Marathon, Florida

[Tom Sanderson]

Soon to be movingg to the Florida Keys, Marathon to be exact. Any pickers down there?

[journeybear]

Nope!

While Key West seems to be the focal point for entertainment in the Keys, there are musicians and venues throughout - just seems sparser. Heading up from here ... Big Coppit/Geiger Key has Geiger Key Marina; Big Pine Key has a couple of venues and Terry Cassidy; Parrotdise on Little Torch Key (I think) is mostly a restaurant but has solo/duos; Looe Key Tiki Bar and Boondocks around Mile Marker 27 have solos/duos/bands; Marathon has a few bars with live music and Adrienne; then there's a bit of a gap till you get to Islamorada and the Lorelei, around MM 89; then Key Largo, where there are a few venues. All in all there are probably several times more venues and musicians in Key West than the whole rest of the Keys. Not a whole lot of picking/jamming going on; seems the best musicians are either too busy working to want to play in their down time, or look at playing music as work and leave their instruments in their cases when they get home. And there's not a whole lot of bluegrass here. But that could always change, if someone were of a mind to do something about it.

[Tim W]

About the only thing I saw close to bluegrass in Key West was a real tortoise shell pick that I found down there in a place off Duval street. I went upstairs to see what kind of instruments they had in there and I stuck my hand in that cookie jar full of plastic pics to try out a guitar.

As I pulled one out I looked at it and it was tortoise so I asked the lady what she knew about it because it obviously did'nt belong with the blue, pink, tropical colored ones in that jar. She said, "I don't know what it is but it don't belong in there, stick in your pocket". So I did. Still got it too... Cheapest one I ever got!

[journeybear]

Hey, that was mine! I've been looking all over for that!

Actually, friend of mine, the local luthier who retired last year (dammit!) found a tortoise shell washed up on the beach a few years ago. He spent part of his down time (believe me, he had plenty) making some picks out of that. Gave me one, awfully nice of him. Sadly that was stuck in the strings of my F-12 when it was stolen. I also lost a Little Feat pick with the sailing shoe logo on it, given me by Paul Barrere, while playing on Duval Street. Just went sailin' ...

Terry Cassidy plays at Sloppy Joe's once or twice a week, usually Sunday afternoons, switching between guitar and banjo, bass pedals too. He does a fair amount of bluegrass. Other than that, there is a family band called The Doerfels that shows up for a week or so a few times a year. The Piper Road Spring Band comes through for a week or so in the winter, usually around Super Bowl time. Other than that (and how much is that, really?), pretty slim pickin's. Oh wait, yeah - seems there's some kind of Cajun-country-bluegrass band that plays sporadically through the winter. Wish I could remember their name ...

[pchristi]

So I'm getting to visit the Florida Keys for spring break 2011. I expect to be spending most of my time fishing and snorkeling but would be interested in getting together with someone to pick some tunes. Will be staying in Marathon, Fl down near Sombrero Beach from March 13 - 19, 2011. Is there anyone else interested/available?
Prescott

[journeybear]

I believe I am the only Café member down here, and also the only mandolinist in the keys. I ran everyone else out of here some time ago. I am playing Thursday night, if you want to come into key West, about an hour's drive. Too bad you are leaving the 19th because I'm getting together with some friends for a potluck and picking party next Sunday. Send me an email and see if anything can be worked out.

I didn't really run the other guys out. But one guy died, another had to split before the law caught up to him, and there was that guy sleeping under the Cow Key bridge, and I would drop off a six-pack every day to keep him there. OK, that last one is an old bit of stage patter, but the rest is true. Really!

[pchristi]

Journeybear, Thanks for the reply. Darn, I am leaving way too early next Sunday.. I don't think we will make it down to Key West this trip, but if we do, I will try to make it on Thursday and will E-mail you first. I guess I can pick up a six pack an head over to the Cow Key bridge......Ha!
Man it's beautiful down here.

[evanreilly]

I've been to the Keys many times, mandolin in hand. I never found much pickin' action, tho.
But I have sat on the edge of a canal playing mandolin to a very large barracuda! Talk about beady eyes. It just floated there on the surface, like a big log with eyes & lotsa teeth.
Best gig I got in was I got to play with a band on a sunset cruise/party boat out of Mallory Square one night; they didn't have a mandolin player and I volunteered!! Just like that!!!