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It's an evening of endings on the music scene

11:04 PM, Jun. 14, 2012

Written by

Michael Smith

Filed Under

Top 10

Christopher Stewart, writer/Off-Broadway playwright

1. “Aqualung,” Jethro Tull.
2. “A Hard Day’s Night,” The Beatles.
3. “Mad Dogs and Englishmen,” Joe Cocker.
4. “Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul,” Otis Redding.
5. “Every Good Boy Deserves Favour,” The Moody Blues.
6. “Look Out For Number 1,” Brothers Johnson.
7. “The Concert for Bangladesh,” George Harrison and Friends.
8. “Tea for the Tillerman,” Cat Stevens.
9. “Rock ’n’ Roll Animal,” Lou Reed.
10. “At Fillmore East,” The Allman Brothers Band.
Share your all-time Top 10 favorite albums with the world! Email your list to pnjmusic@yahoo.com.

As I approach the three men waiting in the darkness of night, I’m stopped by one member of the group before the interview and told, “I think this is going to be our last show.”

Hours before that revelation, Grammy Award-winning artist Chris Thomas King shared the latest chapter of his life and the road ahead: “This is probably our last time at the Vinyl this year,” revealed King, who performs tonight at Vinyl Music Hall, 2 Palafox Place.

Even the wildest ride comes to an end, until you find a new way to shake it. Tonight, as King returns to Vinyl, the members of local DJ group Skratch-Aholix will perform their last show together, in celebration of founding member DJ St. Pete’s 30th birthday. A top-tier collection of rappers, DJs and bands also will perform at The Getaway Lounge, 7200 Plantation Road.

Since King’s previous concert at Vinyl, the bluesman has rededicated his focus on music, trading time with superstars on movie sets for time with his band on the road.

“We’ve been in a van going to clubs, juke joints, small towns,” King said. “We’ve been seeking out the most authentic blues experience we could find, taking our music to the blues fans.”

Authenticity is also important to the Skratch-Aholix. Like King, whose hip-hop blues innovations mix traditional blues with rap, the Skratch-Aholix hold onto tradition while transforming the role of DJs in live music.

“We’re one of the last (groups of) people in town that still use vinyl.” proclaims DJ St. Pete. “No one around here has ever seen four DJs onstage at one time using vinyl.”

Living for innovation, the Skratch-Aholix provide onstage support for musicians and rappers like Big Lo, who will be joined by Skratch-Aholix member DJ Bodyslanga during his opening show for Lil Kim on Wednesday at Vinyl.

The future is wide open for the members of Skratch-Aholix. For King, the future continues with a concert he promises to be memorable at Vinyl.

“They’ll hear me doing ‘Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?’ numbers and they’ll also hear some of the new music, too,” King said, referencing the soon-to-be-released album that includes his version of the Jimi Hendrix classic “The Wind Cries Mary.”

As for his return to the area, the “King of 21st Century Blues” assures, “The next time we play Pensacola will be DeLuna Fest.”

The Chris Thomas King concert at Vinyl Music Hall is an all-ages event. Hollowman/Badwater will open the show. Doors open 8 p.m. For details, visit www.vinylmusichall.com. Skratch-Aholix, Mad Love and Big Lo headline the Birthday Bash featuring JSquared, Grateful Funk, Aric Wilde and more at The Getaway Lounge. Admission is limited to 18 and older. Show starts at 8 p.m.