AGP Executive Report

Local Music & Culture: Orlando’s Timucua International Guitar Festival kicks off this week with Ann Yao (guzheng) and Rui Yang (erhu), plus a month of guitar music from Israel, Colombia, Italy and America. Touring: Mon Laferte brings her “Femme Fatale” tour to Hard Rock Live in Orlando on Aug. 9. Theater Spotlight: Orlando Family Stage adds a stage adaptation of The Hobbit to its 2026-27 season, swapping out a previously planned world premiere. Weekend Live Music (Tampa Bay): A Tampa Bay roundup highlights Rock the Park (free), plus American Idiot at Jobsite Theater and more concerts and shows Aug. 6-13. Community Events: Port Charlotte’s Caribbean Jerk & Cultural Festival returns after an eight-year break, featuring Etana and Caribbean food, vendors and cultural programming. Media Industry: UF College of Journalism and Communications and Saga Communications announce a seven-year partnership starting Sept. 1 to market ad inventory for WRUF-AM/WRUF-FM and expand student training.

Local Music & Venues: Carne Viva’s VIDA Festival debuts Aug. 6–9 at Sandrell Rivers Theatre in Miami with workshops, choreographic labs, and a finale built for dancers, musicians, and multidisciplinary artists. Radio/Media for Music Fans: The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications and Saga Communications ink a seven-year partnership starting Sept. 1 to market ad inventory for WRUF-AM/WRUF-FM, with added training and collaboration for students and sports media. Community Music Events: WJCT Public Media’s “Electro Lounge” marks 25 years with an anniversary celebration Sept. 16 in Jacksonville, spotlighting two hours of downtempo, chillout, reggae, world music, and nu jazz. Pop Culture, Florida Connection: Ashley Cooke’s “cities that made me” tour lands in Parkland and Sarasota during release-week for her sophomore album. Live Music Moment: Hilary Duff’s Lucky Me Tour stop at Madison Square Garden included a surprise Good Charlotte cameo of “The Anthem.” Privacy & Tech: Florida sheriff’s offices quietly bought Meta smart glasses, raising concerns about officers recording the public without notice. Arts Calendar: SOBO Art Gallery hosts an Aug. 6 opening reception for “Florida Roots, Land, Light & Life,” with live music from jazz-fusion band Pocket Sand.

Offshore Comeback: Roar Offshore powerboat races are returning to Fort Myers Beach Sept. 11–13, with a Race Village opening at 9 a.m. and free beach viewing expected to draw big crowds and a boost for local businesses. Live Music Spotlight: Jacksonville’s Florida Theatre is hosting “Blues, Brews, Bourbon & BBQ” Sept. 10 with unlimited craft beer and bourbon samples plus live blues all night. New Venue, New Sound: Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge is expanding to Panama City Beach, rolling out a DAS Audio system built for true concert-level clarity in a bar setting. Orlando Laser Nights: Orlando Science Center’s Stellar Nights is back for Aug. 7–8, pairing planetarium shows with laser-light music themes (including Queen/Pink Floyd and Taylor Swift/The Beatles). Florida Artist Release: West Palm Beach-based reggae singer Kisko Amar-I drops “Survive the Rain,” a roots anthem about resilience, faith, and growth. Local Band News: Florida band Gilt releases a new album ahead of an Orlando show at Conduit. Community Music Events: Jax Beach Summer Fest returns this weekend at Seawalk Pavilion with multi-day live music and family-friendly programming.

Local Music Spotlight: Jacksonville hardcore band Southpaw FLHC dropped debut album The Standard, blending classic hardcore speed with modern bite. Touring/Big Names: King Crimson offshoot BEAT announced a 2026 North American run, featuring Adrian Belew and Tony Levin, with Steve Vai and Terry Bozzio joining the lineup. Florida Live & Local Events: Lake Worth Beach’s inaugural Mango Music and Art Festival is set to bring 20 acts across multiple venues, with Cumbiamba among the performers. Community Music: The Winter Garden Community Choir is gearing up for its 20th-anniversary season and a shot at Carnegie Hall-style dreams, with a first rehearsal Aug. 17. Music Business/Media: Entravision is expanding its AI Latino radio show “GeeGee & Coyotec” into five new Fuego Network markets. Pop Culture Music News: Barry Manilow postponed a Lexington, Kentucky show again due to “unforeseen circumstances,” with fans reporting the notice came shortly before start time.

Country Spotlight: Russell Dickerson brought his “Bro-country” energy to Musikfest’s Wind Creek Steel Stage in Bethlehem, leaning on recent hits like “Worth Your Wild” and “It’s About Time” (with Florida Georgia Line) in a confetti-filled opener. Local Music & Community: Daytona Beach’s Riverfront Market returns Aug. 7 with up to 45 vendors and live music by Aaron Esposito, while Fort Myers Beach’s ROAR Offshore powerboat races are set for Sept. 11-13 as a post-Hurricane Ian comeback celebration. Orlando Arts: Orlando Ballet teams up with Seniors First for a Gentle BeMoved dance class for older adults Aug. 5, featuring guided movement with music. Live-Music Logistics: New Orleans’ Frenchmen Street venues will offer discount parking codes to performing musicians starting in September, easing a long-running hassle for bands. HBCU Band Buzz: The 2026 BOTY halftime race is already heating up, with Florida A&M’s Marching 100 ranked No. 3 in the latest standings.

Nu Stadium Food Upgrade: Inter Miami CF’s Nu Stadium adds Miami Slice pizza and expands La Birra Bar, with both rolling out for fans starting Wed., Aug. 5. Local Arts Fundraiser: Arts Garage in Delray Beach launches a Celebrity Doodle Auction (online, bidding through Aug. 12) to support South Florida arts programming. New Florida Music Releases: June McDoom announces debut album Follow The Light (lead single “Without You”); Soft Cuff (St. Pete) readies instrumental LP Thick Heat for Aug. 28 with a Sept. 4 release party at St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club. Tour News: Tyler Hubbard drops “902180” ahead of a Dan + Shay tour later this year. Live-Entertainment Calendar: Waterfront Playhouse unveils its 2026–27 season, including Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Oct. 15–23) and Key West holiday programming. Pop Culture in Florida: Universal Orlando debuts Ozzy Osbourne’s Prince of Darkness haunted house for Halloween Horror Nights starting Aug. 28.

Local Music & Community: Buju Banton is set for an Aug. 8 album-signing stop at VP Records in Miramar for Too Too Bad, riding strong chart momentum and fresh collaborations. Live Country Spotlight: Audacy’s “Stars and Strings” returns Nov. 12 at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood with Lee Brice, Kane Brown, Brantley Gilbert, Brandon Lake and Stephen Wilson Jr., benefiting Folds of Honor. Florida Arts Calendar: Orlando’s St. Luke’s United Methodist Church stages The Prom Aug. 6–16, bringing big musical numbers and an LGBTQ+ inclusion message to the stage. New Music Venue Energy: Food Factory Oviedo has fully opened with eight concepts and a steady lineup of events, including live music and music bingo. Music Culture Beyond Florida (but still relevant): The VOA Country Music Festival is gearing up for a four-day run with Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts and Blake Shelton, plus Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard.

Florida Keys Real Estate: Lorelai Restaurant & Cabana Bar in Islamorada is listed for $18 million, including five acres of waterfront property—good news for fans: the spot isn’t closing. Miami Gardens Music/Business: Rick Ross has joined the development team behind EnSima Miami I, a new mixed-use project in his hometown area. Billboard Buzz (Rap): Rick Ross’s new solo album Set in Stone debuts at No. 39 on the Billboard 200—his lowest-peaking studio album. Pop Tour Watch: Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine Tour lands in London at The O2 for 10 dates (Aug. 15–Sept. 1), with her planning a step back from visibility after the run. Live Music (Florida): The Music of Billy Joel & Elton John, starring Michael Cavanaugh, hits the Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center on Aug. 29. Hip-Hop Public Art: Cey Adams brings his “Lead With Love” mural project to Broward County, continuing his legacy shaping hip-hop visuals. Shark Science: A hammerhead shark washes up dead in Jupiter, adding to a troubling Florida pattern of dead hammerheads this year. Local Music Discovery: Lollapalooza reviewers spotlight 8 up-and-coming acts to watch next.

Orlando Family Stage Season Update: The 2026–27 lineup is set, including “Havana Hop” (Sept. 17–19), “The Best Halloween Ever” (Oct. 5–Nov. 1), “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (Nov. 16–Dec. 27), and “Pete the Cat’s Big Hollywood Adventure” (Feb. 1–28), plus a free Second Florida Children’s Book Festival (Feb. 27). Miami Music & Culture: AfriKin Foundation’s “Taste of AfriKin” returns Sept. 6 at Maison AfriKin for Miami Spice, with live music, art, and the Jollof Cook-Off featuring chefs from across Africa and the diaspora. Florida Artist Spotlight: Clearwater native Leon Majcen announced his album “The Leaving Kind” for Sept. 4, led by the single “Don’t You Cry.” Local Live Music: Destin Conrad’s Lollapalooza set is highlighted as a star-making moment for the Florida native. Community Music Scene: Boynton Beach’s Pigsty BBQ is relocating to The Bungalow (Aug. 26) with a new menu and live music.

Clearwater Country Spotlight: Leon Majcen (Clearwater) is gearing up for his Sept. 4 album The Leaving Kind, led by the new single “Don’t You Cry,” a road-dog anthem built on sharp, bittersweet songwriting. Local Music Loss: Jacksonville’s hip-hop mentor Billy “Bigga Rankin” Plummer was honored in a packed homegoing service, with artists and industry leaders crediting him for helping launch careers. Florida Concert Calendar (Palm Beach): Jack Johnson’s Surfilmusic Tour lands at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre Aug. 18 with Lake Street Dive, pairing surf-film classics in 4K with live sets. Community + Music Culture: Sebring’s long-running South Korea exchange program wrapped with a final dinner for visiting students, continuing faith-and-friendship ties through music and shared experiences. Sports-Adjacent Florida Music Beat Note: The Miami Dolphins opened fan practice during training camp, with Malik Willis and the offense flashing early chemistry in front of a crowd.

Jacksonville Music Legacy: A homegoing service drew about a thousand people as Jacksonville and the hip-hop community celebrated the life of Billy “Bigga Rankin” Plummer, with artists and DJs sharing how the mentor helped launch careers. Live Music Calendar (Florida): Jack Johnson brings his Surfilmusic Tour to iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach Aug. 18 with Lake Street Dive as special guests. Local Event Spotlight (South Florida): Doc Reno’s 9th Annual South Florida Bacon, Beer & BBQ returns Sept. 6 in Margate, raising funds for My Family Matters Foundation, with live music and family-friendly competition. Pop Tour News: Air Supply hits the road with its “Lost in Love Experience” tour, including a stop in Florida on the global run celebrating 50 years together and a new album after 15 years. Community & Music: A mother-daughter duo in Gainesville keeps a “Have a Heart Kitchen” running with free hot meals for anyone who’s hungry. Music + Culture Debate: Wildlands fans weigh in on whether they’re there for the music or for Riley Green, with a Florida mother-daughter duo among the voices.

Live Music Calendar (Florida): Reggae On The Rock returns to Daytona Beach with a bigger waterfront setup at Manatee Island, featuring Florida reggae favorites plus a DJ zone (Aug. 8-9). Key West Lobsterfest: The 28th annual Key West Lobsterfest runs Aug. 5-9 with lobster events, pool parties, and live music around Duval Street. Local Concert Picks: Florida Theatre’s Aug. 13 lineup includes The Wiggles and Barry Manilow, while St. Augustine Amphitheatre books Buddy Guy (Aug. 22) and Benson Boone (Aug. 25). Immersive Performance: Tallahassee State College hosts CrystalFire’s “Rise of the Mythics” Aug. 13-16, blending dance, music, storytelling, and wellness. Community Arts Spotlight: Gretna’s violin concerto celebration brings home a local success story—Phillip Rumlin-Bond returns Aug. 13. Music & Culture Beyond Florida: A Florida Georgia Line solo single drop—Tyler Hubbard’s “902180”—adds to the week’s mainstream country momentum.

Florida Music & Culture: Miami Girls Rock Camp caps its year with a finale concert Saturday at The Ground Miami, featuring 10 brand-new bands and original songs written in just one week—tickets $20 advance, $25 at the door, with proceeds funding scholarships, instruments, and access for girls across South Florida. Hip-Hop Spotlight: Barack Obama’s Summer 2026 playlist spotlights Florida momentum, including Drake’s “Ran to Atlanta” (with Future and Molly Santana) and BossMan Dlow’s “Motion Party,” plus Doechii’s “girl, get up.” Live & Local Arts: Sarasota Orchestra and Van Wezel team up for a Sept. 11 benefit concert, “Summon the Heroes,” with Copland, Barber, and John Williams, plus narration and vocal performances. Music in the Community: A Jewish festival in Park City features Jewish music and culture, and organizers say it even inspired a similar Florida event. Pop Culture Florida Tie-In: Florida’s Margaritaville specialty license plate wins a national design award, approved after Jimmy Buffett’s 2023 death.

Local Radio Revival: Lakeland’s WSIR 1490 AM—once a gospel and “urban” hub—has been silenced by the FCC since June 22, and owner Frankie Grover is pushing to get the station back on air, but antenna-location hurdles are slowing the comeback. Southern Soul Momentum: Pensacola’s Doc In The Mix says Southern Soul is surging again, with fresh releases and growing dance-floor buzz heading into more singles. Community Music & Arts: Florida Studio Theatre’s “The Last Romance” keeps the dog-park love-story streak going in Sarasota, while Orlando’s alt scene gets a boost with trap goth darkwave artist Dxrkknght teaming up with Margo Maybach at Will’s Pub. New Sounds in Florida: Alacran Group Studios in South Florida upgraded its main monitors with Augspurgers, aiming to sharpen sound for in-house and major-label clients. Playlist Buzz: Barack Obama dropped his summer playlist, spotlighting tracks that include southern Florida rap from BossMan Dlow. Live Music Calendar: Tampa Bay’s best live music for July 30–Aug. 6 rounds up what to catch this week.

Pop Culture Spotlight: Charli XCX is back with “Music, Fashion, Film,” a black-and-white, more vulnerable pivot from the neon “Brat” era, built around how music, fashion and film shape her life. Local Live Music: St. Petersburg’s historic Palladium Theater kicks off a $13M renovation with a sold-out send-off concert featuring jazz legend John Lamb and Bryan J. Hughes’ Crew. Dance in Palm Beach: The inaugural Banyan Dance Festival debuts Aug. 3-8 in West Palm Beach with performances, training, classes and artist talkbacks. Jazz Calendar: Sanibel Summer Jazz Concert series closes July 31 at Spatini Teabar with Dana Paul, David Pastorius, Stu Shelton and Tony Vigilante. Community Music & Arts: Arts Garage’s “Culture Under Fire” podcast marks its first anniversary with 23 episodes and 1,000+ listens. Florida Events: Delray Beach’s “Party in Paradise” for Florida’s official Jimmy Buffett Day returns Aug. 28 with live music and island-themed fun at Old School Square. Industry Watch: Symphonic, headquartered in Tampa, expands its global A&R team with new hires across the UK, Canada, Europe and Africa. Radio for Indies: Pensacola’s WRNE launches a new program spotlighting independent artists, airing Mondays and Thursdays.