Pedro Arevalo in Sarasota

Here's a delightful video of a jam featuring vocals and guitar by Pedro Arevalo, with backup by additional Sarasota live music scene artists, including Acoustic Pete Arevalo, Berry Oakley, Barry from Mumbo Jumbo, and others. Like I keep saying here, there's SO much fabulous talent in this town!

The Missing Links at JR's Old Packinghouse Cafe in Sarasota

Time travel has a new name, and it's The Missing Links, a high-energy cover band which plays once a month on Friday at JR's Old Packinghouse Cafe, in Sarasota. A high school band during the late '60s in Sarasota, The Missing Links took a very long hiatus to create their adult lives, then got back together for a reunion concert in 2008 and have continued to play driving iconic favorites from the '60s ever since.

Band members Gary Roy, David Anson, John Purcell, and Jon Hausburg remember each lick, vocal, and beat from the Summer of Love era, and so do their fans, who pack the house at the OPC, dancing on every square inch of vibrating floor boards. Beatles, The Byrds, Motown, Beach Boys, one hit after another will leave you reeling, smiling and singing along, if you're of a certain generation (read: Boomer!).

Acoustic Pete Fundraiser at JR's Old Packinghouse Cafe, Sarasota

Kudos to all who organized and ran the big fundraiser at JR's Old Packinghouse Cafe, in Sarasota, on Sunday, August 4, to help local musician Acoustic Pete Arevalo with medical expenses.

Continuous great music by a succession of 14 different bands, food, drinks, t-shirts and CDs, and hard-working JR and staff made for a wonderful afternoon and evening event. Somehow, the hot weather didn't matter much, with lots of borrowed pop-up tents set up in the parking lot and a huge crowd full of good spirits and warm wishes.