This Little Underground

FAREWELL, SWAMBURGER

Few figures are as emblematic of Orlando culture as Swamburger. Whether it’s as a rapper, producer, promoter, label boss, visual artist, mentor, booster or just genuine true believer, his force has tirelessly propelled the city’s creative scene ever since he moved here over two decades ago. There’s simply no one else like him.

Unfortunately, he’s moving to Seattle to pursue Mugs and Pockets, his new project with Scarlet Monk. As sad as that is — and it very much is for anyone who’s been in this city’s hip-hop or indie communities in the past quarter-century — I think it’s necessary to honor anyone who’s made an essential contribution to Orlando’s musical legacy. In Swam’s case, it’s with nothing but infinite respect for all he’s done in and for our scene that I send this legend off.

If you feel the same, you’ve got two final opportunities this weekend to let the man feel the love in person: a listening party for Mugs and Pockets’ debut album at Iron Cow (6-8:30 p.m. Saturday, July 23) and the official release party at Park Ave CDs (2-4 p.m. Sunday, July 24). After that, he’s off.

This one’s for Swamburger. All fists up for you, homie. Your spot in Orlando history is certified. Keep shining like only you can.

LOCAL RELEASES

No band in recent years has landed on the Orlando scene with as much sheer lightning as the Spoon Dogs. Their combination of wild punk abandon and feral stage electricity was immediate fire that made them instant darlings of the underground.

This year, they officially changed their name to Leatherette and now they’re back out with new single, “Frankie.” It’s their first release since 2020’s “Bar Called Salvation,” and it’s a solidification of the moody direction heralded by that single over two years ago. If the roadhouse punk rave-up of 2019 debut LP Spoon Dogs was the party, “Frankie” is the druggy aftermath. The song is a smoldering slither through the waste of blues, garage and punk. It hangs thick with danger and vice, oozing like a gutter trash incantation. And it’s seriously sexy.

Now streaming everywhere, “Frankie” is the first dose of a new album slated for the fall. Leatherette’s next hometown show will be Aug. 27 at Uncle Lou’s with Donzii and Bacon Grease.

Whether it’s as a rapper, producer, promoter, label boss, visual artist, mentor, booster or just true believer, few figures are as emblematic of Orlando culture as Swamburger

CONCERT PICKS THIS WEEK

If you go out, be safe, be cool.

Answers: On their rise to the vanguard of Orlando’s contemporary classical music scene, Answers recently made a splash with a debut studio album mixed and mastered by post-rock giant John McEntire (Tortoise,

BY BAO LE-HUU

SWAMBURGER | PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

The Sea and Cake). This show officially celebrates with a performance of it. Even if you’ve already heard the album, you should still expect live surprises from a group of noted improvisers. (7:30 p.m. Friday, July 22, CityArts, $10-$20 entry and copy of the album)

Squad Five-O, Louis DeFabrizio,

Twisty Chris & the Puddin’ Packs: Yes, you read that right. From out of nowhere, Squad Five-O recently dropped a new album after roughly 18 years. In the early 2000s, the Georgia punk & roll band were underground legends for their explosive and triumphant shows. Once they disbanded, the members scattered to different states, with co-founder John Fortson landing here. But in 2020, during lockdown, they started writing songs together again over FaceTime. The resulting seven-song album, Solid Gold, is an astonishingly rejuvenated blast of pure rock & roll revelry and a good omen of what will go down at this show. (7 p.m. Saturday, July 23, Stardust Video & Coffee, $15)

Blue Bamboo’s JazzPro Monster

Series: This new live jazz series is for musicians, by musicians. Of course, the general public is welcome to this showcase of accomplished local players, but it’s consciously geared toward the area’s working musicians (and students) with special accommodations like discounted tickets and weekday shows. This inaugural weekly event features Dave MacKenzie’s MindMeld Quintet. When you go where the musicians are playing for each other, you can expect some extra magic. (8 p.m. Monday, July 25, Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts, $16-$25)

baolehuu@orlandoweekly.com