Reborn Candlebox rocks out in Jacksonville

Two years ago, Candlebox was a thing of the past. To many, their favorite 1990s rock band wasn’t coming back, just like Nirvana and Sublime.

But the members of Candlebox did not disband because of the death of a band mate. The rockers sought out to find themselves and harness their suppressed musical creativity that often goes hand in hand with being in one band for such a long time. In 1999, the guys called it quits, with the future uncertain for the band members and fans alike.

In May 2006, Candlebox reunited with the release of their “Best of…” album. Since, the four original members, Kevin Martin, Peter Klett, Bardi Martin and Scott Mercado have been touring and recording with rejuvenated spirits and new musical inspiration.

Kevin Martin, Candlebox lead singer, said things have been better than ever since the band reunited.

“Everything is a lot more fun and a lot less stressful,'' he said. ''We’re a lot better musicians now.”

After the band split, the members worked on other projects with different musicians and bands.

“You go off and write with other musicians and get a new respect for our talents,'' Martin said. ''Music is very environmental, it’s all about putting yourself in new environments.”

In May, Candlebox hit the road for a two-month U.S. tour. Freebird Live in Jacksonville Beach was one of the stops on the cross-country concert agenda.

“Jacksonville is a hotbed for music, a lot like Seattle,” said front-man Martin. “We have a new record coming out in February. We’re touring to try our new songs out for the crowds. We’re going to work songs live so we can get to know them inside and out.

“People should understand that what we do as a band is an art form that requires patience.”

Martin says that with patience and crowd support, the band will be on the fast track to success again.

“We want to make sure this is the best Candlebox CD ever.”

The crowd on hand at Freebird Thursday seemed to offer plenty patience and support. The first fans waited in the queue line outside the 1st Street box office at 2 p.m. Candlebox did not perform until just after 10:45. Fans seemed ecstatic to see the band as they chanted just before the performance.

While on stage, the rock band that pulls its influences from everything from blues to modern, harnessed the crowd’s energy for a mind-blowing jam session that included the old hits along with brand new tracks.

Inger Kevin Martin taunted the audience as he waved his microphone over those standing near the stage while guitarist Peter Klett soloed over the heads of those in the front row.

What makes the band stand out from many live acts today is their crisp, true sound. In an age of lip-synching and studio-added effects, it is nice to hear a group that sounds exactly like its CDs. The show brought a lot of energy to the crowd of people that looked to be primarily 30-somethings.

Much of the adrenaline can be attributed to the opening acts, including Cinder Road, a critically acclaimed 5-piece that gained recent attention opening for Daughtry.

The overall fan reaction to the remastered Candlebox in concert at Freebird was excellent. The old Candlebox is definitely back and better than ever. The band’s powerful live performances and strong rock and roll sounds are sure to bring Candlebox back to mainstream attention very soon.

Another homecoming at Warped for Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Their popularity has ballooned. They went from long-haired kids from Middleburg to international pop stars in what seems to be a blink of an eye.

It was not even two years ago when the local favorites that frequented Jackrabbits and the Art Bar exploded in popularity and started touring and recording with Virgin Records.

Thursday, at the 2007 Vans Warped Tour in Green Cove Springs, the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus was arguably the most popular band on tour.

Red Jumpsuit's style is unique, especially at the Warped Tour. Unlike other bands on the tour, the quintet is featured, seemingly non-stop, on MTV and Top 40 radio stations.

They have re-tied the knot in the marriage of Rock 'n Roll and pop culture.

“We’re on the radio because we’re the band people call and ask for. We’re proud to be that band,” said RJA lead singer Ronnie Winter. “I think it’s cool to be on pop radio.”

Winter said a lot of bands face criticism for trying to go mainstream. “I’m glad we can be the ones to do it.”

The road to success was not easy for Red Jumpsuit.

“[It took] persistence,'' Winter said. ''We had a lot of hurdles; we got passed by six different labels before Virgin. This wasn’t the first go around for any of us.”

According to him, the musicians’ past failures in other bands were great learning experiences.

“We needed those. We were finally able to get our vibe right. Come to think of it, it wasn’t all that difficult.”

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus has been on tour for an almost non-stop two years.

“We wanted to tour as much as possible,” he said. “I know we have a lot of fans because we’ve met most of them while on the road.”

While on tour, Red Jumpsuit has used its fame for good. The band has long protested domestic violence and suicide, and they have raised money for programs related to these problems through subjective concert tours, CD compilations and T-shirts sales.

“Our actions speak louder than our words,” Winter said. “While you’re rocking out and having a good time, why not help out?”

At the Warped Tour’s North Florida stop, Thursday, the guys from R.J.A. were one of the headlining acts. They also won the award that sort of makes them the prom kings of Warped.

Each day, fans get to vote for the band they want to play an extra-long set in the Energizer Encore Music Competition. It’s no more than a popularity contest, but the band wasn’t just nominated because the members were playing for their home crowd. It has won seven of the 14 contests since the tour began - more than any other band on the tour.

“It’s like a dream come true — Warped Tour main stage,” said Winter.

Though the band has faced boundless popularity and fame, the members have not forgotten their roots.

“There is 100 percent correlation between R.J.A. and local fans. They inspired us to keep going,” said Winter. “We still live the same life. I still live in the same house in Middleburg and I walk the same dog down the same street.”

The band does agree that one luxury is not minded, however.

Winter explained his favorite part of the fame:

“We moved from the van to a tour bus in October,'' he said. ''It’s much more comfortable.”

Recapping the Warped experience

Yellowcard, Paramore, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Bad Religion. Norma Jean, New Found Glory, Pennywise, K-OS. Where else can you such a great mix of all-star music anymore? Dreams came true for many teens and young adults as dozens of bands descended on Green Cove Springs for the 2007 Vans Warped Tour on Thursday.


Though it wasn’t the first Warped Tour I’ve been to, it never ceases to amaze me how people can pull together such a great mega-show everyday for a couple of months every summer.

The stop in Green Cove at the Reynolds Park Yacht Center was a hot one. The dusty air was humid, causing beads of sweat down the most petite of people. I couldn’t tell you what the high temperature of the day was, but when I left the event at 8:45 p.m., my car marked 91° F. I felt bad for those on tour who brave the weather every day.

Yellowcard guitarist Ryan Key said it was the hottest day he’d seen since the beginning of the tour.

Warped Tour is the only locale I don’t complain about dropping $15 on bottled water.

It’s a simple formula: If you’re cheap and don’t hydrate throughout the day, you’re going to be one of the many passed-out fans on the Clay County Fire Rescue golf cart. And yes, that was a common site to see. By 5 p.m., local officials had transported 10 people to the hospital for heat-related illnesses. To thwart the problem, firefighters hauled a fire hose onto the main field and doused heat-exhausted fans.


Fans cool off from a firehose near the main stage. PHOTO BY VIC MICOLUCCI.

Dusty ground was another challenge at the Reynolds facility. The stomping moshers kicked up the sooty brown dirt to make a hazy cloud over the concert area.

I’m no doctor, but I recognize that soot intake, especially around the crowded pits, can be detrimental to people’s health. Vendors that were selling T-shirts and CDs were also selling dust masks for three bucks. For many, bandanas and shirts sufficed.

I’m sure if you haven’t been to the Warped Tour by now, I scared you from it eternally. The truth is, through all the discomforts, it is a great experience like no other.

Everyone goes to have a good time, and the mood of the crowd is always friendly and fun. The people that go truly love music and its accompanying lifestyle. Nowhere else, that I've experienced, can fans get up close to their favorite bands, and many of the band members work their merchandise tents when they are not on stage - I have bought CDs from the lead singers of some of my favorite bands.

Just as it is, like no other for fans, bands enjoy things they could never get anywhere else.

First comes respect

Rock fans are always loyal to bands they know and relate to. Any band that can endure the heat and fatigue associated with Warped deserves a tremendous amount of respect in my book.

Second comes earning new fans

Though the bands definitely never make it rich on the tour, they do gain fans that will follow them throughout their careers.

Fred Cimato, bassist for Cute is What We Aim For, says his band couldn’t do without it now.

“The goal is to win over the kids that aren’t there to see you,'' he said. ''There’s a lot here for us.”

At the end of the day, everyone—fans, bands, cops and vendors alike are exhausted and carry a stench worse than if they had spent a day at football practice. However, I can’t imagine why anyone would complain. I definitely don’t. The experience is like no other, it’s humbling and energizing at the same time.

“It’s so surreal to be here,” said The Starting Line guitarist Matt Watts. “Getting to be around so many great bands in such a great atmosphere is amazing.”

Yellowcard promotes new album at Warped Tour

Jacksonville pop-rockers Yellowcard ended their stint on the 2007 Vans Warped Tour at home Thursday. After less than three weeks on the fast-paced circuit, they are making the transition because of a world tour in Australia and Japan.

“I haven’t gotten to see my family yet,” said lead singer and guitarist Ryan Key. “I’m excited.”

More exciting than the band’s homecoming may be the release of its new album, Paper Walls.


“This album is the triumphant story of finding yourself again. We learned a lot along the way,” said Key. “It touches on what it was like to come together again and work on a new album. It’s the story of breaking out of the walls around us.”



Key said, in songwriting, he focuses on showing the journeys and obstacles the members of Yellowcard face. “Ocean Avenue was a record about leaving home, finding your place in the world and overcoming the obstacles you face along the way.”

That album was, overall, very light-hearted and young; and it was overwhelmingly popular - millions of copies were sold worldwide.

Key documented a change in life after the band’s uncharted success.

“I soon got post-success syndrome after my whole entire life was turned upside down,'' he said. ''People tried to tell me who I was. I began partying too much and spending too much money. I was being an idiot.”

Key said this inspired the album Lights and Sounds.

“It has a very dark tone. It is the story of identity crisis and getting lost along the way. A lot of experimenting was going on.”

Luckily, Key said family and friends helped him and the band overcome their dark times. “It’s nice to have them to keep you grounded,” he recalled.

“ Paper Walls is a genuine sense of looking forward and having your feet on the ground.”

Yellowcard has faced local criticism for moving to Los Angeles after signing with Capitol Records. Key said it was nothing personal against Jacksonville.

“We had to go to Hollywood. At the time, the record company was a one-man business. We were stuffing envelopes there and we worked at Chili’s during the day. Jacksonville city was totally nurturing to rock music, but you can only play Jackrabbits and Caribbean Connection so many times. In California, you can play six different cities in a week. It just made sense.”

Key said he and the band faced accusations of betrayal to the fans on the First Coast.

“I thought, ‘I don’t even know you. How can I betray you?’ I want people here to love our music just like everyone else.”

The band showed its loyalty by not ending its time on the Warped Tour until it hit North Florida.


“Warped is the perfect way to start Paper Walls,” said Key. “You genuinely remember how you do it all. All the people there want to here music all day long. Nobody is sitting on the balcony.”

Young professionals find CFF their charity

Local young professionals raised a lot of money Saturday night -- redneck-style. No ... not the way your uncle Cletus hoists his piggy bank up the big tree in his backyard. These philanthropists did it with a themed party, The Trashy Beach Bash, at the Fraternal Order of Police lodge in Marsh Landing.

The Beach Bash is the kick-off party for the annual finale, The Single Greatest Night in Jacksonville presented by Remington Title Inc., now in its 11th year. This wrap-up gala, usually held in November, is the culmination of almost a year’s worth of fundraising for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The classy, black-tie affair celebrates the money raised by young First Coast professionals involved in the program. It is the final event in a series of fundraising efforts to benefit research of the disabling Cystic Fibrosis disease.

Those involved in the fundraising must face a selective entrance process. Fifty-five young singles - unwed professionals usually between the ages of 25 and 35 years old - are selected each year as honorees. The honorees are aided and encouraged by past honorees that now serve as committee members. The new fundraisers are split into groups of five to 10 people and are asked to raise at least $1,500 per person through creative, fun events and efforts. Tailgates, dinner parties and themed events are among the most popular.



For the third year in a row, committee members from the Single Greatest Night Young Professionals Fundraising Program of the CFF kicked off a season of fundraising events with the Trashy Beach Bash. Not only was the party held to inspire and motivate honorees in their fundraising to benefit CFF, but also planners estimated it generated over $7,500 in profits.

The attire was less than casual: Dirty T-shirts, John Deere hats and cowboy boots replaced the suits and ties the crowd is more likely to wear. Committee members, honorees and guests ate, drank and fraternized the hillbilly way as the Paul Lundgren Band performed in the packed F.O.P. lodge in Ponte Vedra.

A $20 cover charge helped raise funds and cover operation costs, though corporate sponsorships kept overhead low. Over 500 people walked through the doors by the end of the fun-filled, fundraising night.

Jacque Shoemaker, one of the co-chairs of the Beach Bash, said the party was a great way to jump start the volunteer fundraising.

“The Bash is a good time for hardworking, motivated young professionals to goof-off a little,” said Shoemaker.

Many committee members and honorees are involved with other groups. Shoemaker says the CFF chapter in North Florida put together a different program than other charities.

“It pulls you in. You start to make good friends, and it gives real meaning to the time you volunteer'' she said. ''A bunch of singles without the responsibilities of married life can get a lot of work done.”

Another co-chair of the event, Stewart Whitmore, says he chose a charity related to CFF because 90 cents of every dollar the foundation has is used for research.

“We watch every penny at the committee and so do they,'' he said. ''The money is used wisely.”

A majority of the funds raised from the Single Greatest Night program comes from corporate sponsorships. Long-time sponsors include the City of Jacksonville, CSX Transportation and the PGA Tour. One of the other huge fundraisers is the silent auction at the Single Greatest Night affair. Last year, the auction alone raised $17,000.

“[The whole program] is great because all the people are giving their time for things other than their jobs and social life,” said Cheryl Townsend, one of the co-chairs of the entire fundraising season. She says the program’s aim to get young professionals involved in their community is smart.

“The average age of people in Jacksonville is 35, so it shows where the future is,” she said.

The 2007 Single Greatest Night in Jacksonville gala celebration will be held November 16 at the Sawgrass Marriott. Those interested in getting involved or ticket information can visit sgnjax.com or contact Liza Wrobel, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s event coordinator, at (904) 733-3560.



Some of the committee members are still looking for ideas for their fundraisers. WE WANT YOUR SUGGESTIONS!


Your Name:
Your E-mail Address:
Your suggestion for Single Greatest Night fundraisers:

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