Gainesville is known for a championship football team and great local food, but did you know about the amazing bands that flock the local music scene? Every weekend, the local venues are booked with bands from all over north and central Florida, and the crowd is unlike any other college town. Here are a few bands from Gainesville and the surrounding areas that have been making (music) waves in the streets recently.
flipturn
Hailing from the streets of Fernandina Beach, flipturn has become one of Gainesville’s most popular bands. Since signing onto Swamp Records at the University of Florida in 2017, they have played at Okeechobee Fest, opened for Coin and sold out numerous venues in Florida and across the Eastern US. Heavy Colors, their debut EP released in March 2017, received an immense amount of positive feedback and features “Chicago” and “Vanilla,” which have both seen over 300,000 streams on Spotify.
Following the release of the eclectic single, “Churches,” flipturn announced the release of their sophomore EP Citrona as well. This band brings a spry atmosphere to every show, and if you ever see them live, you’ll leave wanting more.
The Forum
After finding each other through a Craigslist ad while searching for fellow Gainesville residents to produce music with, The Forum came to the music scene in early 2016. For this group, every song’s lyrics possess intense emotion, as they usually are written from experiences by the lead singer, Michael Higgins.
The band’s debut EP Rain/Shade creates the essence of a small-town rock band with the layered sounds of the electric guitar and low vocals. Their most recent single, “Dive,” has a calming synth-sound partially masked by the overtone of a happy dance beat. Recently, The Forum signed with Swamp Records as its flagship artist for the 2018-2019 school year. This band has some great opportunities coming up, so be sure to check them out at one of their upcoming shows.
Aster and Ivy
Formed in Jacksonville last year, Aster and Ivy have seen nothing but success. Their first song, “Silhouettes,” was released in December, and they released their debut EP Tell Me Pretty Things in June 2018. The band spent the break between the two releases recording and writing music, all while performing several shows in Tampa and Jacksonville. If you’re intrigued by their music, check out their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages because they are likely to respond to you! Although Aster and Ivy haven’t made their way to Gainesville yet, they are expected to perform a show sometime in November.
Arrows in Action
Featuring a reminiscent sensation of 2000’s punk and alternative rock, Arrows in Action is sure to revive those ~emo~ vibes in your soul. Although the band was formed in 2012, they released their debut single in March 2016 called “Lust, Love, & Misery.” Not long after, the group released a second song, “Skully,” leading up to their first EP Running from the Sun.
Much of Arrows in Action’s songs resemble a Panic! at the Disco aura and are real head-boppers. With the release of their most recent EP, Coasting, their tone has taken on more of a California rock sound, mixed with their traditional punk music. The band likes sticking to their local roots by playing small shows in Gainesville and surrounding cities. Be sure to catch their next show in Jacksonville on November 9th.
With every college town, there are always hometown favorites in the music world. These four bands are especially sure to make it somewhere one day, and being able to say you’ve been there since the beginning is an amazing thing. If you want to keep up with any of these bands, make sure to follow their social media sites, and you might get lucky and see some of them perform together.