Fresh Squeezed Country Goodness

© Sandra Silverstein / RumBum.com

It was another rainy night in Miami when the Citrus Circuit - an all-Florida grassroots tour - took over the upstairs stage at Tobacco Road. Have Gun, Will Travel took the stage first and with a stroke of the violin the music swept the crowd away with its folksy, soul-searching rhythms. The small dark room of Miami's historic music joint let itself nicely to the mood as the music conjured images of dusty open highways and long, slow summer days.

The room was deep in the southern, small town vibe by the time Truckstop Coffee took the stage. Before anyone could say "pass me another Pabst Blue Ribbon," feet starting tapping to the southern rock beats. As Pete Stein, Truckstop Coffee's lead singer, sang about love, lost time, and empty gas tanks, the band's piano and violin added lilt to his stories.

Then The Takers took to the stage and cranked things up with their bluesy, catchy rhythms. The rain began to slow as the final band, Lauris Vidal, slowed the music down with its fusion of indie rock and kitchen sink blues that combined the Vidal's nasally voice with whimsical drums, the sweet sound of a ukulele, and a banjo for good measure. The glitz, euro pop and hip-hop of South Beach couldn't have been further away.

Before the night was over Vidal described for the crowd his favorite drink: "Mo-mma's lightly sweetened sun tea, extra lemon with extra lemon, and just the right amount of ice."

Want to have your own jamboree? The Citrus Circuit will be at PROPAGANDA in Lake Worth on Friday, June 26, at the New World Brewery in Tampa on Saturday, June 28, and at Will's Pub in Orlando on Sunday, June 28.