The Rundown

The first ever Trop Rock Music Awards were held at the Meeting of the Minds (an annual Parrothead event) in Key West, Fla., on Oct. 31, and one of Mobile’s own represented to the fullest.

Brent Burns has honed his craft in the rum-soaked tradition of Jimmy Buffet and took home three awards. In addition to winning Entertainer of the Year, his latest effort “Ragtops and Flip Flops” took home the CD of the Year Award. Burns also took home a Wave Award for his charitable work with Habitat for Humanity, the American Cancer Society and the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

Locally, Burns has become a favorite fixture at various waterfront venues on the Causeway and Gulf Shores with songs such as “If It’s Snowbird Season, Why Can’t We Shoot Em’.” This trop rocker earned national attention with his song and video for “Pain at the Pump” with CNN interviewing Burns and using the video and song in their special report “4 Bucks! What’s Next? America’s Fuel Crisis.”

The Amphitheater at The Wharf is having one last hurrah before the Gulf Coast gets its yearly smidgen of cold weather. Tickets are currently on sale for 3 Doors Down, Switchfoot and American Bang.

3DD is planning on getting some tour dates in before Christmas with their show at The Wharf acting as the kick-off. This Mississippi band just wrapped up a few dates in Europe, where they encountered quite a familiar reminder of home. While lodging in Stockholm, Sweden, the boys in 3DD made fast friends with a few of the guys from the Monster Jam monster truck show. Before long, lead singer Brad Arnold got the chance to sit in the driver’s seat of Grave Digger, and the guys from Monster Jam were hanging backstage.

The jam scene continues its embrace of electronica with bands such as the Disco Biscuits and EOTO leading the way. On Saturday, Nov. 22, BoomBox will be filling the confines of Soul Kitchen with electronic ecstasy with a night filled with improvisational live looping, turntables and live instruments.

BoomBox is one of jamtronica’s up-and-coming stars with a healthy helping of buttery grooves and electrified jams for their audiences. Hailing from Muscle Shoals, this duo formed when producer/DJ Russ Randolph and singer/songwriter/guitarist Zion Rock Godchaux crossed paths in a recording studio. In 2005, they released their debut “Visions of Backbeat,” which is a warm, comfy combination of jazz, psychedelic and jazz.

Stephen Centanni is Lagniappe music editor. Contact him at scentanni@lagniappemobile.com.

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