It’s the weekend we’ve all been waiting for — the Original Marathon Seafood Festival is back! The Chamber is excited … the fishermen are excited … the volunteers are excited … and the musicians are excited, too. (I should know.) We have a pretty incredible lineup of talent this year, and we are eager to hit the big Marathon Community Park amphitheater stage on March 9 and 10. Let’s start with the Saturday lineup:
SATURDAY, 11 a.m.: John Bartus & Adrienne Z. Singer/songwriters John Bartus and Adrienne Z bring their songs and talents together for the Seafood Festival. Both John and Adrienne have several album releases of original songs from which to draw material, with John’s new “After the Storm” CD and Adrienne’s “Chameleons” CD sure to provide material you’ll get to hear live. Plus, they are just as likely to pull out some Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Stevie Nicks and Pink Floyd to keep the crowd satisfied.
SATURDAY, 1 p.m.: Original Lady A Band. Lady A, with her strong, earthy blues vocal style and harmonica playing, has carved a place all over Florida throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and now she has returned to her beloved Keys with talented guitarist Ric Arra ready for action. Blues, rock, soul — and don’t be surprised to hear Ric pull out some vintage Clapton!
SATURDAY, 3 p.m.: I-land Vibe. There are many bands in South Florida that claim to be reggae bands, because of the popularity of the Jamaican music form, but the members of I-Land Vibe prefer to think of the group as a Caribbean band, since reggae is not the only music from the islands. Get ready to dance to calypso, soca, ska and more! The island sounds are sure to be hot hot hot!
SATURDAY, 5 p.m.: Marshall Morlock Band. MMB is a Florida Keys local power trio that plays a wide variety of rock hits and original music. The band consists of Marshall Morlock, a prolific guitarist and singer raised here in the Keys. Scott Morlock, also known as “Marshall’s Dad,” plays bass, keyboard and sings simultaneously. Drummer Randy Stindt is a multi-talented musician, originally from Fresno, California. He completes the MMB trio with high-power, energetic drumming that keeps the entire crowd dancing all night long.
SATURDAY, 7 p.m.: Igor & Red Elvises. Your favorite band. Evolving over the years, Igor’s music has been labeled “Siberian Surf Rock,” and it contains humorous lyrics and grooves that force his audience to dance. Over the past 20 years, Red Elvises have constantly toured all over the world with occasional breaks to record new music and to participate in film and television projects. They have performed for large festivals and private parties and have played on massive stages, such as 2005’s Live 8 benefit concert. No matter where they perform, Igor & Red Elvises always bring the party.
And now on to Sunday…
SUNDAY, 11 a.m.: Brian Roberts. Brian performs more than 300 gigs each year from Key West to Key Largo. A consummate performer with a huge list of cover songs, Brian continues to write original songs, such as “Semi-Tropical Reasons,” “Barefoot Balladeer” and “All Of This Way.” His music embodies a unique island-rock genre that draws from his diverse influences. It’s a perfect blend of acoustic music and the island lifestyle. Show up early to discover why Brian is one of the busiest musicians in these islands.
SUNDAY, 1 p.m.: AJ & Southern Stampede. Homestead’s young AJ Gaytan leads his kick-ass band Southern Stampede into some rollicking Texas Blues, classic rock and funk and rocking originals. This soulful band features well-written and arranged originals — plus a variety of cover songs. AJ has big hair, and the band has a big sound that does the big hair justice! It’s a great reason to come back and enjoy Sunday at the Original Marathon Seafood Festival.
SUNDAY, 3 p.m.: Havoc 305. South Florida’s premier Top 40 cover band will be playing all your favorite hits spanning the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and today. This high-energy band is the perfect way to wrap up another great Seafood Festival.
Come for the seafood … stay for the music! See you this weekend!
– – Catch John live Thursdays at Sparky’s Landing, Saturday at the Original Marathon Seafood Festival, and Sundays at the Skipjack Resort Tiki Bar. Find his music anywhere you download or stream your music. www.johnbartus.com • johnbartus.hearnow.com
