The Avenue | Music - The Independent Florida Alligator

Kaelin Ellis performs at BIG: Culture & Arts Festival on Saturday, April 13, 2024.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Big: Culture and Arts Festival transforms downtown Gainesville into artistic epicenter

By Benjamin Miller and Alexandra Burns | Apr. 15

Gainesville residents and music enthusiasts gathered outdoors at a renovated lot between Porter’s Community and South Main Street Saturday to celebrate “Big: Culture and Arts Festival.” Produced by How Bazar and Dion Dia Records, the festival featured local businesses and more than 50 solo artists and musical collectives playing between two individual stages.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Uplift GNV: Benefit concert raises funds for free therapy to local musicians

By Emilia Cardenas-Perez | Apr. 1

Uplift GNV’s aim is to raise funds for Upbeat’s Musicians Therapy Scholarship, which covers mental health counseling costs for musicians. Recipients of the scholarship can use the funds to cover eight private therapy sessions at Gainesville Community Counseling Center, Klausner said.

Quail Hollow performs during Indie Night at High Dive on Saturday, March 23, 2024.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Indie Night packs High Dive full of music and music-lovers alike

By Benjamin Miller | Mar. 24

On Saturday night, local bands Half Gone, Quail Hollow, Rohna and Madwoman energized a colorful crowd of indie music fans in an exhilarating concert as part of the Indie Nights Florida tour. Indie Night, established in 2021 by Rohna bassist Andres Hernandez, seeks to bring local music together all across Florida.

A circus performer entertains attendees during the Big Sho at Celebration Catering Warehouse on Saturday, April 15, 2023.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Big: Culture & Arts Festival brings creatives across the state to Gainesville

By Benjamin Miller | Mar. 18

Big: Cultures & Arts Festival is set to take place in an empty lot between Porters Community and South Main Street, breathing life into the venue with Florida’s music, fashion, visual art and film scene. Musical artists based in Gainesville and cities across the state, including Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami, are set to appear in numbers April 13.

Jordan Burchel pictured on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2024.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Gainesville musician finds success, one song a day

By Bonny Matejowsky | Feb. 19

The 33-year-old Gainesville musician has taken up an ambitious challenge: writing, producing and recording one song a day for an entire year.

FILE - This Nov. 22, 2011 file photo shows singer Taylor Swift performing at Madison Square Garden in New York. Six-time Grammy winner Taylor Swift will perform at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards next month. Comedian Kevin Hart will host the VMAs live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sept. 6. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes, file)

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Avenue roundtable: We may know the Grammys results ‘all too well’

By Avenue Staff | Feb. 3

The 66th Grammy Awards are gearing up to be the most competitive ceremony to date, with today's most decorated artists in contention for the crown jewel of mainstream music.

Winter Record Fair at Cypress and Grove Brewery on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Gainesville celebrates vintage music culture at Winter Record Fair

By Alexandra Burns | Jan. 30

Beneath the dim glow of brewery lights, the air buzzed with determination amid the beats of ‘80s and ‘90s classics. Hopeful to find a hidden gem, desperate hands sifted through crates of vinyls and cassette tapes.

Maggie Clifford (left) and Rayvon Rollins (right) are the two musicians behind Habit Forming, a genre-crossing and Gainesville-based band.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Local hip-hop, folk duo Habit Forming debuts new single, ‘Rocks’

By Bonny Matejowsky | Jan. 23

Habit Forming is the two-year-old passion project of two Gainesville musicians: 37-year-old Maggie Clifford and 34-year-old Rayvon Rollins, also known as his musical alias, Purple Kloud. Though both seasoned musicians in their own right, their musical journey together has only just begun.

Trustfall lead singer Auggie Hughes performs at First Magnitude Brewery on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Sunshine Music Festival opens doors to free shows

By Bea Lunardini | Jan. 22

More than 200 people ate, drank and watched the four Gainesville-based artists who performed at the festival in its first year at First Magnitude. In addition to Roddam’s band Trustfall, the festival had performances from Prizilla, Speakeasy and Ricky Kendall.

Quail Hollow vocalist Ashley Griffith performs at Playground Music + Arts Festival on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Twelve local bands performed at sold-out Playground Music and Arts Festival 2024

By Emilia Cardenas-Perez and Benjamin Miller | Jan. 22

The Playground Music and Arts Festival Jan. 20 featured 12 band performances, food trucks, merchandise stands and clothing vendors. The sold-out event at the Heartwood Soundstage occurred from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m., ending with a two-hour set from the group of UF alumni, Flipturn.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Nashville artist with Top 40 singles, hundreds of concerts anticipates Gainesville debut

By Tanya Fedak | Jan. 8

Although he’s performed at a countless number of NASCAR venues, one dozen baseball stadiums and the Kentucky Derby, Reed Foley has yet to conquer one stage: the High Dive.

Quail Hollow members Ashley Griffith and Dominic Fonseca performing at the Heartwood Soundstage on Friday, March 24, 2023.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Swamp Records band Quail Hollow to perform at the Playground Music and Arts Festival

Jan. 8

On Jan. 20, the Playground Music and Arts Festival at Heartwood Soundstage will feature 12 independent bands from across Florida.

Matt Dibble, 33-year-old Hippodrome Theatre box office worker, sported his new Dollywood sweatshirt as he welcomed excited guests to the premiere Nov. 15, 2023 at The Hippodrome Theatre in Gainesville, Fla.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

The Hippodrome Theatre presents film screening of the debut of Dolly Parton’s first rock album

By Molly Seghi | Nov. 19

Dolly Parton invited fans to watch the worldwide film premiere of the Rockstar listening event. The film presented by Trafalgar Releasing features tracks from the album, never-before-seen performances and behind-the-scenes peeks.

Elvie Shane (right) plays guitar alongside Kameron Marlowe at the Friday, Nov. 10, 2023 stop of Marlowe’s “I Can’t Lie” tour at Vivid Music Hall.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Elvie Shane plays new single at Vivid Music Hall

Nov. 13

Elvie Shane is touring across the United States with fellow country music star Kameron Marlowe, who also got his start in a singing competition, The Voice. Shane has brought his raspy voice and guitar twang to countless venues, the latest of which was Nov. 10 at Vivid Music Hall in the heart of downtown Gainesville.

Oct. 28, 2023, a crowd of costumed people amassed for the annual independent Queer the Fest. The “Mutant Disco” theme brought a slew of colorful glittery outfits and creative face makeup.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Gainesville celebrates Queer the Fest

By Bonny Matejowsky | Oct. 31

While packs of people flocked to Gainesville to celebrate Fest, a multi-day music festival spread across several venues, an exuberant audience emerged in the Civic Media Center’s courtyard, eager to rock out in a unique and inclusive space.

Sophia Vernon (left) and Caroline Hartley (right) pose for a selfie at the High Dive on Thursday, June 6, 2023.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

The Taylor Swift Society celebrated “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” release

By Molly Seghi | Oct. 29

The Taylor Swift Society presented the first university-wide live streaming of Swift’s new album on the night of Oct. 26 through the morning of Oct. 27. Over 50 people lounged together on picnic blankets at the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Champions Club Patio in anticipation for the “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” listening party.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

A guide to Gainesville’s greatest music venues

By Molly Seghi | Oct. 12

Gainesville is home to a bustling music scene with various venues catered to different interests. This guide lists seven of the major music names in Gainesville and an event for every night of the week.

Record collector Jude Singleton shows off their prized Eraserhead vinyl on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

UF students revive the past by collecting CDs and records

By Bonny Matejowsky | Sep. 25

Gone are the days of flipping turntables and shuffling through stacks of jewel cases. Streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music have taken today’s generation by storm. At least, for some people.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Pop punk bands perform for Gainesville crowds ahead of Fest 21

By Bea Lunardini | Aug. 28

The Fest preview concert Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. was The Real You’s first time on a stage where all five members could spread out, and Pfeiffer took advantage of the newfound room.

The Honorable Mentions perform on the High Dive stage in Gainesville, Fla., on Friday, July 7, 2023.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

From bedroom to center stage: The local indie band 'Honorable Mentions' breaks into the Gainesville music scene

By Molly Seghi | Aug. 23

UF students Gavan Duffy and Jack Glickstein began recording their music around early February, beginning the band now known as Honorable Mentions. The band, which has added more student members, will be playing all original songs at their next live show alongside the band Sigs Inside at High Dive on Sept. 1.