was finished, they were approached by Texas troubadour, Kelly McGuire, about hosting a concert in their backyard. They agreed, Kelly played. That was in 2008 and they haven’t looked back, hosting a veritable who’s who of Trop Rock artists over the last three years, some of whom have played the venue more than once: Jim Morris, Jack Mosely, Hugo Duarte, Brent Burns, John Frinzi, Latitude, The Trop Rock Junkies, John Friday, Jimmy Parrish, Captain Josh, the late Troy Allen, Doyle Grisham, Jerry Diaz, Loren Davidson, Rob Mehl, and Mike Miller, to name just a few. By the end of 2011, they will have hosted nineteen concerts just this year (Scott Kirby is scheduled for December 3^rd). Mark’s building bug didn’t stop at the Tiki Hut. The Leveretts have added outdoor bathrooms and are in the process of putting in a bunk house, so visiting artists have a place to crash after they perform.

 

With plenty of space – there is room for up to 100 people in their one acre backyard – and comfortable accommodations for both audience and artists, it’s easy to see why the Yard has become such a popular spot. “We started with mostly Parrot Heads from the two clubs we belong to”, say Mark and Sharon. “We would send emails out” to the membership. Club members would bring friends, who enjoyed the music and atmosphere. Then, they added a Facebook page and started getting people from there. “Plus, the artists have their own fans. Now, we have about 50/50, friends of the Yard and Parrot Heads coming to the shows.” The have never had a problem with the “open door” policy – “The type of people who come just want to have a good time listening to the music.”. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own food and beverage of choice, with a $15 donation to the artist collected at the door.

“Artists love House Concerts,” the couple says. So, it’s not hard to find Trop rockers willing to play. If you’re thinking about hosting one, they suggest you start by inviting local Parrot Head friends, as they did. They also believe you should, “find something unique about your place” and name it after that. “People like to associate a name with a place.”

One of the other unique things about a show at the Yard, is your chance to take home some handcrafted artwork or jewelry. “Mark makes a wooden sign for each show, with lyrics from one of that specific artist’s songs,” Sharon told me recently. “I make jewelry. During a break in the performance, we’ll do a raffle and the winner gets what we have made.” For a long time, proceeds from the raffle also went to whoever was performing but, recently – with encouragement from the artists – the Leveretts began using that extra money to help offset the costs of putting on their shows, as well as for the extra construction. “Although it’s a lot of work, we love the music and musicians. That is what makes it all worthwhile.”

House Concert Of The Year Nominees: The Higgins

Meeting of the Minds, the annual pilgrimage of Parrot Heads and the Trop Rock phaithful to Key West, is just around the corner. In addition to tons of parties and performances from many of the best known artists of the genre (many of whom you can read about on this very blog) the event calendar includes the 2011 Trop Rock Awards. This year, a category has been added for “House Concert Venue of the Year”. House Concerts have become an integral part of Trop Rock – in some cases the ONLY way people in some geographical regions of the country would get to see their favorite artists without travelling to a festival or phlocking. One of the five nominees for HCVOTY is the Bat Cave, which I wrote about a couple months back. I thought it would be a good idea to also feature some of the other nominees, for those who might not be familiar with all of them. For those not going to MOTM, I also hope the venue owners might share some of their insights into hosting House Concerts – to encourage others to do the same (and maybe make it onto next year’s ballot! First up is Terry & Marianne Higgins, of Parrish Florida.

The Higgins moved to the Sunshine State from the Midwest back in 1996, following Terry’s love for sun, sand, and tropical tunes. They joined their local Parrot Head Club as soon as they settled in and are currently members of the Charlotte Harbor club. Terry claims the first artist he liked that played what might be considered island music was Bertie “Key Largo” Higgins (no relation), but says he didn’t really get into what would currently be called Trop Rock until about 2005. Jim Morris was the first Trop Rocker he saw perform live. When I asked Terry why he and his wife started hosting House Concerts, he replied simply “We like to host gatherings and share the love of the music”. And share the music they have, hosting shows over the last six years by Sunny Jim and John Frinzi, Rob Mehl, Matt Wahl, Kelly McGuire, Mark Mulligan, Hugo Duarte, Keith Sykes, Jerry Diaz, Leo Dean, Gary and Kerri, Jimmy Parrish, John Reno, Brent Burns, Island Bill Haughey, Don Middlebrook, John Patti, and Scotty Bryan and Dan Hower (aka The Drunkin’ Monkeys).

The two Gulf Coastal Parrot Heads generally host their shows outside. Terry notes that they can seat about 30 people in their lanai and around their backyard pool. One of the things their events are noted for is the great food. Marianne offers up a full spread inside the house and guests are also encouraged to bring dishes to share. Unlike some House Concert venues, the Higgins have a top notch sound system on site, so all performers need to bring is their instruments and mics.

One of the questions that always comes up when I get asked about hosting a House Concert is who to invite and how to get them there. In the Higgins case, they draw most of their guests from local Parrot Head Club members in the surrounding Bradenton/Sarasota area – and as far away as from Tampa. But, Terry is quick to point out that, while they do send out emails to clubs in the area, word often spreads by mouth and the invitation is always open. If someone knows someone else who might be interested in seeing and hearing an artist, they are welcome to come. Quoting Rob Mehl, Terry says “It’s all about the music”. Unlike most House Concert venues, Terry and Marianne don’t charge a cover. They pay the performers from their own pocket (Terry is in the Horticultural business and works full time as the VP and GM for a company).

As for suggestions to others who might be thinking about hosting House Concerts, the Higgins offer two tips: First, make sure you have the space to hold 30-50 people or more comfortably and secondly, be sure you have a large enough network of friends and Trop Rock fans to pull from if you are going to try to cover the entertainer’s expense with a cover charge.

New Hot Spot in Key West: They're Smokin' Tuna...And it's Legal!

You can’t swing a rubber chicken in Key West without hitting a world class watering hole. Captain Tony’s, Sloppy Joe’s, Hog’s Breath, Louie’s Backyard, Schooner Wharf, The Green Parrot, Blue Heaven, The Bull (and, for the more adventurous, Garden of Eden upstairs) and, of course, Jimmy Buffett’s  Margaritaville on Duval Street. Now, you can add one more to the long list of “must visit” places the next time you’re getting your Southernmost drink on: The Smokin' Tuna Saloon.

Owned and operated by a partnership of five individuals, including well known Trop Rock singer/songwriter, Scott Kirby, Smokin Tuna is located just off Duval. Scott and some friends were on stage for the Grand Opening party on June 17^th and the group have big plans for the future. I got a phone call from  “Mr. Lucky Enough” while he was enjoying some down time in Washington State and talked to him about the new venture…

Thanks for the call, Scott – have you got a few minutes to talk about your new place in Key West?

“No problem, Fred.  And, yes, I can definitely talk now. I’ve got three shows up here - including a house concert on Thursday, but I’ve got a couple days off and I’m going to spend them in the San Juan Islands. So, I’m just sitting here right now waiting for the ferry.”

 

A lot of buzz about your new bar, The Smokin' Tuna Saloon. Did you have any prior restaurant or bar experience?

“Only from the standpoint of having spent a lot of time in both of those – especially the latter! But, no, I’ve never run or owned one before.”

So what made you want to do it now?

“Do you know Charlie Bauer?”

I know the name but don’t think we’ve ever met….

“If you have ever been into Hogs Breath in Key West, chances are you ran into Charlie. He was the founding Manager  – ran that place for about 20 years. He is also the founder of the Key West Songwriters’ Festival, which is the largest festival of its kind in the world.  He approached me about, maybe, opening a place in Key West – someplace that would be set up specifically to showcase live, original music. We looked for over a year, until we found what we felt was just the right spot."

An existing bar?

“It was called The Alamo. It’s got a great open air layout – two bars and an elevated stage, all of it outdoors. But, the bars are covered, there is a brick floor, and it’s all surrounded by three historical buildings, which cut off any wind or noises from the street. So you sort of feel like you’re inside, until you look up and see the sky.”

Did you have to do any major work to get it the way you wanted it?

“No major renovations, if that’s what you mean. We re-did the two bars, gave them more of a tiki bar feel, and put in a Mackie sound system for the stage, to fit the kind of music we’re going to be doing  – speakers, subwoofers, and a sound board. Other than that, it was mostly some cleaning, painting, sprucing up."

Count your blessings. I spent almost ten years in the bar and restaurant business - was an owner/manager of a couple places here in Atlanta - and it seems there is always at least one big unexpected problem when you’re trying to get a place open!

“Yeah, we were lucky, I guess. No ‘horror stories’. Of course, we had been looking for a while, checked the place out pretty thoroughly."

What was it that you liked about this particular spot?

“As I said, we wanted a music room and this place is perfect. It’s got an intimate feel – with the brick floor, surrounding buildings, and a big tree to provide some shade – but can hold a few hundred people, and the acoustics and sight lines to the stage are great. It’s got a great vibe, right in the heart of Key West on Charles Street but a little off the beaten path, about 150 feet off Duval…”

That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, a chance to get away from the crowds. What’s in the three buildings?

“One holds our offices, another we’ll use for private parties, and the last one is our merch shop.  Before we even found the bar, Charlie has an idea for the logo and we knew we were going to want to have t shirts. So far, the merch has been doing great. People love it…”

What about food?

“Right now we’ve got a temporary menu but our plan is to be a good, casual dining place with a lot of fresh, local fish. One of the partners is a chef. He owns another place in Somers Point, at the New Jersey shore, has had it for almost thirty years, and he’s working on a permanent menu. We will have it up and running in September. We have already implemented some of his recipes – like Smoked Tuna. “

What can people expect at the bar?

“It’s full service. You can get cheap tequila if you want, all the way up to single Malt Scotch. We also have a good wine selection, several drafts, and a good selection of bottled beer – including our own ‘Smokin Tuna Ale.’ ”

So, you have food and drink covered. But, you said the place is primarily a live music venue. What are your plans in that direction?

“I’m really excited about the music. The stage will hold a six piece band comfortably, and – as I said, the sound system, acoustics, and sight lines are all excellent. We’ll have music seven nights a week, from local songwriters, to well-known trop rockers like Hugo Duarte, John Frinzi, and James White, to national touring acts like Robert Earle Keen. Deblois Milledge and Mass Acoustic are two more shows I’m looking forward to.”

Cover charge?

“There won’t be any cover charge except for the bigger shows, which will be ticketed. On November 2^nd, during MOTM, we’ve got Peter Mayer coming in. I’ll be opening that show, with Dave Edmisten and some other friends. We expect to have about 400 people here that night.”

Can you buy tickets in advance for that?

“Yes. Tickets for Peter Mayer are $25. They go on sale August 1 through keystix.com”

How often will you be playing there?

“I’m planning to be there at least one week a month from October through the Songwriters’ Festival, which is in May – including the whole week of Meeting of The Minds.”

You’re on the road six months a year. Who is going to be running “The Tuna” when you’re not there?

“Charlie is the Managing Partner, he’ll be handling the day to day. My responsibility will be more the music and marketing. I’ll be doing a monthly newsletter, doing interviews like this, that sort of thing. As you said, I’m on the road at least half the year, so can’t be there all the time. Two of the other partners own Fury Water Sports, they’re successful Key West businessmen, so they will also be very involved.”

The place sounds awesome, Scott. I think I found my new favorite hang out in Key West! I can’t wait to check it out when my wife and I are down there in November…

“Please do come by, let me buy you a couple of beers!”

It’s a deal. Good luck with it and thanks again for calling, Scott.

“No problem. Always good talking to you, Fred.”

http://smokintunasaloon.com/index.php

http://www.scottkirby.com/

http://www.petermayer.com/