S.L.A.M. – What type of DJ are you?
Afro Monk - “I’m a Glitch Hop / Crunk performer. I’ve never really liked being called a DJ but that is essentially what it’s called. I suppose when I play on internet radio, Glitch.FM, I’m moreso a DJ. When I play out at a club or party, I see it more of a live performance.”

S.L.A.M. – How long have you been DJing? How did you get started?
Afro Monk - “It’s been about a tad less than a year now that I’ve been DJing. I got into actual DJing back in 2000 but didn’t really do much except buy some records and mess around at friend places. Not until the end of summer 2009 did I get interested in it again. I started up again by buying a Numark NS7 and I’ve slowly evolved with more gear.”

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S.L.A.M. – What motivates or inspires your work the most?
Afro Monk - “The biggest thing that inspires me is the way I feel when I hear a track while sharing it with others. It’s that tingling feeling you get throughout your body that sends your body into a trance when you hear a certain song. You hope that people get that same feeling when you play it to a crowd, and that they move with you. It’s such a great feeling when you look out to a crowd and see them moving along as well.”

S.L.A.M. – Favorite places you have DJ’d? (Venues, along with the cities and states they’re in, etc.) What was each experience like?
Afro Monk - “I think my favorite place has to be Boston at The Glitch Loft. The décor, community, and underground feel was stunning. I’ve never encountered anything like it. Experiencing and seeing such an involved united community like that made it special. Another gig worth mentioning is playing at the monthly Get Low party in Miami, which is a close 2^nd.”

S.L.A.M. – What are some of the most memorable experiences for you as a DJ?
Afro Monk - “The most memorable experience for me as a DJ was when I went to California for Lightning in a Bottle.  I didn’t even play there, but what made it memorable was that I went completely on my own and was totally welcomed in with open arms by everyone I met. This was all possible because I am a DJ and have networked and met some many people around the world. Being a DJ isn’t just about playing music. It’s about being part of a community.”

S.L.A.M. – Do you have a web site?
Afro Monk - “I actually run a music blog, Afromonk.com. You can find links to all my social networks there. I also post some of my mixes on there from our weekly radioshow on Glitch.FM which airs Mondays 11pm-1am EST.”

S.L.A.M. – Who are your favorite music artists right now?
Afro Monk – “My favorite producers right now are Ben Samples, Freddy Todd, ill-esha, Sugarpill, and Stephan Jacobs.”

S.L.A.M. – Anything else you want us to know?
Afro Monk - “Everyone should believe in their self. Anything is possible, you just got to believe it. Stay true to yourself and live life to the fullest. At the end of the day it’s all about being YOU and being a good person fighting the good fight.”

Listen to one of Afro Monk’s first mixes, a personal favorite of our S.L.A.M. interviewer, Nikki.

Music For You – From Me by AfroMonk

Interview by Nikki Elizabeth
SLAM, Support Local Art Magazine
The SLAM Network

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Sammy Farmer

S.L.A.M. – What type of music do you play? And what instruments?
Sammy – “I play any music that is fun and enjoyable. Currently mostly funk/jazz/blues jam stuff. I also play folk acoustic and electronic stuff. As for instruments, I play drums and guitar mostly.”

S.L.A.M. – What music projects/bands/etc. are you a part of?
Sammy – “Derek Jive (www.derekjive.com) is my funk/blues/jazzy jam fix. Shark Destroyer Band (sharkdestroyer.com) is my country rock band that I drum for. Sun of Sam (myspace.com/sunofsammy) is my original solo music. and MissingNo (myspace.com/missingno100) is my electronic music.“

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S.L.A.M. – What do you love about playing music?
Sammy - “This may sound cliche, but I love the fact that music is an escape from the real world. When in the middle of a song, thats all I’m thinking about and nothing else really matters. The looks on people’s faces when listening to my music a really uplifting thing. It’s also the most fun I have by far.”

S.L.A.M. – What are some of the most fun/memorable moments you’ve had while playing live?
Sammy – “In Derek Jive, every show we do little ‘instrument conversations’ where the guitar plays a little lick and then the drums answer to it, and it goes back and forth for a while going from instrument to instrument totally improvisational. That’s probably the most fun part of the shows I play.”

S.L.A.M. – Where do you usually practice?
Sammy - “Most of my practice comes from open jam’s that I attend that friends of mine host. Some practice takes place at home or even at school I practice drum rudiments on my desk…that gets me in trouble sometimes though, haha.”

S.L.A.M. – What have been some of your favorite venues to play at and why? (Can we catch you at any of them now – do you perform regularly anywhere?)
Sammy - “My favorite venue I have played so far has to be either “The Local 662″ in St. Pete right across from the state theatre, or “The Polk Theatre” in Lakeland. Both are pretty large venues with hired sound guys and a lot of room for dancing and fun. Regularly I can be found every wednesday at Gaspars Grotto in Ybor city. There is an open jam that I attend from 9pm-1am.”

Interview by Nikki Elizabeth
SLAM, Support Local Art Magazine
The SLAM Network
Want to be the next featured artist on SLAM? Join us on The SLAM Network and you could be next! Viva LA S.L.A.M.!

Visit The S.L.A.M. Network

In an age where local bands seem to come and go Elysium has managed to break that mold and stood the test of time. From frequent trips touring parts of TN, LA, and TX; to landing a spot on the 2007 Warped Tour in Florida. Elysium has built a dedicated and loyal fan base spanning from Brooklyn to Miami.  S.L.A.M. had the chance to talk with the band to find out their formula for success and to see what was on the horizon with our newest F.A.D.

S.L.A.M. – What is the origin of the bands name and have you changed the band’s name before?

Elysium – At the time we had heard the word “Elysium” in more than a few movies and books. It’s a section of the underworld where Greek warrior’s go in death when they’ve been heroic and victorious during life. It sounded cool and rolled of the tongue well. We’ve never changed the name.

S.L.A.M. – How do you describe your music to people and what image do you think your message conveys?

Elysium – Our music is a high octane, melodic hybrid of punk and metal with epic sounding tones mixed in. It’s the perfect music for extreme sports because it’s fast and loud. We push our talent on every new song so that when we learn something new like a scale or a riff that was impossible for us to play two days ago it ends up in the next song we write. So every new song is a testament to our growth as musicians and entertainers.

S.L.A.M. – The road to success is different for everyone… how would you define the word “success” as it relates to the band and where do you feel Elysium stands on that road?

Elysium – Success is being able to do what you love to do, and still be able to pay the bills with some ease until you die. Every thing after that is just gravy.


Honestly, we’re not there yet. We know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel but we don’t have gas money to get there just yet. The road to success is a long, hard one. It takes a lot of dedication and belief in yourself – we are extremely dedicated to the band, and to each other… and we definitely believe in our music.
We have new songs on ReverbNation and are currently booking a tour to California. So for now that’ll keep our spirits up and us on the right path.

S.L.A.M. – In the local music scene a lot of bands are here today, gone tomorrow with some frequency; yet Elysium has maintained now for quite some time. Do you have any advise
for up and coming bands out there that might help them hold it together over the test of time?

Elysium – A band is 10% talent and 90% commitment. When starting a band, musicians have to factor in more than just the musical abilities of the other 4 or 5 guys. Other things play a factor as well. Things like: Are they trustworthy? Do they have financial problems? Do they have kids or other obligations that limit their ability to tour and practice? Are they addicts? Do they have horrible personality flaws?

We’ve seen the most talented bands crumble because they got hundreds of miles away from home and found out that they hated each other. Another word of advice: rent a house and practice there. Do not throw your money away on practice spaces and storage units – make your rent and practice space all one bill. You will need that extra money when you tour.

S.L.A.M. – How do you feel about online music downloading and do you feel it has hurt or helped the music industry as a whole?

Elysium – Like it or not downloading is here to stay. So now it’s up to musicians to just roll with the punches and figure out new ways to satisfy the audience/fans and make them want to support your music.

The Internet and social-networking websites have changed the game completely. Every musician/band born before 2000 had to learn a whole new marketing language.

S.L.A.M. – We see that you are a part of the Gulf Coast Benefit Show July 24th to help support the families and wildlife affected by the BP Oil Spill. Could you tell us how you became a part of this event and were there any personal factors that went into the decision to back the cause?

Elysium – We started the ball rolling on this thing about a month ago. It was about a month into the spill and we just felt like someone had to do something. There were too many people in our community and the Gulf community as a whole that were crying out for help or begging for a way to help.

So we called up our friends at FUBAR with the idea. They were on board in a matter of seconds (and according to the Owner, Jay Aresty, their “official” stance is “Less oil, more beer!”). FUBAR agreed to donate a large portion of the sales from that night to the two organizations we’ve selected – GreaterGood.org & Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary.

So with a venue on board we started calling up bands, contacting sponsors, bribing hot chicks to be in the wet t-shirt contest. We also reached out to some environmental groups and activist groups that may hold a demonstration on Central Ave that day. So far we’ve got ten AWESOME bands starting around 4pm, more then a few corporate sponsors and yes, hot chicks for the wet t-shirt contest.

A big cheers to the all bands. They all jumped on this thing fast and without question and have really remembered that it’s about the cause – helping to find sponsors and other bands willing to be on the bill.

Here’s the line up:
4:30-5:30 : Grex
5:30-6:30 : ThreePercentMilk
6:30-7:30 : Sons of the Working Class
7:30-8:30 : Wake Up Frank
8:30-9;30 : Badda Skat
9:30-10:30 : Hell-Bent
10:30-11:30 : Skull and Bone Band
11:30-12:30 : Auto? Automatic??
12:30-1:30 : Elysium
1:30-2:30 : Zero Time Ghosts

S.L.A.M. – Are there any more shows coming up that you would like to share with the S.L.A.M. Family?

Elysium – August 14th we’ll be playing FUBAR Downtown in St. Pete with FATAL and Party Time.

Then, September 18th in Jacksonville at a place called the Doozer’s Pub. The owner is awesome and the bar really supports touring bands.

http://www.elysiumtampa.com/

http://www.facebook.com/elysiumtampafans

Written by: Christopher Ayres

design by Efren Rebugio Jr.

State of the Art V. 3
3rd annual Multimedia showcase.
July 31, 2010 @ The Roosevelt Art Gallery and Event Center in Ybor.

Fine art? More like redefine art. State of the Art V.3 is the third-annual multimedia showcase by Tek-nique Entertainment. Voted Best Art Party by the Tampa Bay Times, SOTA is Tampa Bay’s most innovative multimedia experience. Featuring over 25 artists exhibiting work in fields such as digital art, computer graphics, graffiti and origami; along with music, dance, fashion and performance art, SOTA showcases so many mediums, you’ll have to start calling them “larges.”

State of the Art v.3 Videos (continuous playlist): watch the videos

Featuring Artwork by
Blake Emory
Guillermo Perez
Carlos Pons Paz
J.E. Feightner
Jeremy Rivera
Joe Traina
Hance Clay
Efren Rebugio Jr
Syn vicious
Vivian Fisk
+ More

And Music by
The Basiqs
DJ Nudieboy
DJ Siouxzi
Guilty by Design
Syncrisis
Ettison
Brother Cement
Sons of Hippies
DJ Sumatra 71

RSVP to this event on facebook
Tek-nique Entertainment
The Roosevelt Art Gallery and Event Center

COPPER ROCKET

***First 30 people in line, before doors, with advanced tickets – will gain early entry into the venue & get a personal MEET & GREET with OTEP***

LYRICA + ABRA CADABRA ENTERTAINMENT
Presents:

OTEP
Bury Your Dead
Through The Eyes Of The Dead
Destrophy
Catalepsy
Empyrean
Cethkyn

Friday, March 12th, 2010
ALL AGES WELCOME!!!

LYRICA (Formerly Cairo)
22 South Magnolia Avenue
Downtown Orlando, FL
(corner of Magnolia / Central)

Doors @ 5:00pm – Show @ 6:00pm
$18 Advanced – $22 Day Of Show

for more info / to purchase advance tickets – go to: www.lyricaorlando.com

and remember – First 30 people in line, before doors, with advance tickets will get to meet OTEP!

Murphy’s Sports Grille in Clearwater for a rockin’ good time. Dance the night away to your favorite songs from the 60s and 70s. The 39th Avenue Garage Band will rock the house!

La Viance Music Festival
March 5th – March 7th 2010
La Viance Estate – Groveland, FL
17200 Villa City Rd

DancingZombies.com, DJ NV’s Feel The Beat Productions, and WAC International are proud to announce LMF 2010. Please join us for a historical first for central Florida and for a one of a kind audio and visual experience like you have never seen before.

Witness some of the country’s finest bands and DJs as they give you over 60 hours of non-stop music from four multi genre stages of light, sound and visual effects beyond your wildest imagination. Get your tickets soon, and enjoy a weekend of camping, music, and outdoor recreation facilities with activities geared toward festival enthusiasts like you. Enjoy food courts, games, and the most magnificent atmosphere you have ever experienced anywhere in and around Orlando -period.

Help us celebrate the graduation of the March class of Full Sail University, and raise money for those less fortunate in these trying times. A portion of the proceeds will go to Rockbottomfarms.org and to the Haiti relief fund. See You at the show!

Live Stage Lineup

The Supervillains – The Malah
Cope – Diocious – Aquaphonics -Greenhouse Lounge
Savi Fernandez – 3rd Stone- Trail By Stone – Chroma – The Middle Rhythm Session-Stone Street – Bill Talley -
Mirror Pal – Funk Your Face –Herion -The N.O.C.
Rock Bottom Farms Free Jam Band

The Supervillains are a 5-piece reggae-ska-punk band out of Continue reading

Date: Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Time: 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: Dechoes Resale
Street: 2110 Edgewater Drive
City/Town: Orlando, FL

You survived our Spring Fling/Wine Not Wednesday Bash, but the insanity continues on Wednesday, March 3rd from 6-9pm at our College Park Location as we bring you another installment of Wine Not Wednesday! This month’s event will feature live performances by Local Musicians Ricky Diamond, Whitney Hogan and Jamesson!

As always, we’ll have Free Wine & Dech-hoe Alcoholic Punch as well as Complimentary Lite Bites from our good friends at Black Bean Deli! You can also snag some sweet deals on the best Vintage and Resale Clothing in town.

So grab a few friends and join us for a night of music, fun, shopping and madness!! ♥