AGP Executive Report

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.

Jazz Festival Kickoff: Concurrence opens the Newport Jazz Festival in Fort Adams with an 11 a.m. Harbor Stage set, led by Paul Horton and Greg Bryant, bringing African American history into the sound. Local Music Spotlight: Colorado’s “Local 303” celebrates the state’s 150th with new tracks from Brothers of Brass, Cleaner, Moon Hammer, Mlady, Neon the Bishop, and SLEEP CLUB, plus returns from Sera Cahoone and Jobi Riccio. Rock & Live Events: Ozzy Osbourne’s legacy gets a Florida stop via Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights haunted house, “Prince of Darkness,” debuting Sept. 3. Florida Music Scene: Tampa filmmakers roll out “Sacred Space: A Farewell to Crowbar,” a vertical documentary leading up to Crowbar’s final concert July 31. Community + Music: River Nights 2026: “A Night on the Nile” lands Sept. 25 in Fort Myers with live music, dinner, and an auction to fund YMCA programs. Back-to-School Giveaways: Volusia/Flagler families get help with multiple events and supplies as school starts Aug. 10. Bars & Nightlife: Brevard County’s live-music and beach-bar scene gets a spotlight, including Lou’s Blues in Indialantic.

Wildlife & Beach Safety: Two men were charged in St. Pete Beach after allegedly dumping about $60 worth of mothballs to deter a threatened black skimmer from nesting near a hotel. Dance & Mentorship: West Palm Beach’s new Banyan Dance Festival (Aug. 3–8) blends elite ballet, modern, and jazz with training and mentorship for emerging dancers. Halloween Horror Nights (Music Pop Culture): Universal’s Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness haunted house is set for both Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood, using scenes from six solo albums. Local Live Music: Daytona Beach’s Wake the Dead Fest (Aug. 1) kicks off a free Garcia/Grateful Dead-style celebration with Florida jam bands The Green Tree Brothers and Montra. Rock Tour Buzz: Shinedown’s Dance, Kid, Dance Act II tour continues, with the band spotlighting its current album era and lineup changes. Community Arts Funding: DeSantis signed off on $20M in arts programming support but vetoed some smaller nonprofit and individual artist grants. Music Education Leadership: Craig Uppercue takes over at Flagler’s Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center and runs the district’s Flagler Youth Orchestra.

South Florida Live Music & Culture: Delray Beach’s Good Night John Boy is leaning hard into disco with a “Bars of the Year” vibe, complete with themed cocktails and a dance-floor DJ setup. Key West Festival Spotlight: Mac McAnally headlines the “Just a Few Friends” Key West festival’s Party in the Park, with the island-wide weekend built around music, storytelling, and community fundraising. Billboard Reggae News: VP Records lands a major chart moment as Buju Banton’s “Too Too Bad” earns its first Billboard Reggae Albums entry in five years, debuting at #8. Florida Concert Picks: Orlando Weekly highlights K-rock glam band Rolling Quartz bringing “My Turn” to The Abbey, and Melanie Martinez hitting the Kia Center with “Hades: The Sacrifice.” Local Music Community: Inter Miami CF’s Nu Stadium hosts Youth Fútbol Night Aug. 1, featuring pre-match performances and giveaways.

Orlando Concerts: Rolling Quartz brings its “My Turn” tour to The Abbey (July 29), blending 1980s glam rock energy with K-rock twists and a mix of originals plus covers. Orlando Pop: Melanie Martinez lands at the Kia Center (July 30) behind Hades: The Sacrifice, leaning hard into theatrical costumes, choreography, and a full-album focus. Florida Touring: Dark Star Orchestra confirms a fall run with a Florida finale—Jacksonville (Dec. 2), Fort Lauderdale (Dec. 3–4), and Clearwater (Dec. 5)—plus a Reckoning 45th anniversary tribute at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. (Nov. 21). Southwest Florida Spotlight: Naples singer Sarah Hardwig, blind since infancy, finds out Tuesday if her “America’s Got Talent” audition earns a direct live-show spot. Miami Music & Culture: OMEGA X announces a 23-city U.S. tour starting Aug. 13 in Miami, with stops including Orlando (Aug. 14) and more. Local Live Music: Florida Union Free School District’s Summer Band Program wraps with a free concert July 29 at S.S. Seward’s Cafetorium (6 p.m.). Community Arts: Orlando’s Abbey hosts Rolling Quartz; and the Big Gay Radio Show spotlights Ink & Lace’s fashion/tattoo mental-health partnership.

Orlando Theater Spotlight: Jodi Benson (Disney’s Ariel) steps into the Witch role in Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods” at Dr. Phillips Center, running July 31–Aug. 2 (with a Saturday matinee added after early sellouts). Central Florida Fundraising & Live Music: Billy Joel tribute band Turnstiles played Banner Elk to raise money for Elk River Helping Hands, pairing live music with a pasta dinner and community support. Central Florida Piano Night: The Steinway Society of Central Florida’s annual Divas Gala returns Aug. 9 at the Orlando Museum of Art, featuring dueling pianists and a mix of Broadway, jazz, movies, rock, and Disney showtunes. South Florida Tour News: Belizean rapper Shyne announces a 26-city North American run ending in Miami on Dec. 5, with Barrington Levy and Lil Cease as special guests. Local Concert Calendar: This week’s Florida listings include dulcimer gatherings, library performances, and more community events (including a children’s Story Book Walk). Music Business/Legal: Ariana Grande alleges hackers stole unreleased music and images from collaborators in a complaint filed in California.

Florida Music Spotlight: Bluesman Selwyn Birchwood brings his self-produced “Electric Swamp Funkin’ Blues” to Brucemore’s Bluesmore, leaning on mentorship from Buddy Guy and Sonny Rhodes. Miami Music Business: Latin star Ricardo Montaner (Hector Reglero) sues UMG and Universal Music Publishing Venezuela over alleged wrongful claims to album ownership and income. Country Crossover Buzz: Laci Kaye Booth spotlights Ella Langley’s breakout run, including her chart dominance and massive streaming lead for “Choosin’ Texas.” Tour News: Tyla announces the “A*POP” world tour with 34 dates across Europe, UK, North America, and Africa, kicking off Oct. 12 in Paris. Local Live Culture: Florida Studio Theatre keeps improv rolling as Sarasota Improv Festival pauses; “Forgotten Broadway” returns in Gainesville-area programming with shows July 31 and Aug. 1. Miami Creator Economy: IShowSpeed buys an almost $11M Miami-Dade warehouse to turn into a content-creation studio. Hardcore/Florida Scene: Jacksonville’s Southpaw readies its debut full-length “The Standard” (July 31), blending metal, hip-hop, and punk.