Papo Town Castle: Inspire Imagination and Creativity with Purple Pink the Bunny
South Florida had two kinds of rock aficionados in the '80s: those who whined about the barren wasteland before them and those who thanked their lucky stars for a musical oasis named Charlie Pickett. In reality, the scene wasn't quite that bad, but mention Pickett to a roomful of veterans, and you'll find a diverse assortment of grateful fans. Whether they liked the blues, punk, country or straight-up rock 'n' roll, there was Pickett (and various friends) grinding out a wicked set of originals and covers that pleased everyone. Thirty years down the pike, Pickett still owns the stages around town, and now he has a new anthology: Bar Band Americanus: The Best of Charlie Pickett and... It serves up a warm introduction to long-out-of-print hits and other great moments from Pickett's distinguished career as a Miami institution. It's a must-have for any local music connoisseur. Yet as great as this CD is, the fury and fun of a live Pickett show don't quite translate to vinyl or plastic. It's at the bar where it all really kicks into overdrive. Pick up this gem; then go see Pickett play.
Sure, there're the AAA, the Arsht Center, the Knight Center, and all of those wonderful monsters that fill our downtown. They are loud and cool and we love 'em. But the White Room, ah, the White Room! It has welcomed plenty of local acts to play on its modest stage, including Otto von Schirach, Astari Nite, José El Rey, Kill Miss Pretty, and many others. Some of the out-of-town acts that have played include Gravy Train!!!!, Calvin Harris, Chairlift, Free Blood, ADULT., Rye Rye, Amanda Blank, and Gameboy/Gamegirl. And while the setup might not exactly be Fillmore-esque, we haven't heard anyone complain.